Posts from the Manuscripts and Archives Division

A Library Fellow discovers the staggering volume of research undertaken by Proulx for her novels: notes, comments, observations, and newspaper clippings on small communities, and the all-too-frequent violence within.

Here are a dozen recent books whose authors relied on the Library's archival records as a vital resource, from the world of George Washington to the history of the Manhattan waterfront. Add these to your 2019 reading list!

Get a look at archived letters that illustrate how Marsh inspired others as a writer, activist, translator, and strong family supporter.

Discover the place once frequented by Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, and an entire community of musical notables, in this essay from an NYPL Short-Term Research Fellow.

An Election Day special from the NYPL Manuscripts and Archives Division: A look into the historic International Workers Order and their efforts during the 1930s to 1950s. Take a look.

Explore the ways that early 19th century American women viewed women from other international cultures.

NYPL's Manuscripts and Archives Division provided historical context into one of the early twentieth century’s most influential anti-sweatshop advocates.

With the centennial of women's suffrage around the corner, it's important to begin highlighting the many women that were involved both nationally and internationally in this movement.

Epstein was one of the founders of the New York Review of Books and its co-editor. Her files, dating from 1963 to 2003, document 40 years spent shaping and improving the Review.

Much attention has been paid lately to the MTA during what has been termed the “Summer of Hell.” Instead of simply bemoaning the current state of affairs, we can look to a citizen’s group that has been actively working toward improving the City transit system for almost forty years.

The total solar eclipse which crossed from Alaska to Texas spurred many to make the trip West. Dr. Henry Draper assembled a group who watched the eclipse from the railroad outpost of Rawlins, in the Wyoming Territory.

For Americans in the post-Civil War years, the most iconic images of the cosmos were largely the work of one man: Étienne Leopold Trouvelot (1827-1895), an artist and amateur astronomer who produced incredible images of the heavens.

Studying the history of garbage teaches you that treasures can often be found in unexpected places. This was certainly true of my research at The New York Public Library.

Called Art War Relief, members from a group of art societies formed a coalition under the auspices of the American Red Cross.

The celebration of the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism prompted an exploration of our collections to celebrate the work and achievements of the Fourth Estate.

In January 2017, thousands gathered on Fifth Avenue and the surrounding area for the Women’s March. But this wasn’t the first time that this street was the home for a massive demonstration: almost fifty years ago, it was a primary thoroughfare for the first Earth Day celebration.

How the British Empire built the transportation and communications infrastructure that allowed them to win the colonial contest for eastern North America.

The experience of women in 1790s New York City, from the records of the NYC Almshouse and Bridewell.

During women's history month, consider the influence of "the other Mrs. Adams" on the American Revolution.