Tagged politics
Trust No One: Joe McCarthy and the Politics of Fear
Lies. Alternative facts. Demonize and Destroy Your Opponents. Does this sound familiar? Former Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R-Wisconsin) has been dead for 63 years, but the political tools and techniques that he pioneered are as fresh as…
Voting by Mail? Avoid "Naked Ballots"!
Updated Tuesday, October 20, 2020 12:15 p.m. Spanish and Chinese translations have been added to this blog post. In the real world, small technical details count for a lot. How many checks were never cashed because the person who wrote…
Making Her Mark: Philadelphia Women Fight for the Vote Exhibition Opens Fall 2020
As we find ourselves weeks away from Election Day, consider this question: Who was the first person in your family to vote? The stories of Philadelphia women who built and sustained movements dedicated to voting rights is…
Defying Putin: The Dangers and Opportunities in Opposing Russia’s President
Bad things happen to people that Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, dislikes. Currently, Aleksi Navalny, the most important leader of Russia’s opposition, lies in a German hospital bed struggling to recover from a cup of…
The Picture of Health: The Strange Case of John F. Kennedy
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 who belonged in a hospital. The…
A Dying Man Runs for President
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 years later in the midst of World War…
President Eisenhower, Senator McCarthy, and "The Junketeering Gumshoes"
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 shortlist included Franklin D. Roosevelt ,…
Race in the United States: Social Justice Virtual Workshops for Teens
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 DEI/Board of Trustees' letter We are…
"I Voted" Stickers from Our Special Collections
It's Primary Election Day in Philadelphia! If you've signed up in Pennsylvania to vote by mail , you should have already received your ballot with its easy-to-follow instructions, enclosure envelope, and mailing envelope. The…
Women of the World, Unite!
"Women of the world, unite. You have nothing to lose but your chains!" You’ve probably heard a slightly different version of this quote (or, to be fair, misquote ) from Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto , the…
Get Your Trusted 2020 Presidential Election News from the Free Library
Super Tuesday is now behind us. The 11th debate of the Democratic presidential primary is on the horizon. Candidates are dropping out of the race left and right, but it’s still anybody’s game. As the field narrows, how can…
Women's History Month 2020: Stories We Know, Stories We'll Discover
"Even if I believed that women should be denied the right of suffrage, wild horses could not drag such an admission from my pen or my lips, for this reason: precisely the same arguments used to prove that the ballot be withheld…
MLK Day of Service | When the Youth Lead
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a strongly celebrated day in Philadelphia. People of all ages come together to support their communities and uplift the values of MLK’s civil rights leadership during this nationally recognized Day of…
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5
Election Day is Tuesday, November 5 throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. During this general election, Philadelphians will elect a Mayor, 10 District Council and Seven Council at-Large members, as well as Judges, City…
New Voting Machine Demonstrations at a Neighborhood Library Near You!
Whether you've voted or not in the past few years for national or local elections, you may or may not know that voting security has become an ever-increasing concern. A bipartisan report by the Senate Intelligence Committee released…
How to Vote in the Primary Election on Tuesday, May 21
Philadelphians: it’s time to make your voting plans for the 2019 Pennsylvania primary election, which will be held this coming Tuesday, May 21! The Free Library is here to help you vote, in more ways than one. Here’s an…
First Ladies, In Their Own Words
The position of First Lady is a unique one in American government. It’s not a democratically elected position, but the office holds a great deal of cultural clout, and the women who occupied it have been deemed significant enough…
Plan for the Polls: No Excuses!
With the launch of our Division of Cultural and Civic Engagement (DCCE), the Free Library is committed, more than ever, to getting Philadelphians involved in what’s happening in their neighborhoods and communities, as well as the…
Midterms Matter: Democracy Looks Like You!
Voting is an exercise in democracy. And no matter where you fall on the political spectrum, if you’re not registered to vote, your voice won’t be heard. Midterms matter! And for these crucial 2018 elections, the deadline to…
Our Spring 2018 Author Events Series Is Full of Fire and Fury!
Updated January, 16, 2018 Watch our interview with Michael Wolff tonight LIVE starting @ 7:30 p.m. A week from today, in what is sure to be one of our more interesting Author Events to ever take place at the Free Library, we welcome…
“The Strange Afterlife of Roy Cohn” with Marie Brenner
Lies. Alternative facts. Demonizing the opponent. Former Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R-Wisconsin) has been dead for 63 years, but the political tools and techniques that he pioneered are very much alive. They are as fresh as…
“Death by a Thousand Cuts: How a Broken Promise and a Boston Brahmin Destroyed Joe McCarthy” with Peter Siskind
Lies. Alternative facts. Demonizing the opponent. Former Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R-Wisconsin) has been dead for 63 years, but the political tools and techniques that he pioneered are very much alive. They are as fresh as…
Virtual - Paul Farmer | Fevers, Feuds, and Diamonds: Ebola and the Ravages of History
REGISTER HERE Pine Tree Foundation Endowed Lecture In conversation with Dr. Steven Larson, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Acclaimed for his “exceptional empathy…
VIRTUAL - Senator Mazie K. Hirono | Heart of Fire: An Immigrant Daughter’s Story
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE A “hero on the left” ( Washington Post ) for her vocal support of progressive legislation and issues, Mazie K. Hirono is the only immigrant and the first Asian American woman in the United States…
VIRTUAL - Larry Krasner | For the People: A Story of Justice and Power
REGISTER HERE Winning on a platform of prison reform in a city notorious for its high incarceration rates, Larry Krasner was elected District Attorney of Philadelphia in 2018 with more than 50% of the vote. He worked as a public…
“Dangerous Friends: How the Friendship Between McCarthy and the Kennedy’s Blighted the Lives of John and Robert Kennedy” with David Nasaw
Lies. Alternative facts. Demonizing the opponent. Former Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R-Wisconsin) has been dead for 63 years, but the political tools and techniques that he pioneered are very much alive. They are as fresh as…
“The Man Who Knew Everything: J. Edgar Hoover & Joe McCarthy” with Beverly Gage
Lies. Alternative facts. Demonizing the opponent. Former Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R-Wisconsin) has been dead for 63 years, but the political tools and techniques that he pioneered are very much alive. They are as fresh as…
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Candidates Forum
During this moderated forum, the candidates for Pennsylvania's Supreme Court will answer questions about their experience and why they seek election to the Supreme Court. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask the…
“The Rise of Tail Gunner Joe” with Richard Norton Smith
Lies. Alternative facts. Demonizing the opponent. Former Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R-Wisconsin) has been dead for 63 years, but the political tools and techniques that he pioneered are very much alive. They are as fresh as…
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 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,…
NewsBank Hot Topics
Trending news and hot topics for your next assignment! Hot topics covers Current Events, Business & Economics, Civics, Government, & Politics, Social Issues, Science, Technology & Health, Sports, Arts & Literature, and People in the News.
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…
Joby Warrick | Red Line: The Unraveling of Syria and America's Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World
Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Endowed Lecture Joby Warrick won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction for Black Flags , “a revealing, riveting and exquisitely detailed account” ( San Francisco Chronicle ) of the rise of ISIS and its…
Amelia Pang | Made in China: A Prisoner, an SOS Letter, and the Hidden Cost of America’s Cheap Goods
In conversation with Tracey Matisak, award-winning broadcaster and journalist In 2017, Amelia Pang earned the first place award in investigative journalism from the LA Press Club for her undercover exposé on the exploitation of…
Michael Eric Dyson | Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America
In conversation with Jon Meacham Meelya Gordon Memorial Lecture Michael Eric Dyson is the author of Tears We Cannot Stop , an “eloquent, righteous, and inspired” ( Philadelphia Inquirer ) call for racial change that was named one of the…
Elizabeth Kolbert | Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future
Barbara Gohn Day Memorial Lecture In conversation with Tracey Matisak, award-winning broadcaster and journalist “An astute observer, excellent explainer, and superb synthesizer” ( Seattle Times ), Elizabeth Kolbert is the author of the…
John Ghazvinian | America and Iran: A History, 1720 to the Present
In conversation with Ambassador John Limbert, US Deputy Secretary of State for Iran (2009-10); former hostage in the US Embassy in Tehran (1979-81) An author, historian, and former journalist, John Ghazvinian is the Executive Director…
James Oakes | The Crooked Path to Abolition: Abraham Lincoln and the Antislavery Constitution
In conversation with Eric Foner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery and Reconstruction: America’s Unfinished Revolution , winner of the Bancroft, Parkman, and Los Angeles Times Book…
Stephanie Schriock | Run to Win: Lessons in Leadership for Women Changing the World
In conversation with Yvette Nicole Brown, star of screens big and small and known to audiences for her roles in Community, The Mayor, Supermansion, The Odd Couple, and many other films and TV shows. The president of EMILY’s List since…
Ijeoma Oluo | Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America
In conversation with Tracey Matisak, award-winning broadcaster and journalist “A nuanced analysis of White male America” that “deftly combines history and sociological study with personal narrative” ( Washington Post ), Ijeoma Oluo’s So…
Catherine Coleman Flowers | Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret
In conversation with Khaliah Ali Wertheimer Dubbed the “Erin Brockovich of Sewage,” Catherine Coleman Flowers is a hero of the environmental justice movement. She is the rural development manager at the Race and Poverty Initiative of…
Eddie Glaude, Jr. | Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own
In converation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6ABC Action News morning edition The chair of the Department of African American Studies and the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University, Eddie S. Glaude…
Alex Ross | Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music
In conversation with Simon Callow Music critic for the New Yorker since 1996, Alex Ross is the author of the international bestseller The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century . A trip down the rabbit hole of modern…
Tamara Payne | The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X
In conversation with Sarah Glover, veteran journalist and past president of the National Association of Black Journalists. In 1990, Pulitzer Prize -winning journalist Les Payne set out on a nearly 30-year crusade to write the most…
Issac J. Bailey | Why Didn't We Riot: A Black Man in Trumpland
In conversation with Tracey Matisak, award-winning broadcaster and journalist “A painful indictment of American inhumanity woven with threads of grace and love” ( Guardian ) Issac J. Bailey ’s memoir My Brother Moochie offered a raw,…
Veronica Chambers | Finish the Fight!: The Brave and Revolutionary Women Who Fought for the Right to Vote
In conversation with: Rachelle Baker, illustrator; Jennifer Harlan, writer; Steffi Walthall, illustrator Veronica Chambers is the editor for Narrative Projects at The New York Times and a co-author of "Finish the Fight!" She joined The…
Nikki Giovanni | Make Me Rain
One of America’s most celebrated poets, the “outspoken, prolific, energetic” ( New York Times ) Nikki Giovanni is the author of numerous collections of poetry including Acolytes ; Black Feeling, Black Talk, Black Judgment ; and …
Maria Hinojosa | Once I Was You: A Memoir of Love and Hate in a Torn America
In conversation with: Helen Ubiñas, metro columnist at the The Philadelphia Inquirer In her nearly 30 years as a journalist, Maria Hinojosa has reported for PBS, CBS, and CNN, among other outlets, and is the longtime anchor and…
Ezekiel J. Emanuel | Which Country Has the World’s Best Health Care?
Ezekiel J. Emanuel is Vice Provost for Global Initiatives and Chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. An oncologist and author of nine books on medical ethics and healthcare, he…
Chris Wallace | Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days That Changed the World
The popular anchor of Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace has reported on nearly every watershed national and international political event. During his 50-year career in journalism, he has earned three Emmys, the duPont-Columbia Silver…
Stacey Abrams | Our Time is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America
In conversation with Tamala Edwards, anchor, 6ABC Action News morning edition Stacey Abrams is the New York Times bestselling author of Lead from the Outside , a serial entrepreneur, nonprofit CEO, and political leader. After serving…
Donna Rifkind | The Sun and Her Stars: Salka Viertel and Hitler’s Exiles in the Golden Age of Hollywood
A prolific book critic whose reviews appear in the Wall Street Journal , the Washington Post , and the New York Times Book Review , Donna Rifkind was a 2006 finalist for the Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing from the…
Votes PA
The Pennsylvania Department of State’s online guide to voter registration has everything you need to know about voting in the 2008 Presidential Election.
Votes PA
Portal from the Pennsylvania Department of State has information on registering to vote, locating your polling place, applying for alternative ballots, and the new voter ID law.
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 Living Room Candidate: Presidential Campaign Commercials from 1952 - 2008
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.
Pennsylvania Voter Registration Resource Center
The Pennsylvania Department of State’s Online Guide to voter registration has everything you need to know about voting in the 2018 midterm election.
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.
Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia is an online encyclopedia of American politics and elections. It contains neutral, accurate, and verifiable information on government officials and the offices they hold, political issues and public policy, elections,…
Additional Information about Voter Registration in Pennsylvania
The Committee of Seventy also provides information about Pennsylvania voter registration and absentee ballots.
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…