Meet the winner of the Tech & Learning Forums Contest "If I Had the Power"

Sponsored by:

Teachers and students visited the Tech & Learning forum to tell us what innovative projects they would do with an HP xw4550 workstation. Judges chose Melinda Sprinkle, a teacher at Bedford County Public Schools in Virginia, for her winning ideas. Here are Melinda’s top 10 things she said would do if she “had the power:”

10. I could collaborate with other educators seamlessly.
9. Blogging with students and teachers would be easier.
8. Students could create podcasts.
7. I would create “studycasts” that would allow my students to listen to History reviews from their MP3 players or online.
6. I would create professional videos for learning about topics like the Spanish American War, World War I, and The Civil Rights Movement.
5. Students would participate in VoiceThreads, a multimedia slideshow that can hold photos, documents, and video.
4. I would create interactive, online lessons and activities.
3. Each child would be given individual work time at the computer.
2. I would be able to model the strength of technology in today’s world.
1. If I Had the Power, the kids would have access to a computer, and this, in itself, creates student excitement about learning.

Visit the T&L Forums

September 2008

• 09/11 - School Gardens With Constance Carter - Is your green thumb anxious to dig and plant. Join the Head of the Science Reference Section, Library of Congress, as she describes the history of the school garden in America and offers reasons why school gardens are making a comeback.
• 09/04 - Americas Award Webcast - The 14 th annual Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature was hosted by the Library of Congress Hispanic Division and the Center for the Book on October 6, 2007. View 2006 winners discussing their books and receiving their awards. Margarita Engle and Sean Qualls were recognized for their book The Poet Slave of Cuba and Jennifer Elvgren and Nicole Tadgell received their award for Joshias, Hold the Book.

August 2008

• 08/28 - King Kamehameha I - Hawaii became the 50th state on August 21, 1959. Read about this king and the dynasty that ruled Hawaii for more than a century.
• 08/21 - Batter Up! - Test your baseball history skill with this America's Library game.
• 08/14 - Why do mosquitos bite me and not my friend? - Learn the answer to this question in Everyday Mysteries: Fun Science Facts from the Library of Congress.
• 08/07 - Mapping the National Parks - Are you visiting a National Park this summer? Examine more than 200 maps dating from the 17th century to the present that document the history, culture and geology of Acacia, Grand Canyon, Great Smokey Mountains, and Yellowstone National Parks.

July 2008

• 07/31 - Buckaroos in Paradise: Ranching Culture in Northern Nevada 1945-1982 - National Day of the Cowboy is celebrated in July. This collection presents 41 motion pictures and 28 sound recordings that tell the story of life and work on the Ninety-Six Ranch and of its cowboys, known in the region as buckaroos.
• 07/24 - Amelia Earhart - Born on July 24, 1897, Amelia Earhart was the first woman to pilot a plane across the Atlantic Ocean. Read stories about her life in this America's Library Amazing Americans entry.
• 07/17 - Pastime for Little Fingers. The Girls' Play-ground - This playground scene with cutout figures of girls shows images of children's leisure activities in the late 19th century. The Boys' Play-ground was published the same year.
• 07/10 - Dynamite Presidents - Have fun learning about the four presidents whose images are carved into Mount Rushmore in this America's Library game.
• 07/03 - The Declaration of Independence: From Rough Draft to Proclamation - In this new lesson plan students will explore Jefferson's original "Rough draught" of the Declaration on Independence and compare it with the final document adopted by Congress on July 4, 1776.

June 2008

• 06/26 - The United States and Brazil: Expanding Frontiers, Comparing Cultures and The Portuguese in the United States - June is Luzo-Brazilian month. Celebrate by exploring these digital presentations about Brazil and Portugal.
• 06/19 - Letter to Ted Commemorate Father's Day this year by reading this 1890 letter written by Theodore Roosevelt to his toddler son Ted.
• 06/12 - You're a Grand Old Flag - Did you know that the current American flag was a result of a school project? Read more in this Wise Guide article.
• 06/05 - D-Day: Operation Overlord - On June 6, 1944, thousands of American and British soldiers landed on the beaches of northern France marking the beginning of the end of World War II. Learn more in this Today in History entry.

May 2008

• 05/29 - Celebrate Cinco de Mayo on May 5 - This Local Legacy article from America’s Library Explore the States: Colorado explores this history of this cultural celebration. Visit the Hispanic Americans Themed Resources Page for links, lessons and collections to support teaching of our Hispanic American legacies.
• 05/22 - Happy Mother’s Day - This 1920 sheet music—If Baby Would Never Grow Older a Mother Would Never Be Sad is one of many musical items about mothers that can be found across the American Memory collections. The May 9 Today in History entry offers tips on locating additional items related to mothers and children.
• 05/15 - America at Work, America at Leisure: Motion Pictures from 1894 - 1915 - May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Enjoy these early films documenting sports and leisure a century ago.
• 05/08 - Asian Pacific Heritage Month - This Library-wide Web portal offers links to video selections, sound files, Library collections, and teaching materials to use with your students during Asian/Pacific American Heritage month.
• 05/01 - Jewish Heritage Month - On April 20, 2006, President George W. Bush proclaimed that May would be Jewish American Heritage Month. Learn more on this collaborative site.

April 2008

• 04/24 - Celebrate John Muir Day on April 21 - Learn more about this famous American environmentalist in this Today in History entry a story for younger students—can be found in America's Library Jump Back in Time.
• 04/17 - Meet Charles Simic - 15th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress - This guide compiles links to resources on Charles Simic throughout the Library of Congress Web site, as well as links to external Web sites that include features on Simic’s life or selections of his work.
• 04/10 - National Book Festival Young Readers' Toolkit - Celebrate reading by creating a book festival in your own school. Access author podcasts, webcasts, photographs, book covers, interviews, writing topics, book award links, and a flashcard maker.
• 04/03 - Everybody Plays the Fool - Learn about the origin of this lighthearted holiday in this Wise Guide article. Browse the Wise Guide Archive for past articles.

March 2008

• 03/27 - Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright - This interactive activity is a wonderful resource for introducing the mysteries of Copyright Law to students. The activity will help students understand how the law applies to their own work—what they consume and what they produce.
• 03/20 - A Guide to Washington, DC - Are you or your students visiting the Nation's Capital this spring? If so, this guide to Washington's history will provide background information to enrich your visit.
• 03/13 - Women at War - Help your students gain a new perspective by seeing war through the eyes of women who were there. Read the first-hand accounts of women who participated in the war effort—from nurses to code-breakers to welders, flight surgeons and officers.
• 03/06 - Women’s History Month - The Library has published a new resource page featuring women's collections—from suffragist profiles to veterans' oral histories, stories on major historical figures, lesson plans for use in your classroom, collection guides and online exhibitions.

February 2008

• 02/28 - Presidential Papers - Are you looking for primary source material to support Presidents Day. Be sure to explore the George Washington Papers (65,000 documents) and Mr. Lincoln’s Virtual Library (more than 30,000 items).
• 02/21 - Lifelong Literacy: A Storybook Adventure - This new game on the Library's "Lifelong Literacy" site encourages the exploration of children's classic books through an interactive adventure and collage maker.
• 02/14 - African American History Month - Celebrate the contributions of African Americans throughout U.S. history. Use the interactive timeline-based activity - From Slavery to Civil Rights - to introduce the topic of African-American history through primary sources. http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/civilrights/flash.html The Civil Rights Resource Guide http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/civilrights/home.html - compiles links to civil-rights resources throughout the Library of Congress Web site.
• 02/07 - Chinese New Year begins on February 7, 2008 - View a selection of early 1900s images from The Chinese in California 1850-1925 collection. Learn more about Chinese immigration to America in this Teacher Page Immigration feature.

January 2008

• 01/31 - Happy Birthday Lewis Carroll - January 27, 1832 marks the birth date of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson—better known to most by his pen name Lewis Carroll. Browse through a scrapbook he kept between 1855- 1872. During those years he wrote Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking Glass (1871). View an online version of a 1905 edition—Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland—retold in words of one syllable by Mrs. J.C. Gorham.
• 01/24 - "I Do Solemnly Swear…" Presidential Inaugurations - On January 20, 2009 a new president will be inaugurated. This amazing collection provides an overview of inaugural ceremonies throughout United States history. Primary source materials such as drafts of inaugural addresses, letters, illustrations, and photographs are organized chronologically by presidential inauguration.
• 01/17 - Exploring the Early Americas - Explore the online version of a groundbreaking new exhibition at the Library featuring selections from the more than 3,000 rare maps, documents, paintings, prints, and artifacts that make up the Jay I. Kislak Collection. Through interactives, investigate the Maya writing system, turn the pages of a 17th century book about buccaneers, and compare 1507 and 1516 world maps by Martin Waldseemuller.
• 01/10 - River of Words Webcast - Robert Hass, former U.S. Poet Laureate, returned to the Library of Congress to moderate a program honoring the student winners of the annual River of Words environmental poetry and art contest. The deadline for participation in this years project is February 15.
• 01/03 - The March King - Celebrate the New Year with John Philip Sousa. The March King, a new online resource on this famous composer, includes photos, sheet music, instrumental scores, manuscript scores, audio files and more.

December 2007

• 12/27 - 1900 Gift Book – December is a time of holidays and gift giving. Compare the advertised items on the pages of a 1900 gift catalog to those in holiday catalogs today. Examine additional holiday items in the Looking Into Holidays Past Through Primary Sources presentation.
• 12/20 - Louisiana Purchase – On December 20, 1803, documents are signed officially transferring Lower Louisiana from France to the United States. This timeline and the new American Memory collection – Louisiana: European Explorations and the Louisiana Purchase – will help students understand the history of this landmark event.
• 12/13 - Do you celebrate Bill of Rights Day? - In 1941 President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed December 15th as Bill of Rights Day. Primary Documents in American History – The Bill of Rights will lead you to dozens of informative links across the Library of Congress Web site.
• 12/06 - Pearl Harbor Day – Travel back to December 7, 1941 in Today in History to learn more about the air raid on Pearl Harbor. Visit the American Memory Collection - After the Day of Infamy – to listen to "man in the street" interviews conducted by U.S. folklorists during the days immediately following the attack.

November 2007

• 11/29 - Battle of the Bulge – This presentation uses U.S. Army situation maps to illustrate this famous WWII battle. Your students will enjoy the interactivity and the historical expertise shared by Library of Congress curators.
• 11/22 - Experiencing War: The War – In a partnership with Ken Burns and PBS, the Library of Congress has created a companion site to enhance the viewing of the film – The War. Don't miss the online field guide on how to participate in the Veterans History Project.
• 11/15 - National Book Festival 2007 – Link to all 2007 author webcasts and explore the new Young Readers' Toolkit to learn how to create a reading festival in your own school.
• 11/08 - Explore New Worlds. Read. - The Lifelong Literacy Web site has a new look and a new Storybook Adventure featuring classics including Aladdin, The Mermaid and The Wizard of Oz!
• 11/01 - Library of Congress Blog – Here is your chance to learn about Library of Congress events and take a peek at behind-the-scenes happenings from a Library insider.

October 2007

• 10/25 - Did you know that Halloween has a capital city? – Find the location in this Local Legacy story. Learn more about how Americans celebrate Halloween in this Jump Back in Time story from America's Library.
• 10/18 - Chronicling America – Take a closer look at a sampling of America's historic newspapers. This site allows you to search and read newspaper pages from 1900-1910 and find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.
• 10/11- Letters About Literature – Promote reading and writing in your classroom. Invite your students in grades 4 through 12 to enter the Center for the Book Letters About Literature national reading-writing contest. Read letters written by previous state and national winners.
• 10/04 - LOC RSS feeds for you! – Keep up-to-date by subscribing to one or all of the new Library of Congress RSS feeds. Topics include News for Teachers, New on the Web, New Webcasts, Poetry 180, Poetry News and Science Reference Highlights.

September 2007

• 09/27 - Clowning around in 1906! View this Edison film – "Humorous Phases of Funny Faces" - showcasing early animation techniques. Have fun creating your own cartoon in You're the Animator.
• 09/20 - 7th National Book Festival 2007 - Celebrate the joys of books and reading with the Library of Congress. Come to Washington on September 29, 2007 or experience the festival virtually by visiting the website. View the 2007 author list, enjoy past festival webcasts, and watch for a Young Readers' Toolkit featuring additional author information and student activities.
• 09/13 - Constitution Day Resources - 39 delegates signed the final draft of the Constitution on September 17, 1787. In celebration of this historic event, the Library of Congress has compiled a variety of materials from across its collections to help you learn more about one of America's most important documents.
• 09/06 - Everyone loves a circus! Examine a selection of late 19th century circus images and posters from the Prints and Photographs Image List – Pictorial Americana – Circus and Circus Posters. Explore the Table of Contents for hundreds of additional images.

August 2007

• 08/30 - Low bridge, everybody down! Explore the new collection -"Captain Pearl R. Nye: Life on the Ohio and Erie Canal" - to discover canal life through recordings, letters and photographs.
• 08/23 - Are you going to a state or county fair this summer? Visit Today in History - "Let's Go to the Fair" – for a look at the tradition of fairs through history.
• 08/16 - Is it possible to fry an egg on the street if it's hot enough? Read the scientific explanation in this Everyday Mystery entry.
• 08/09 - Did you know that Thomas Jefferson visited France and returned with a recipe for vanilla ice cream? Discover the history of ice cream and the ice cream cone in this America's Story article. Learn even more by visiting the Selected Internet Sources – Ice Cream links.
• 08/02 - Celebrate National Parks Month this August with a virtual visit to the Mapping the National Parks collection. Zoom into more than 200 maps that document the history of Acadia, Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains and Yellowstone National Parks.

July 2007

• 07/26 - Get Your Hot Dogs Right Here! July marks National Hot Dog Month. Read more in this Wise Guide article.
• 07/19 - Coney Island – What was a visit to the beach like 100 years ago? View an 1898 color lithograph, a 1904 stereograph card, and 1910 photograph from the Prints and Photographs collections depicting summer fun at this historic New York amusement park.
• 07/12 - Touring Turn-of-the-Century America – Are you taking a road trip this summer? Compare what you see today with this collection of photographs from the Detroit Publishing Company Collection documenting early 20 th century America.
• 7/05 - America at Work, America at Leisure – How did Americans spend their time a century ago? View work, school, and leisure activities in the United States from 1894 to 1915 in this presentation of 150 motion pictures.

June 2007

• 6/28 - Hog Heaven - In 1903, the same year Henry Ford incorporated the Ford Motor Company and the Wright brothers first flew, William Harley and his friends Arthur and Walter Davidson launched the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Explore the history of this American icon in this Science and Technology 100 year celebratory exhibition.
• 6/21 - Summer’s Here – In the Northern Hemisphere, June 21 marks the first day of summer. Celebrate the season with primary source treasures highlighted in this Wise Guide article.
• 6/14 - Stereograph Card Collection - Stereographs consist of two nearly identical photographs paired to produce the illusion of a single three-dimensional image. Access 5,000 19 th and 20 th century images featuring cities and towns around the world, expeditions and expositions, industries, disasters, and portraits of Native Americans, presidents, and celebrities.
• 6/07 - Our Flag – How has our flag changed over time? Read this online digitized book from the Rare Book and Special Collections Division documenting its history and changes from 1620 to 1896.

May 2007

• 5/31 - Why do pigeons bob their heads when they walk? Discover the answer to this and other puzzling science questions in Everyday Mysteries from the Science Reference Services Division.
• 5/24 - Experiencing War: The Art of War - View veterans' stories documented with paintbrushes, sketching pens, and camera lenses. From Vietnam photographs by Aldo Panzieri to WWII GI portraits by Mimi Korach Lesser, these collections tell tales that mere words cannot describe.
• 5/17 - History of Household Technology – In this webcast Constance Carter, Head of the Science Reference Section at the Library of Congress, describes the evolution in the technology of washing machines, irons, and stoves and its effect on the work of women in the home.
• 5/10 - Carrie Nation: First Mother Against Drunk Driving – In addition to her support of the temperance movement, Carrie Nation stood on her soapbox against foreign goods, corsets, tobacco, fraternal orders and, most importantly, short skirts. Learn more in this Wise Guide article.
• 5/03 - Today in History: May 5 - On May 5, 1925, high school science teacher John Scopes was arrested for teaching evolution in one of Tennessee's public schools. Cinco de Mayo is also a date of celebration in Hispanic cultures. Learn more about these events in this Today in History entry.

April 2007

• 4/26 - Cartoon America - The Library's Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature contains more than 36,000 original cartoon drawings. The 102 drawings selected for this exhibition reflect Woods primary collecting interests and the evolution of the cartoon as an art form.
• 4/19 - Presidents as Poets – Who was the first president to write a book of poetry? Learn about John Quincy Adams poetic endeavors as well as those of other U.S. presidents in this Library of Congress Webliography.
• 4/12 - Donald Hall, Poet Laureate - On June 14, 2006, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington announced the appointment of Donald Hall to be the Library’s 14th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. This guide compiles links to resources on Donald Hall throughout the Library of Congress Web site, as well as links to external Web sites that include features on Hall’s life or selections of his work.
• 4/05 - The Evolution of the Conservation Movement, 1850-1920 – Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970. Explore the history of the American conservation movement through primary source documents drawn from the collections of the Library of Congress.

March 2007

• 3/29 - Mr. Lincoln’s Whiskers – Would Lincoln get more votes if he grew a beard? Read Grace Bedell’s 1860 letter to Abraham Lincoln and his response.
• 3/22 - Women’s Suffrage Primary Source Set – Celebrate Women’s History Month with this primary source set of photos, documents, song sheets, maps, graphs and sound files documenting the chronology of the women’s suffrage movement in the United States.
• 3/15 - A Ballet For Martha - Learn the story behind Aaron Copland’s Pulitzer Prize winning ballet – Appalachian Spring – commissioned by and performed at the Library of Congress in 1944. Explore the Aaron Copland Collection for approximately 400,0000 items documenting his life and works.
• 3/08 - My Lai Incident - The events that occurred on March 16, 1968 in Son My Village, Quang Ngai Province, Republic of Vietnam are now referred to as the “My Lai Incident.” This collection of materials, commonly known as the “Peers Inquiry,” provides the results of General Peers’ investigation of this incident.
• 3/01 - Spring Peepers – Spring peepers generally begin their distinctive calling around the vernal equinox. Use this list of Web sites compiled by the Science Reference Division to locate images and recordings of spring peepers.

February 2007

• 2/22 - We’ll Sing to Abe Our Song: Sheet Music about Lincoln, Emancipation, and the Civil War – More than two hundred sheet-music compositions represent Lincoln and the war as reflected in popular music. Learn more about Lincoln in the Abraham Lincoln Papers.
• 2/15 - George Washington: Surveyor and Mapmaker – George Washington had a lifelong interest in geography and cartography as evidenced by this illustrated presentation from the George Washington Papers.
• 2/08 - George Washington Time Line – Follow the major events in George Washington’s life and career from the Colonial Period and Revolution through the Early Republic.
• 2/01 - African American Sites in the Digital Collections – This webliography provides links to online resources regarding significant people, major institutions and events from an African American perspective.

January 2007

• 1/25 - America’s Story: Jump Back in Time – Bring history alive for your students. Read stories from all periods of America’s history. Younger kids will enjoy a primary level version at AmeriasLibrary.kids.us.
• 1/18 - Maps in Our Lives – Celebrate the New Year with a map! This exhibition explores surveying, cartography, geodesy, and geographic information systems highlighting both historic and contemporary maps.
• 1/11 - Everyday Mysteries: Snow Crystals – Is it true that no two snow crystals are alike? Read the answer and learn more in this Everyday Mystery entry.
• 1 /04 - Huddled Masses Yearning to Breathe Free: January 1 - On January 1, 1892, a fifteen-year old Irish girl named Annie Moore became the first of the more than twelve million immigrants who would pass through the doors of the Ellis Island Immigration Station. Learn more about immigration in this Today in History entry.

December 2006

• 12/28 - Martin Waldseemüller’s 1507 World Map – Take a close-up view of the first map, printed or manuscript, to depict a separate Western Hemisphere, with the Pacific as a separate ocean. (Click on the map for a zoomable view.)
• 12/21 - 1900 Gift Book – What were popular holiday gifts in 1900? Browse the pages of this online gift catalog from the Emergence of Advertising in America collection.
• 12/14 - United States Money: A Guide to Information Sources – Do you want to be in the know about money? This Business Reference guide links to selected resources on the history of money in the United States from colonial times to the present.
• 12/07 - Children’s Literature – Turn the digital pages of 49 rare children’s books including titles ranging from the Baby’s Own Aesop and Kate Greenaway’s A Apple Pie to Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses and Poe’s The Raven.

November 2006

• 11/30 - Over There - Listen to sound recordings, view sheet music and learn the history of this popular World War I song highlighted in the Patriotic Melodies presentation.
• 11/16 - Experiencing War: Stories from the Veterans’ History Project – Patriotism, courage, buddies, sweethearts and POWs are several of the many themes highlighted in this documentary project.
• 11/09 - Indian Land Cessions in the United States 1784-1894 – What happened to Native American lands through history? Browse treaties and maps that document the progression of land cessions by date, tribe and location.
• 11/02 - Thanksgiving Primary Source Set – Discover the origins and meaning of Thanksgiving through documents and images highlighted in this primary source toolkit.

October 2006

• 10/26 - Happy Halloween: October 31– Learn about the history and traditions of Halloween through words, pictures and sounds from Today in History.
• 10/19 - The Library of Congress Presents Music, Theater and Dance - See, hear and explore performing arts collections through this digital library of music, theater & dance. Be sure to check out the new Performing Arts Encyclopedia.
• 10/12 - Benjamin Franklin: In His Own Words - Marking the 300th anniversary of Franklin's birth, this exhibition concentrates on Franklin’s achievements as a printer, writer, inventor, scientist, politician and statesman.
• 10/5 - Lyrical Legacy: 400 Years of American Song and Poetry – Introduce song and poetry into your classroom by exploring eighteen American songs and poems from the digital collections of the Library of Congress.

September 2006

• 9/28 - Parallel Histories: Spain, the United States and the American Frontier – Explore primary source materials relating to the history of Spain and Spain’s role in the exploration, settlement, and development of North America in this bilingual digital library.
• 9/21 - National Book Festival September 30, 2006 – More than 70 authors will be hand for this 6th book festival. Webcasts from current and past events are archived and available online.
• 9/14 - Lifelong Literacy – Celebrate literacy at home, school and in your community! Follow these links to a sampling of Library of Congress treasures and other sites promoting reading.
• 9/7 - Constitution Primary Source Set – Are you ready for Constitution Day?Use this primary source toolkit to help your students learn more about this historic document.

August 2006

• 8/31 - Schooling: Education on the Frontier – Imagine attending school on the American frontier. View early images of schools, children and teachers from the Northern Great Plains: 1880-1920 collection.
• 8/24 - Terrific Presidents – Test your presidential knowledge in this America’s Library interactive online game.

June 2006

• 06/28 - Primary Documents in American History: The Library of Congress is home to many of the most important documents in American history. Read and learn more about dozens of items dating from 1763 to 1877.
• 06/22 - Summertime: What do Americans do for leisure? Explore these Library of Congress resources highlighting summertime activities throughout history.
• 06/15 - The New Yellow Ribbon Tradition: Why do we wear or display yellow ribbons? Learn about this contemporary custom that has roots in both popular culture and folk tradition.
• 06/08 - The Wizard of Oz: An American Fairy Tale: Celebrate the September 1900 publication of L. Frank Baum's first book in the classic Oz series.
• 06/01 - The Transit of Venus March: Where were you on June 8, 2004? Learn about this historic scientific event and listen to a recording of John Philip Sousa's 19th march celebrating its 1882 occurrence.

May 2006

• 05/25 - Memorial Day May 30: Celebrate Memorial Day in words, pictures and song with Today in History.
• 05/18 - Cuneiform Tablets: This collection presents clay tablets, cones, and brick fragments inscribed using the ancient pictographic writing system known as cuneiform.
• 05/11 - National World War II Reunion: During the National World War II Reunion over Memorial Day weekend in 2004 the Veterans History Project collected nearly 3,000 veterans' stories of wartime service. View selected stories in this online presentation.
• 05/04 - "With An Even Hand": Brown v. Board at Fifty: On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, declaring that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." This decision was pivotal to the struggle for racial desegregation in the United States. This exhibition commemorates the fiftieth anniversary of this landmark judicial case.

April 2006

• 04/27 - Bringing in the May: Celebrate May Day with Jennifer Cutting, Folklife Specialist at the Library of Congress, as she describes and displays some of the folk traditions surrounding May Day and the spring season.
• 04/20 - The Cultures and History of the Americas: Be sure to explore the interactive 17th century book — Buccaneers in America — in this online exhibition focusing on the early Americas from the time of the indigenous people of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean through the period of European contact, exploration, and settlement.
• 04/13 - A Heavenly Craft: The Woodcut in Early Printed Books: The 15th and 16th century woodcut-illustrated books in this online exhibition were print