Tagged history

50 Years of Hip Hop: Books Authored by the Artists

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 honor of this milestone, here are…

Special Lecture Series: Orson Welles & The Golden Age of Hollywood

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 most remarkable producer/director/actors…

Sugar Don’t Go on Grits: An Archival Look at the Great Migration’s Effect on How We Eat

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 food often loses its place of origin.…

50 Years of Hip Hop: Essential Reading in Genre History

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 milestone, here are 15 must-reads from the…

Honoring Juneteenth at the Free Library

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! Juneteenth is the oldest known…

The Free Library Observes the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop

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 the intersecting communities of the…

Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage in the Fleisher Collection

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 we share a sampling of the rich cultural…

Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month this May

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 celebration, and eventually got extended into…

Honoring Jewish American Heritage Month

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? It has been nearly 400 years since this…

Profiles in Literature

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 available to help you learn more about the…

Ancestry Library Edition

Visit one of our libraries to explore our newest database,  Ancestry Library Edition , which provides the most extensive collection of genealogical information currently available online. You can explore your family’s…

Teaching Interior Chinatown — With Appropriate Supports

Early in our Interior Chinatown unit, my co-teacher and I talked to our students about the idea of interior and exterior — an important contrast that structures Charles Yu ’s novel. What did we mean by interior and exterior?…

Comrade Sisters: Women of the Black Panther Party

Over the years, the Philadelphia Commission for Women has partnered with the Free Library of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Organization for Women on vital programs to elevate the voices and aspirations of…

NewspaperArchive Is a Blast From the Past!

NewspaperArchive is an online database of billions (and yes, that’s BILLIONS with a B!) of newspaper articles from Pennsylvania, the U.S. (all 50 states plus Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands), and all over the globe…

The HistoryMakers: Enjoy African American History On-Demand

Using your library card, you can now enjoy Black history in the oral tradition via The HistoryMakers  Digital Archive : the largest video archive of African American history spanning from the 1700s to the present day. This special…

All the Historic Black Newspapers Available Online With Your Library Card

What better way to learn about Black history than through the lens of Black news sources, as written and published by the African American journalists of yesterday? The Free Library is pleased to highlight a digital resource…

Celebrate the Dog Days of Summer!

Phew, the summer is heating up! As we all try our best to deal with the rising temperatures in our area, don't forget that the Free Library is a great place to cool off. Check your neighborhood library's hours of…

Bloomsday is back!

The Rosenbach's annual Bloomsday festival is BACK on Delancey Place after a two-year hiatus. Join the celebration on Thursday, June 16 anytime between 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. What  is  Bloomsday? Bloomsday is the day…

Celebrating Juneteenth!

The Free Library is celebrating Juneteenth! Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration of the end of enslavement in the United States and a time when we come together to celebrate this monumental occasion across the country, within our…

Commemorating Immigrant Heritage Month This June

This June, the Free Library is celebrating Philadelphia’s immigrant communities! June is Immigrant Heritage Month , a time when we celebrate the beauty and strength of our city’s many immigrant communities. Philadelphia…

The Art and Influence of John Dowell: Curator-Led Exhibition Tour

Join the curators for a tour of The Art and Influence of John Dowell , the latest exhibition from the Free Library's Special Collections. John Dowell (born 1941) is a Philadelphia based, nationally recognized artist, master printer,…

The Art and Influence of John Dowell: Curator-Led Exhibition Tour

Join the curators for a tour of The Art and Influence of John Dowell , the latest exhibition from the Free Library's Special Collections. John Dowell (born 1941) is a Philadelphia based, nationally recognized artist, master printer,…

Chapter Meeting - Society for Industrial Archeology

Come learn and share stories of Philadelphia industry and manufacturing with the local chapter of the Society for Industrial Archeology. Since its inception in 1984, the Oliver Evans Chapter has promoted interest in the development of…

The Art and Influence of John Dowell: Curator-Led Exhibition Tour

Join the curators for a tour of The Art and Influence of John Dowell , the latest exhibition from the Free Library's Special Collections. John Dowell (born 1941) is a Philadelphia based, nationally recognized artist, master printer,…

The Art and Influence of John Dowell: Curator-Led Exhibition Tour

Join the curators for a tour of The Art and Influence of John Dowell , the latest exhibition from the Free Library's Special Collections. John Dowell (born 1941) is a Philadelphia based, nationally recognized artist, master printer,…

Virtual Event - Soldier of Destiny: Slavery, Secession, and the Redemption of Ulysses S. Grant

Soldier of Destiny evokes the life of the famed general through his conflicted connection to slavery, allowing readers a clearer understanding of this great American. Captain Ulysses S. Grant, an obscure army officer who was expelled…

Author Event | Prisoners of Congress: Philadelphia’s Quakers in Exile, 1777-1778

Join scholar Norman E. Donoghue II for an inside look into an untold story of Philadelphia Quakers during the American Revolution. In 1777, Congress labeled Quakers who would not take up arms in support of the War of Independence as…

The Assassination of John F Kennedy

Retired librarian and historian Steve Wright will lead us through the events of November 22, 1963 as the nation commemorates the 60th Anniversary of one of the most tragic days in American history.

The Art and Influence of John Dowell: Curator-Led Exhibition Tour

Join the curators for a tour of The Art and Influence of John Dowell , the latest exhibition from the Free Library's Special Collections. John Dowell (born 1941) is a Philadelphia based, nationally recognized artist, master printer,…

The Art and Influence of John Dowell: Curator-Led Exhibition Tour

Join the curators for a tour of The Art and Influence of John Dowell , the latest exhibition from the Free Library's Special Collections. John Dowell (born 1941) is a Philadelphia based, nationally recognized artist, master printer,…

Philly History Pop Up: Interesting Twists on Places you Know

Veteran Tourism Marketer, Cara Schneider Bongiorno, will present her lively Philly History Pop Up presentation, Interesting Twists on Places you Know. Even those who know Philly well may be surprised at some of the lesser-known stories…

For the Love of Hip Hop: StorySlam and Spoken Word Experience

Do you remember your first rap song? Still itchin’ for a scratch? Where were you when you first threw your hands in the air like you just didn’t care? Join us on November 9th in the Skyline Room of Parkway Central Library…

Chapter Meeting - Society for Industrial Archeology

Come learn and share stories of Philadelphia industry and manufacturing with the local chapter of the Society for Industrial Archeology. Since its inception in 1984, the Oliver Evans Chapter has promoted interest in the development of…

Joseph Sassoon | The Sassoons: The Great Global Merchants and the Making of an Empire

REGISTER “A marvelous epitaph to a monumental family, makers of several worlds and keepers of none” ( The Wall Street Journal ), Joseph Sassoon ’s eponymous historical volume The Sassoons charts the remarkable…

Micro/Macro: Cosmos | Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month Exhibition with Salvador Pereira et al.

This progressive installation, presented in conjunction with the Latin American Book Fair , invites viewers to witness the artistic process that unravels when creative reuse, bold graphic artistry, and generative expression come…

Haxan (1922)

Join us for a very special Halloween showing of the 1922 silent horror classic Häxan directed by Benjamin Christensen. Through vignettes, the film explores the history of witchcraft from the middle ages to modern equivalencies.…

"A Guided Tour of Hell: A Scholar Explains How Our Concept of Hell Has Changed Over Time"

 On Wednesday, October 25th at 11:00 A.M.,Central Senior Services will offer a Zoom Halloween program that is unlike anything you have  ever experienced before.  Is it possible to educate, entertain and frighten an…

The Art and Influence of John Dowell: Curator-Led Exhibition Tour

Join the curators for a tour of The Art and Influence of John Dowell , the latest exhibition from the Free Library's Special Collections. John Dowell (born 1941) is a Philadelphia based, nationally recognized artist, master printer,…

The Art and Influence of John Dowell: Curator-Led Exhibition Tour

Join the curators for a tour of The Art and Influence of John Dowell , the latest exhibition from the Free Library's Special Collections. John Dowell (born 1941) is a Philadelphia based, nationally recognized artist, master printer,…

Nikhil Goyal | Live to See the Day: Coming of Age in American Poverty

REGISTER In conversation with author and Pennsylvania State Senator, Nikil Saval In Live to See the Day , Nikhil Goyal offers a searing portrait of three Puerto Rican children struggling to survive in Philadelphia’s impoverished…

Alice Dunbar-Nelson

Free Library resources in support of the Rosenbach's Digital Exhibition: "I Am an American!" The Authorship and Activism of Alice Dunbar-Nelson

Freedom Train - Adults

Supplemental adult reading suggestions for the Rosenbach's Freedom Train exhibition, running July 1st, 2016 through November 1st, 2016.

Freedom Train - Teens

Supplemental teen reading suggestions for the Rosenbach's Freedom Train exhibition, running July 1st, 2016 through November 1st, 2016.

Freedom Train - Children

Supplemental children's reading suggestions for the Rosenbach's Freedom Train exhibition, running July 1st, 2016 through November 1st, 2016.

Presidents of the United States

Under the United States Constitution, the President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States. As chief of the executive branch and face of the federal government as a whole, the presidency is…

Asians American History, Cultural Traditions, and Celebrations

History of different Asian ethnic groups in America and background on Asian cultural traditions and holidays.

U.S. Elections and Politics

The United States midterm general election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. In Pennsylvania, the ballot includes candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, the Pennsylvania State Senate,…

U.S. Congressional Serial Set (1817-1980)

The bound, sequentially numbered volumes of all the Reports, Documents, and Journals of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives constitutes a rich source of primary source material on all aspects of American history. Upon…

Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture, and Law

This HeinOnline collection brings together a multitude of essential legal materials on slavery in the U.S. and the English-speaking world. It includes nearly 2,000 titles, with every statute passed by every colony and state on slavery,…

Philadelphia Tribune (1912-2001)

Full access to the oldest continuously published daily Black newspaper in the United States.

Philadelphia Evening Telegraph

Philadelphia Evening Telegraph was a daily afternoon newspaper started on January 4, 1864. Search, browse, and read it online here.

HistoryMakers Digital Archive

The HistoryMakers Digital Archive is the nation's largest African American video oral history collection. It provides high-quality primary source content, with fully searchable transcripts, from thousands of people from a broad range of…

Historical Newspapers - Black Newspapers

Primary source material from ten historic Black newspapers, including the Chicago Defender, The Baltimore Afro-American, New York Amsterdam News, Pittsburgh Courier, Los Angeles Sentinel, Atlanta Daily World, and the Cleveland Call and Post

Gun Regulation and Legislation in America

This new HeinOnline collection brings together more than 550 titles dealing with this difficult and important topic. Included are periodicals, key compiled federal legislative histories, relevant congressional hearings, CRS Reports,…

Gale OneFile | High School Edition (formerly InfoTrac Student Edition) *

High school students will have access to age-appropriate content from magazines, journals, newspapers, reference books, and engaging multi-media covering a wide range of subjects, from science, history, and literature to political…

Gale In Context: U.S. History

Covers themes, events, individuals and periods in U.S. history from pre-colonial times to the present. The material also includes access to the citations for over 180 additional history journals from the Institute for Scientific…

Gale in Context | Middle School (formerly Research in Context) *

Discover reliable and trusted information on a variety of topics to support middle school student research for government, U.S and world history, geography, literature, sciences, and social issues. Research In Context offers…

Early American Imprints, Series II: Shaw-Shoemaker (1801-1819)

Covering every aspect of American life during the early decades of the United States, this rich primary source collection provides full-text access to the 36,000 American books, pamphlets and broadsides published in the first nineteen…

Early American Imprints, Series I: Evans (1639-1800)

Based on the renowned American Bibliography by Charles Evans. The definitive resource for every aspect of life in 17th- and 18th-century America, from agriculture and auctions through foreign affairs, diplomacy, literature, music,…

Archive of Americana

Search or browse the books, pamphlets, and other imprints listed in the renowned bibliography by Charles Evans, including publications unavailable earlier. Search or browse the books, pamphlets, broadsides and other imprints listed in…

Ancestry Library Edition

Simon Schama | Foreign Bodies: Pandemics, Vaccines, and the Health of Nations

Pine Tree Foundation Endowed Lecture In conversation with Maiken Scott “A historian of prodigious and varied gifts” ( San Francisco Chronicle ), Simon Schama is the author of 20 books, including The Embarrassment of Riches; Scribble,…

Jonathan Eig | King: A Life

Named one of the most anticipated books of the year by  The New York Times, The Washington Post, and  Newsweek ,  Jonathan Eig ’s  King , an “intimate, multidimensional biography” ( The Boston Globe ) of Martin Luther King Jr., offers a…

Wesley Lowery | American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress

In conversation with award-winning journalist and broadcaster Tracey Matisak In  American Whitelash ,  Wesley Lowery  examines the cyclical pattern of violence that marks each watershed moment of racial progress in this country, most…

Blair LM Kelley | Black Folk: The Roots of the Black Working Class

In conversation with Marc Lamont Hill Referred to by acclaimed author and academic Michael Eric Dyson as “one of the most important works of history to come across my desk in a long time,” Blair LM Kelley’s Black Folk: The Roots of the…

David Maraniss | Path Lit by Lightning: The Life of Jim Thorpe

In conversation with Paul Hendrickson “One of our most talented biographers and historians” ( The New York Times ),  David Maraniss  is the author of bestselling portraits of some of America’s most consequential figures, including Bill…

Kristen R. Ghodsee | Everyday Utopia: What 2,000 Years of Wild Experiments Can Teach Us

In conversation with Arwa Mahdawi Referred to by bestsstelling author Rebecca Traister as “exhilarating, good humored, and forward looking,”  Kristen R. Ghodsee ’s  Everyday Utopia  is a two-millennia examination of diverse…

Linda Villarosa | Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation

A contributing writer at  The New York Times Magazine  and The 1619 Project, Linda Villarosa has won numerous awards for articles concerning issues of Black mother and infant health, medical myths, America’s hidden HIV epidemic,…

Camille Dungy | Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden

In conversation with Abra Lee Camille T. Dungy  is the author of  Guidebook to Relative Strangers: Journeys into Race, Motherhood, and History , a debut personal essay collection that was nominated for the National Book Critics Circle…

Chad L. Williams | The Wounded World: W. E. B. Du Bois and the First World War

In conversation with Mia Bay Chad L. Williams is the author of Torchbearers of Democracy: African American Soldiers in the World War I Era , winner of the Liberty Legacy Foundation Award from the Organization of American Historians. The…

Simon Winchester | Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic

Pine Tree Foundation Endowed Lecture Exuding “the comfort and charm of a beloved encyclopedia come to life” ( The New Yorker ), Simon Winchester is the bestselling author of nearly 30 nonfiction books that explore some of the world’s…

David Grann | The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder

David Grann is the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI , an account of the chilling true-life story of one of the most sinister conspiracies in U.S. history.…

Neil King Jr. | American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal

In conversation with Signe Wilkinson A Wall Street Journal correspondent for two decades, Neil King Jr. reported from more than 50 countries, served as the newspaper’s chief diplomatic correspondent, national political reporter, and…

Mary Louise Kelly | It. Goes. So. Fast.: The Year of No Do-Overs

In conversation with award-winning journalist and broadcaster Tracey Matisak Barbara Gohn Day Memorial Lecture An NPR reporter for more than two decades, Mary Louise Kelly currently co-hosts the network’s flagship program  All Things…

Jennifer Senior | On Grief: Love, Loss, Memory

In conversation with Mike Sielski A staff writer at The Atlantic, Jennifer Senior won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for feature writing for “Twenty Years Gone,” an account of a family still reeling from the loss of a loved one on 9/11. Her…

Vanessa Hua | Forbidden City

In conversation with Pia Sarkar A former longtime columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle , Vanessa Hua has written about Asia and the diaspora from countries such as China, Burma, and South Korea, and has contributed articles to The…

Angela Saini | The Patriarchs: The Origins of Inequality

Angela Saini is the author of Superior , an “easy-to-read blend of science reporting, cultural criticism, and personal reflection” ( Slate ) that explores the resurgence of the harmful and faulty study of race science. She is also the…

Heather McGhee | The Sum of Us (Adapted for Young Readers): How Racism Hurts Everyone

Sandra Shaber Memorial Lecture In conversation with award-winning journalist and broadcaster Tracey Matisak The Sum of Us , Heather McGhee’s 2021 odyssey across the American landscape of inequality, won wide acclaim for its empathetic…

Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr. | Who Hears Here: On Black Music, Pasts, & Present

In conversation with Marc Lamont Hill Professor emeritus of Music at the University of Pennsylvania, Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr. is a celebrated musicologist, composer, pianist, and music historian. He is the author of Race Music: Black…

Dan Berger | Stayed on Freedom: The Long History of Black Power through One Family's Journey

In conversation with Michael Simmons and Robert Saleem Holbrook Dan Berger  is the author of the James A. Rawley Prize winning  Captive Nation: Black Prison Organizing in the Civil Rights Era , an “illuminating” ( The Nation )…

Clint Smith | How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America

In conversation with award-winning journalist and broadcaster Tracey Matisak “A public intellectual with much to offer about teaching (and unlearning) history” ( The Washington Post ),  Clint Smith , in his bestselling book How the Word…