Individuals and educational and cultural institutions who seek to amplify the stories of communities of color are invited to apply to new grant opportunities through theA Of the People: Widening the PathA Connecting Communities Digital Initiative at the Library of Congress.

Of the People is a new, multi-part initiative funded by aA $15 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon FoundationA to enable the Library to connect more deeply with Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color. TheA Connecting Communities Digital InitiativeA (CCDI) will examine the ways technology can enable storytelling and expose more people to the Libraryas expansive collections.

More details here: loc.gov/item/prn-21-055/

This June, we recognize several significant events and moments in our history, documented in the Libraryas collections, when Americans have turned tragedies into opportunities to learn from the mistakes of the past or celebrate the progress weave made. Earlier this month, we commemorated the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre, which was lost in our history books for far too long, but has now entered the national dialogue in a meaningful way. This week, we are observing Juneteenth a the annual commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865 a and that we now will celebrate as an official federal holiday. June is also Pride month, the celebration of LGBTQ+ Americans that has grown out of the pivotal experience of the 1969 Stonewall Riot. Caribbean-American Heritage Month is also observed in June, celebrating Caribbean-Americansa countless gifts and contributions to our nation.

In each of these moments, we are collectively recognizing and discussing a more inclusive version of our shared history by telling the stories of all Americans. The Library of Congress has the resources to connect you with the past: photos of the Tulsa Race Massacre, the papers of gay rights activist Frank Kameny, a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, an extensive collection of stories of aSlave Narratives from the Federal Writersa Project,a diverse Caribbean-American recordings in the American Folklife Center and so much more.

The Library is committed to collecting, telling and sharing all of the rich stories that make our diverse nation great. History never stops, and at the Library of Congress, we invite you to discover new connections across our remarkable collections, which grow every day, along with our rich, living history.

Sincerely,
Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

Juneteenth Content from Across the Library

• The Birth of Juneteenth; Voices of the Enslaved
• Ralph Ellisonas aJuneteenth"
• Voices Remembering Slavery: Freed People Tell Their Stories
• Born in Slavery: Portraits and Narratives of Formerly Enslaved People
• Draft of the Emancipation Proclamation
• S.475 - Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, 117th Congress

Pride Month Posts from Across the Library's Blogs

• LGBTQ Activism and Contributions: A New Primary Source Set
• Copyright in Pride
• Walt Whitmanas aNo Doubt the Effluxa
• Congressional Cemetery Series: Celebrating Pride Month
• Gay Pride Parades: Identity, Protest, and Tradition
• LGBTQ Rights in Denmark

Pride in the Library: An Album on Flickr

These images of artists, writers, playwrights, photographers, musicians, composers, dancers and poets serve as an introduction to the rich and diverse stories of LGBTQ+ life found in Library of Congress collections. View them here.

Mary 31 and June 1 marked the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, in which a white mob invaded and burned to ashes the thriving African American district within Tulsa, Oklahoma, known as Greenwood, so prosperous at the time to have been called "the Black Wall Street."

It was, then and now, among the bloodiest outbreaks of racist violence in U.S. history. The official tally of the dead has varied from 36 to nearly 300. White fatalities are documented at 13. Some 35 square blocks of Black-owned homes, businesses, and churches were torched; thousands of Black Tulsans were left homeless a and yet no local, state or federal agency ever pursued prosecutions. The event was so quickly dismissed by local officials that today, a century later, several local organizations are still investigating reports of mass graves.

The Library has assembled these resources to help you conduct your own research about the Tulsa Race Massacre with Library collections:

• Racial Massacres and the Red Summer of 1919
• Tulsa Race Massacre: Topics in Chronicling America

Also, several Library of Congress blogs guide you through different aspects of this staggering tragedy:

• How to Research the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
• Tulsa Race Massacre: Newspaper Complicity and Coverage
• For Teachers: Exploring the Impact of the Tulsa Race Massacre
• The Tulsa Race Massacre: Relief and the Role of the American Red Cross

The Rare Book and Special Collections Division holds an important collection of early Hawaiian imprints, dating from 1822 when printing first started in the Islands to about 1860. The 275 books and pamphlets forming the Hawaiian Imprint Collection consist largely of nineteenth-century school books, religious texts, and government documents and include some of the earliest works printed in Oahu and Maui. Many of these items are only known to exist in only a few copies in research Libraries around the world, often with no other copy in the Continental United States.

guides.loc.gov/early-hawaiian-imprints/

In 1800, as part of an act of Congress providing for the removal of the new national government from Philadelphia to Washington, President John Adams approved an act of Congress providing $5,000 for books for the use of Congressathe beginning of the Library of Congress.

Since that beginning 221 years ago, the Library has grown to become the largest library in the world with a collection of more than 170 million items that document human creativity and achievement across the centuries and around the globe.

Learn more about the Libraryas history:A loc.gov/about/history-of-the-library/

The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress is bringing more workersa voices from around the country to listeners with the second season of aAmerica Works,a a podcast series celebrating the diversity, resilience and creativity of the American workforce during a time of economic challenge and transition.

Read the press release:A loc.gov/item/prn-21-017/

Listen to the podcast series:A loc.gov/podcasts/america-works/

March is Womenas History Month and a wonderful opportunity to shine a light on the achievements and contributions of women in this country. Commemorating the significant role of women is also an important opportunity to inspire girls and young women to build their potential and achieve their dreams.

We continue to celebrate many ground-breaking firsts for women, and it is an honor to be included in that list as the first woman and African American to serve as the Librarian of Congress. You can watch my historic swearing-in ceremony from Sept. 14, 2016 here.

The Libraryas vast collections include the history and contributions of diverse women in just about every facet of life, including government, sports, education, arts, science, music, civil rights, entertainment and so much more. I invite you to read some of the fascinating stories about popular historical figures, as well as lesser-known history-makers, included in some of the Libraryas engaging blog posts written by staff experts from across our collections areas. A small sampling of posts in honor of Womenas History Month is provided below, as a starting place to help you discover all there is to learn at the Library of Congress.

Sincerely,
Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

Celebrating Women's History Month: Blog Posts from Around the Library

VigdAs FinnbogadA3ttir: The Worldas First Female Elected President
blogs.loc.gov/law/2020/07/vigds-finnbogadttir-the-worlds-first-female-elected-president/

The First Lady Astronaut Trainees
blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2019/10/mercury13/

Luminarias: Celebrating Latinas Who Inspire Us
blogs.loc.gov/international-collections/2021/03/luminarias-celebrating-latinas-who-inspire-us/

Honoring African Americans: Historic Women Trailblazers and Advocacy Organizations
blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2021/03/historic-women-trailblazers/

blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2020/03/mother-jones/

Astronomer Maria Mitchell
blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2020/08/astronomer-maria-mitchell/

Stunned By Her Thunder: Fannie Lou Hamer
blogs.loc.gov/law/2021/02/stunned-by-her-thunder-fannie-lou-hamer/

The Geeas Bend Quilters and Copyright
blogs.loc.gov/copyright/2021/03/celebrating-womens-history-month-the-gees-bend-quilters-and-copyright/

blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2020/03/rose-oneill-artist-activist-and-queen-of-kewpies/

aWhat the World Gives to Mea: The Correspondence of Georgia OaKeeffe and Alfred Stieglitz
blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2021/03/what-the-world-gives-to-me-the-correspondence-of-georgia-okeeffe-and-alfred-stieglitz/

For Kids, Families and Teachers:

Celebrate Womenas History Month with Mabel Ping-Hua Lee and Suffragist Cards
blogs.loc.gov/families/2021/03/celebrate-wom ens-history-month-with-mabel-ping-hua-lee-and-suffragist-cards/

Diversity in the Struggle: Exploring the Lives of Suffragists
blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2021/03/diversity-in-the-struggle-exploring-the-lives-of-suffragists/A

While there isnat one set collection to explore this topic, weave put together a few tips and tricks for navigating the Prints & Photographs Online Catalog. Itas important to note that women in sports imagery can be found in many formats and depict professional, amateur, leisure, and collegiate sports.

Read full blog post: blogs.loc.gov/picturethis/2021/03/women-and-sports-let-the-searching-games-begin/

In 1926, noted historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson, known as the aFather of Black History,a began a week-long celebration to highlight the achievements of African Americans. He selected the second week in February, as it contains the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

Several years earlier in 1915, Woodson founded what is today known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) after attending an exposition celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the 15^thA Amendment and being inspired to more widely share the history and accomplishments of African Americans since slavery a stories that were not discoverable and were not being presented.

In 1976, the initial week-long celebration grew into the longer Black History Month celebration that continues to this day. ASALH also continues to honor Woodsonas lifelong mission to honor the study of African American history all year long, year after year. Theyave set the 2021 Black History Month theme as, aThe Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.a

The Library of Congress holds many varied African American historical resources within our vast collections, including the NAACP Records our largest and most accessed single collection, and we are committed to acquiring more. Last month, we announced a new, multiyear initiative - Of the People: Widening the Path - to create new opportunities for more Americans to engage with the Library and add their perspectives to the Libraryas collections, allowing the national library to share a more inclusive American story.A Read more below about this initiative, which is supported by a $15 million investment from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Below, you will also find a wide selection of Library blog posts highlighting African American stories in honor of Black History Month, giving a glimpse into all the history there is to discover at the Library of Congress.

Sincerely,
Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

Celebrating Black History: Blog Posts from Around the Library

Celebrating Artistsa Portraits at the Library of Congress for African American History Month blogs.loc.gov/picturethis/2021/02/celebrating-artists-portraits-at-the-library-of-congress-for-african-american-history-month/

The Family Life of Ralph Ellison blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2021/02/the-family-life-of-ralph-ellison/

Honoring African American Contributions in Medicine: Midwives blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2020/06/honoring-african-american-contributions-in-medicine-midwives/

Katherine Dunham's Ethnographic Research in the Caribbean blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2021/02/katherine-dunham-in-the-caribbean/

loc.gov/exhibitions/rosa-parks-in-her-own-words/about-this-exhibition/

Young Rosa Parks: Ideas for Families to Engage with Her Life Story blogs.loc.gov/families/2021/02/young-rosa-parks/

Expanding Historical Narratives about Rosa Parks Using Primary Sources: Ideas for Teachers blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2020/03/expanding-historical-narratives-about-rosa-parks-using-primary-sources/

Virtual Student Workshop - Rosa Parks: Freedom Fighter (grades 5-8) Through discussion, questioning strategies, storytelling and more, students learn about the many ways civil rights activist Rosa Parks fought to bring about justice and equality for many Americans. The program draws on the personal papers of Rosa Parks and other multimedia items held at the Library. Workshops are led by a Library facilitator and are available by requestA here: loc.gov/visit/virtual-student-workshops/

Happy 2021 to each of you! This year has already proved to be an eventful one.

Like many of you, I am disappointed and disturbed by the recent unrest at the Capitol. This was one of the most significant breaches of the Capitol in its history since the War of 1812 when the building was on fire and the Library of Congress was burned as well.

Following those events Thomas Jefferson sold his library to Congress, and it remains the foundation of our institution today. I am relieved to say that the Jefferson library, all of our collections, and most importantly our staff members are safe and secure.A

You can read more about how the Library of Congress survived its destruction during the War of 1812 to become the nationas a and the worldas a pre-eminent source of knowledge and information in this past Library of Congress Magazine issue about our history (p.8).

As we turn our attention to todayas historic inauguration of the 46th president of the United States, Library staffers have published a number of blog posts examining inaugurations past. Find links to those below, and read about the completion of our initiative to digitize the papers of nearly two dozen early presidents. Updates on other exciting Library programs are also provided.

Sincerely,
Carla Hayden
Librarian of Congress

Inaugurations Past & Present:
Blog Posts from Around the Library

aInaugurations: Stepping into Historya a A Teacher Resource from the Library of Congress
blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2021/01/inaugurations-stepping-into-history-a-teacher-resource-from-the-library-of-congress/

Selected Resources for Parents on Inaugurations, the Presidency, and Civic Engagement
blogs.loc.gov/families/2021/01/resources-civics-inaugurations/

Weathering the Weather on Inauguration Day
blogs.loc.gov/inside_adams/2021/01/inaugural-weather/

Amanda Gorman Selected as President-Elect Joe Bidenas Inaugural Poet
blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2021/01/amanda-gorman-selected-as-president-elect-joe-bidens-inaugural-poet/

Intriguing Facts about Presidential Inaugurations Past
blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2021/01/intriguing-facts-about-presidential-inaugurations-past/

Presidential Inaugurations Outside of Washington, D.C.: Law and Tradition
blogs.loc.gov/law/2017/01/presidential-inaugurations-outside-of-washington-d-c-law-and-tradition/

Inauguration Music of Yesteryear
blogs.loc.gov/music/2017/01/inauguration-music-of-yesteryear/

The Library is collaborating with the photo-sharing site Flickr to significantly expand our documentation of American experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether you use a cell phone, a professional camera or graphic design software, wead like to see your images of how the pandemic has affected your daily life and community.

We invite you to contribute photographic and graphic art images to the Flickr group aCOVID-19 American Experiences.a Library curators will review submissions and select images to feature in Flickr galleries and to preserve in our permanent collections.

More information: blogs.loc.gov/loc/2020/09/library-seeks-pictures-of-pandemic-experiences/

Image credit: Family Portrait from the Covid-19 Era by Jonathan Brown on Flickr.