Tagged politics
Presidential Inaugural Stories and Anecdotes
The peaceful transfer of power from one presidential administration to the next is a hallmark of our democracy—and something that Americans take great pride in. The occasion is particularly bittersweet when one of our two major…
Bernie Sanders: Progressivism, Social Democracy, and Political Revolution
2016 will be remembered for many things in the history books and one of those top historical moments will be the 2016 Presidential Election. No matter which candidate you voted for or what political beliefs you may hold, there is no…
Click, Engage, and Involve at Technology Learning Collaborative's Conference
The Technology Learning Collaborative (TLC) , an association of service organizations from throughout Philadelphia committed to leveraging technology resources to reduce poverty, improve public health, decrease homelessness,…
Celebrate International Literacy Day with the Free Library
Happy International Literacy Day ! While everyone knows libraries are literacy hubs, many might not know the different types of literacy the Free Library of Philadelphia helps to promote! Not sure what we're talking about? Here…
Lawrence Wright | The Terror Years: From al-Qaeda to the Islamic State
In conversation with Dick Polman, "Writer in Residence" at the University of Pennsylvania, and national political columnist at WHYY's Newsworks.org A longtime staff writer for The New Yorker , Lawrence Wright won the…
Mark Bowden | Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam
In conversation with Bill Marimow, editor at large, The Philadelphia Inquirer “One of the most intense, visceral” ( Philadelphia Inquirer ) writers of our time, Mark Bowden is a national correspondent for …
Military History Club
Join John Hemphill for a discussion of Adolf Hitler as a Military Leader and Strategist Conference Room # 407
American Presidency
The 2016 American Presidency Series will blend education and entertainment for the whole family, offering lectures and analysis about the presidency and leadership along with enriching programs for children in our neighborhood libraries.…
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…
U.S. Elections and Politics.
The United States presidential election of 2016, scheduled for Tuesday, November 8, 2016, will be the 58th quadrennial U.S. presidential election. Read on for U.S. Election and Political resources relating to the upcoming Presidential…
Thomas E. Ricks | Churchill and Orwell: The Fight for Freedom
Military historian and journalist Thomas E. Ricks won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for his Wall Street Journal series on U.S. defense spending in the post-Cold War era. His books include The Generals, The Gamble , and the…
William Hogeland | Autumn of the Black Snake: The Creation of the U.S. Army and the Invasion That Opened the West
Blending dramatic historical narrative with critical interpretation in order to make surprising connections to contemporary political and cultural struggles, William Hogeland's three books on founding American history include The…
China Miéville | October: The Story of the Russian Revolution
In conversation with Joel Nichols, Data Strategy & Evaluation Administrator, Strategic Initiatives Acclaimed for his “unparalleled inventiveness” ( Chicago Tribune ), China Miéville is the author of a score of fantasy novels, comics,…
Amy Goodman | Democracy Now!: Covering the Movements Changing America
After more than 20 years of bringing attention to progressive issues underreported by the mainstream media, Amy Goodman’s Democracy Now! program now airs simultaneously on satellite and cable television, more than 1,400 radio stations…
Dr. Willie Parker | Life’s Work: From the Trenches, a Moral Argument for Choice
In conversation with Dr. James Peterson, Director of Africana Studies and Associate Professor of English at Lehigh University. MSNBC Contributor An outspoken Christian reproductive justice advocate, Dr. Willie Parker is a…
Anne-Marie Slaughter | The Chessboard and the Web: Strategies of Connection in a Networked World
In conversation with Dick Polman, "Writer in Residence" at the University of Pennsylvania, and national political columnist at WHYY's Newsworks.org The President and CEO of the non-partisan public policy think tank New America,…
Chris Hayes | A Colony in a Nation
Chris Hayes is the titular host of MSNBC’s news and opinion show All In with Chris Hayes . Formerly a frequent fill-in for Rachel Maddow and the host of the weekend morning show Up with Chris Hayes , in 2013 he became the youngest…
Camille Paglia | Free Women, Free Men: Sex, Gender, Feminism
“At once outrageous and compelling, fanatical and brilliant” ( The Washington Post ), Camille Paglia is the author of the 700-page seminal discourse on paganism, sex, and art, Sexual Personae: Art and Decadence from Nefertiti to Emily…
Mohsin Hamid | Exit West with Pankaj Mishra | Age of Anger: A History of the Present
“One of his generation’s most inventive and gifted writers” ( New York Times ), Mohsin Hamid is the author of Moth Smoke , a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and a PEN/Hemingway Award finalist; the novel The Reluctant…
The Meaning of Michelle: 16 Writers on the Iconic First Lady and How Her Journey Inspires Our Own with Veronica Chambers with Benilde Little, Alicia Moran and Damon Young
Iconic First Lady Michelle Obama has redefined American ideas about beauty, strength, and poise under often-harsh public scrutiny. In the “powerful” ( Vogue ) essay collection The Meaning of Michelle , some of the country’s most…
Wesley Lowery | They Can’t Kill Us All: Ferguson, Baltimore, and a New Era in America's Racial Justice Movement
The Washington Post’s lead journalist in Ferguson, Missouri during the tempestuous aftermath of the death of African American teenager Mike Brown, Wesley Lowery, together with his team, won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting…
Bernie Sanders | Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In
In conversation with Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now! Perhaps America’s greatest standard-bearer for progressivism, Bernie Sanders inspired hope and a fervent following with his 2016 Democratic Presidential campaign. Currently…
Trevor Noah | Born a Crime
In conversation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6ABC Action News morning edition Known mainly to American audiences as the “charming and composed” ( Los Angeles Times ) host of the Emmy and Peabody-award winning The Daily Show , Trevor…
The American Presidency | Foreign Press Panel | The Whole World Was Watching: Foreign Perspectives on the 2016 Election
A panel discussion on how the US election is portrayed to the world will reveal the views of foreign journalists and their post-election analyses. Chris Satullo, noted media figure, will moderate the conversation between Paul Koring of…
The American Presidency | Neil Oxman | The Spot: How Political Spots Are Made and Their History
President and Co-Founder of the Campaign Group, Neil Oxman, will show political spots beginning with the Eisenhower/Stevenson race in 1952 up through the present and share examples of his own work. He will also discuss the history of…
Jeremy Scahill | The Assassination Complex: Inside the Government's Secret Drone Warfare Program
Jeremy Scahill is an investigative journalist and the author of the bestselling books Blackwater , an exposé of the powerful and controversial private army, and Dirty Wars , in which he revealed the grim consequences of the clandestine…
Jeffrey Toobin | American Heiress: The Wild Saga of the Kidnapping, Crimes and Trial of Patty Hearst
“A reliable and astute guide” ( The Miami Herald ) through America’s most compelling court cases, Jeffrey Toobin is CNN’s senior legal analyst and a longtime New Yorker staff writer. His bestselling books include The Run of His Life:…
Jean Trounstine | Boy With A Knife: A Story of Murder, Remorse, and a Prisoner's Fight for Justice
Nearly a quarter of a million youth are tried, sentenced, or imprisoned as adults every year across the United States. On any given day, ten thousand youth are detained or incarcerated in adult jails and prisons. Putting a human face to…
The American Presidency | Larry Tye | Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon
RFK started his career working under Senator Joseph McCarthy. He died a liberal hero. Author and journalist Larry Tye shows us how the remarkable journey occurred, sharing pieces of history revealed in his newly released book. …
Juvenile In Justice | Panel discussion moderated by Solomon Jones with Marsha Levick, Richard Ross, Naomi Goldstein and Johnny Perez
In the United States, solitary confinement of youth is routinely employed in a majority of states, despite a recent ban on the practice in federal prisons. Over the past several months, the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Regional…
Votes PA
The Pennsylvania Department of State’s online guide to voter registration has everything you need to know about voting in the 2016 Presidential Election.
Vote: the Machinery of Democracy
The Smithsonian Institution has put together this website on the history of the technical and mechanical aspects of voting in the US.
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
One of the Election Assistance Commission’s primary mandates under the Help America Vote Act is to serve as a central resource for information about elections. This site includes information about registering to vote and serving as a…
The Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials from 1952 - 2012
Fascinating look at the presidential campaign commercials of yesteryear.
The History of Televised Presidential Debates
Essays, interviews, and guides to the role of debates in presidential races, including video of debates since 1960.
The Electoral College
The Electoral College was established by the founding fathers as a compromise between election of the president by Congress and election by popular vote. The people of the United States vote for the electors who then vote for the President.
The American Presidency Project
A very complete electronic source of everything you ever wanted to know about the Presidency from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Includes audio and video clips back to the Hoover Administration, Executive Orders and…
Surviving Thanksgiving
Dreading the post-election Thanksgiving dinner table conversation this year? Here are some survival tips. Good Luck!
Project Vote Smart
Project Vote Smart allows voters to scrutinize candidates voting records, issue positions, interest group ratings, public statements, campaign finances and biographical information.
League of Women Voters of Philadelphia
The League of Women Voters of Philadelphia provides a one-stop portal for non-partisan information on voting, election information, civic education, and civic participation.
Federal Election Commission
In 1975, Congress created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to administer and enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act. This site includes data on campaign contributions to all candidates, along with maps that show where…
Fact Check: Annenberg Political Fact Checker
Based at the University of Pennsylvania, this is a "nonpartisan, nonprofit, 'consumer advocate' for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. [They] monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by…
Commission on Presidential Debates
"The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) was established in 1987 to ensure that debates, as a permanent part of every general election, provide the best possible information to viewers and listeners." Look for a link to Debate…
Ben's Guide to Government for Kids
A simple guide for children on how our government works, divided by age range.
American Presidency Series
Join the Free Library for a series of compelling provocative programs that examine the untold stories of, unconventional approaches to, and contemporary concerns about the world's most difficult job. The 2016 American Presidency Series…