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Category: Development of the Industrial United States (1877-1914)

Edward S. Curtis and The North American Indian

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

Photographs offer a snapshot of a particular time and place, telling a careful viewer as much about the photographer as about the subjects of the pictures. That’s often particularly true when the photographer isn’t a member of the group being photographed. One example from the Library of Congress’s collections is Edward S. Curtis, who dedicated most of his career to photographing Native American cultures and traditions to publish in a multi-volume book titled The North American Indian.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

The Titanic: In the News and in Memory

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

How can we learn from tragedies? It’s a universal question that can engage students as they consider both contemporary and historic examples. April 15, the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the luxury liner Titanic, presents a timely opportunity. Help your students analyze varying perspectives on this tragic event through primary sources from the Library of Congress.