Posts in “history” (162)
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Celebrate Lunar New Year 2021 and the Year of the Ox ! In Chinese culture, the Ox is a valued animal. Because of its role in agriculture, positive characteristics, such as being hardworking and… continue reading Celebrate the Year of the Ox!
By written by Peter SM February 12, 2021
Quaint boxes equipped with separate compartments, used to store your favorite meals, bento boxes are gaining major popularity in the United States. While they are great for storing… continue reading Bento Boxes: A Sustainable Method for Food On the Go
By written by Naquawna L. February 8, 2021
Have you seen the movie A League of Their Own ? This famous movie highlights the early years of the Women’s Baseball League in 1943. However, if you were a Negro woman during the 1940s,… continue reading Toni Stone: The First Female Player in the Negro League
By written by Sandy M. February 4, 2021 1
Sanborn fire insurance maps are available once again through ProQuest’s updated and newly-released database, Sanborn Maps 1867-1970 (formerly known as Sanborn Maps Geo Edition 1867-1970).… continue reading New Release of the ProQuest Sanborn Maps Database
By written by Megan M. January 21, 2021 4
Hannah Cho is a University of Pennsylvania Work-Study student from Davis, CA. During the Fall semester, she studied, recorded, and edited the Story Search podcasts remotely from South Korea.… continue reading Story Search from Special Collections: An Interview by Hannah Cho
By written by Joe S. January 6, 2021
Unlike many of the other holidays and traditions that we celebrate, Kwanzaa is one of the newest, at only 54 years old. It was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 as a way for African American… continue reading The History of Kwanzaa
By written by Kamilah C. December 22, 2020 3
One of my favorite treats for the holidays is making gingerbread! Did you know that gingerbread was derived from Greece in 2400 b.c and was originally meant to preserve ginger? Gingerbread was a… continue reading Celebrate the Holidays with Gingerbread
By written by Naquawna L. December 16, 2020
The night of Thursday, December 10 begins the Jewish Festival of Lights known as Hanukkah. That much we can agree on, eh? Well, err, kind of. Yes, the holiday begins on Thursday evening, but what… continue reading The Jewish Festival of Lights
By written by Jenn D. December 10, 2020
Ah, Thanksgiving. It’s the holiday many of us look forward to in which we can gather with family and friends, eat delicious homemade food, and reflect on all of the things we are thankful… continue reading Buy Nothing Day 2020
By written by Kamilah C. November 27, 2020
I still remember as a child, coming along as my mother cast her ballot. Standing side by side with my mother, the first person in my family to vote in the U.S., left me with wide-eyed curiosity.… continue reading Making Her Mark: Philadelphia Women Fight for the Vote Digital Exhibition Launches
By written by Suzanna U. November 10, 2020
During the critical first presidential debate in 1960, the difference in the physical appearance of the two candidates could not have been sharper. Vice President Richard Nixon looked like a man… continue reading The Picture of Health: The Strange Case of John F. Kennedy
By written by Richard L. September 17, 2020 2
You may have heard the recent news that Free Library cardholders now have access to ProQuest’s Historical Black Newspapers , featuring coverage of The Philadelphia Tribune (the oldest… continue reading Philadelphia History from Home: Digital Access to Primary Sources
By written by Caitlin G. August 25, 2020
If ever a man simply wore himself out while serving his country, Franklin D. Roosevelt is his name. First elected during the depths of the Great Depression in 1932, he was still on the job twelve… continue reading A Dying Man Runs for President
By written by Richard L. August 12, 2020
During the years that Dwight Eisenhower served as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, he had to contend with some of the most demanding and difficult personalities on two continents. The… continue reading President Eisenhower, Senator McCarthy, and "The Junketeering Gumshoes"
By written by Richard L. August 5, 2020 1
The Free Library is pleased to announce a new digital resource that provides access to the most distinguished African American Newspapers in the United States. Cardholders now have access to 10… continue reading Black History. Black News. Black Voices.
By written by Jamie B. July 30, 2020 6
The 2020 Olympic Games were supposed to be starting today in Tokyo, Japan, but the Olympic flame will not be lit this summer . This year's Olympics were postponed back in March due to the… continue reading Digital Media Spotlight: Olympic Memories of the Past
By written by Peter SM July 23, 2020
Updated Friday, July 10, 2020 4:59 p.m. "The Social Justice Symposium Teen Planning Committee supports the Concerned Black Workers of the Free Library of Philadelphia ! CBWFLP Response to… continue reading Race in the United States: Social Justice Virtual Workshops for Teens
By written by Megan J. July 7, 2020
"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in… continue reading George Washington Carver: Inventor, Environmentalist, Mentor, and Role Model
By written by Sharyl O. June 24, 2020 2
With current stay-at-home orders and social distancing precautions in place, I find myself more eager to spend time outside and walk (or jog if I’m feeling really motivated) around the… continue reading Explore Your Neighborhood Virtually with Digital Collections
By written by Megan M. May 18, 2020
Today, American novelist Harper Lee would have turned 94 years old. As a lover of novels in general, and To Kill a Mockingbird in particular, I jumped at the chance to write a celebratory blog… continue reading Harper Lee and the Novels That Help Us Remember
By written by Christine M. April 28, 2020 1