Top of page
Posted by: Kate Fogle
Photographs are portals. In our looking, their subjects usher us through bordered edges to times and places both unknown and familiar. They allow us to slip inside to discern their scenes and settings and to learn their unique pictorial lexicons. But there is more to photographs than their subject matter. The materiality of the image, …
Posted in: Series: Material Matters, Women's History
Posted by: Kristi Finefield
“Greetings and Hearty Good Wishes for the New Year from Frances Benjamin Johnston” reads this combination business card, greeting card, and 1904 calendar from photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston. In 1904, Johnston was thirty years old, had a home photo studio in Washington, D.C., at 1332 V Street, and was already well-established in the capital city. …
Posted in: Photographs, Portraits, Prints, Women's History
Posted by: Melissa Lindberg
Below is an interview with Kate Fogle, Associate Curator of Photography in the Prints & Photographs Division at the Library of Congress. Melissa: Thank you for talking with us! Can you tell us briefly about your background and how you came to work in the Prints & Photographs Division (P&P)? Kate: As an undergraduate, I …
Posted in: Photographs, Series: Behind the Scenes, Women's History
Posted by: Kate Fogle
Late July. A time of year that engenders thoughts of summer near its peak, with lots of sun and warm days. But this past month also marks the 100th anniversary of the National Woman’s Party Conference in Seneca Falls, New York, where a century ago, suffragists were buzzing off the energy of their hard-won victory …
Posted in: Photographs, Women's History
Posted by: Jan Grenci
The following is a guest post by Kate Fogle, Assistant Curator of Photography, Prints & Photographs Division. Mom. Simple to say, this monosyllabic version of ‘mother’ entered the American lexicon in the mid-1800s, and its ease of use has yet to waver, as moms throughout the U.S. can attest. It’s a palindrome that conveys comfort …
Posted in: FSA/OWI, HABS/HAER/HALS, Photographs, Prints, Women's History
Posted by: Kristi Finefield
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. As we often do for heritage months, the Library is sharing a set of images from the collections that are free to use and reuse, and that touch on the experiences and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders while living in the United States. In …
Posted in: Asian American History, Photographs, Portraits, Women's History
Posted by: Jan Grenci
The following is a guest post by Kate Fogle, Assistant Curator of Photography, Prints & Photographs Division. Bunnies and baskets. Two words heard often this time of year. With the Easter holiday nearly upon us, the consumer push to provide a bountiful Easter, even to the youngest of children, is felt by most parents I …
Posted in: FSA/OWI, Photographs, Portraits, Women's History
Posted by: Kristi Finefield
As Women’s History Month draws to a close, I was inspired to look back at the archives of the Picture This blog and to note the many ways we have celebrated the contributions of women in history. We have written posts about women making their mark, such as Shirley Chisholm and Amelia Earhart. And we …
Posted in: Photographs, Prints, Women's History
Posted by: Jan Grenci
Not too long ago, I gave a presentation on posters to a group of university students studying the history of graphic design. I included this poster designed by Adolph Treidler: Treidler designed posters for a variety of organizations/causes during both world wars. During World War II, he created a number of posters for the Woman …
Posted in: Posters, Women's History