Posts in “history” (160)
Blog Articles
From classics like In Cold Blood and Helter Skelter to recent bestsellers like In Light of All Darkness and If You Tell , readers love true crime. In addition to generating chills and thrills, a… continue reading 19th Century True Crime at the Free Library
By written by Ben R. April 19, 2024
Baseball: for over a century, the game has been known as "America’s favorite pastime." During the early parts of the 20th century, tuning in to a baseball game on the… continue reading Collection Spotlight: Highlights from the Negro Leagues
By written by Chris M. April 19, 2024 1
March is Women's History Month! Did you know that Women’s History Month has its roots in the struggle for workers’ rights? In 1908, women garment workers protested the poor… continue reading Teen Reads for Women's History Month
By written by Verónica M. March 6, 2024
Happy Women’s History Month , Philadelphia! What began as a local educational initiative in Sonoma, California 46 years ago, has evolved into a month-long celebration "commemorating and… continue reading It's Women's History Month in March!
By written by Jennifer E. March 1, 2024 2
I’ve been working in the Print and Picture Collection at Parkway Central Library for about a year now and I’ve still barely scratched the surface of learning about all of the art… continue reading Japanese Ukiyo-E Prints in the Print and Picture Collection
By written by Nora R. February 27, 2024 3
Lately, there has been a resurgence of interest in African Americans' contributions to the classical music genre. Boston Conservatory is set to have a Florence Price Birthday Celebration… continue reading African American History in the Fleisher Collection
By written by Danielle T. February 22, 2024
In celebration of Black History Month, the Free Library's Social Science and History Department is displaying books from the collection that tell a visual history of Reconstruction — the… continue reading Collection Spotlight: A Visual History of Reconstruction
By written by Ben R. February 12, 2024
It’s the 50 Anniversary of the blaxploitation film Foxy Brown starring Pam Grier . The film is credited for revolutionizing the way women were portrayed in cinema. To celebrate this… continue reading Pam's Picks: Favorite Books of Legendary Actress Pam Grier
By written by Administrator February 9, 2024 6
Helen Adele Johnson Whiting (1885 – 1959) was a trailblazer in the education of African-American students, particularly those in rural areas of the South. Her education from Columbia… continue reading Advancing African-American Education: The Helen Adele Whiting Collection
By written by K. Michelle W. February 1, 2024
The Free Library of Philadelphia is the proud custodian of an astounding literary artifact in our Rare Book Department : a copy of Shakespeare's First Folio that belonged to English… continue reading “Making Shakespeare: The First Folio” - Featuring a Cherished Free Library Artifact
By written by Bridget G. November 21, 2023 1
Beginning Wednesday, April 12, 2023, the Free Library of Philadelphia launches a unique seven-part series of live evening events exploring the life and career of George Orson Welles , one of the… continue reading Special Lecture Series: Orson Welles & The Golden Age of Hollywood
By written by Administrator October 12, 2023 10
In 2023, the Free Library is observing the 50th anniversary of hip hop with a limited-edition library card design commissioned by local artist Akinseye Brown . In… continue reading 50 Years of Hip Hop: Books Authored by the Artists
By written by Bridget G. September 11, 2023
I am a Black woman living, thriving, and loving in Philadelphia. How we prepare our food has a history, and that history is often long and can be challenging to decipher. We live in a world where… continue reading Sugar Don’t Go on Grits: An Archival Look at the Great Migration’s Effect on How We Eat
By written by Andrea L. August 18, 2023
This summer, the Free Library is observing the 50th anniversary of hip hop with a limited-edition library card design commissioned by local artist Akinseye Brown . In honor of this… continue reading 50 Years of Hip Hop: Essential Reading in Genre History
By written by Bridget G. July 18, 2023
Honor Juneteenth with the Free Library of Philadelphia! This year, we celebrate Juneteenth for the third time as a federal holiday, but it has been an important celebration for nearly 200 years!… continue reading Honoring Juneteenth at the Free Library
By written by Inaara S. June 9, 2023
Hip hop's 50th anniversary represents a milestone for an American genre of music and art that began in the 1970s at block parties in New York City — specifically the Bronx. Born out of… continue reading The Free Library Observes the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop
By written by Bridget G. June 5, 2023
The Edwin A. Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music at the Free Library of Philadelphia offers a closing theme as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month comes to an end for 2023. As… continue reading Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage in the Fleisher Collection
By written by Fleisher Collection May 24, 2023
Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this May! Also sometimes known as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, it first began during the 1970s with a week-long… continue reading Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this May
By written by Inaara S. May 1, 2023
Did you know that in 1654, 23 Jewish refugees sailed to the port of New Amsterdam (presently New York City) and established the first Jewish community in what we now call the United States?… continue reading Honoring Jewish American Heritage Month
By written by Inaara S. May 1, 2023 1
The Free Library of Philadelphia has some wonderful resources for people researching the history of children's literature in America. With just a library card , several databases are… continue reading Profiles in Literature
By written by Chris B. April 25, 2023