In the early 1900s, a librarian could purchase a bookmobile for as little as $1,000. By the late 1930s, there were as many as 60 bookmobiles nationwide. The Great Depression and two World Wars then sharply curtailed services and bookmobile production around the country. During the boom years of the 1950s, bookmobile production resurged. ManyContinue reading “The Prince George’s County Memorial Library Bookmobile in Woodmore, Maryland, 1951”
Tag Archives: life & culture
12 Facts About British Women During the First World War
Women in World War I were mobilized in unprecedented numbers on all sides. The vast majority of these women were drafted into the civilian work force to replace conscripted men or to work in greatly expanded munitions factories. Thousands served in the military in support roles, and in some countries many saw combat as well.Continue reading “12 Facts About British Women During the First World War”
Rare Color Photographs Capture Daily Life in the First Nazi Concentration Camps in 1933
From 1933 to 1945, Nazi Germany operated more than a thousand concentration camps on its own territory and in parts of German-occupied Europe. The first camps were established in March 1933 immediately after Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany. Following the 1934 purge of the SA, the concentration camps were run exclusively by the SSContinue reading “Rare Color Photographs Capture Daily Life in the First Nazi Concentration Camps in 1933”
12 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin, often referred to as the “Queen of Rock and Roll,” is best remembered for her rebellious lifestyle, her psychedelic Porsche, her free flowing fashion sense and above all, her distinctive voice. Rolling Stone ranked her as 46th on their 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and in 2008 sheContinue reading “12 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Janis Joplin”
The Story Behind the Photo of 10-Year-Old Japanese Boy Carries His Deceased Brother to a Cremation Pyre, 1945
This heart rending photo was taken by Joe O’Donnell, who was sent by the U.S. military to document the horrors inflicted upon the Japanese by air raids and atomic bombs in 1945. In this photo, the little boy had bought his brother to a cremation spot. He was barefooted and in perhaps trying to playContinue reading “The Story Behind the Photo of 10-Year-Old Japanese Boy Carries His Deceased Brother to a Cremation Pyre, 1945”
50 Amazing Vintage Photos Showing the World in 1968
A half-century ago, much of the world appeared to be in a state of crisis. Protests erupted in France, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Mexico, Brazil, the United States, and many other places. Some of these protests ended peacefully; many were put down harshly. Two of the biggest catalysts for protest were the U.S. involvement in the VietnamContinue reading “50 Amazing Vintage Photos Showing the World in 1968”
The Bad Old Days of New York: 15 Black and White Photos Documented NYC Street Prostitutes in 1971
In 1971 Burt Glinn documented street prostitutes for New York Magazine. At the time, prostitutes had been getting more mention in the press due to a series of incidents in which streetwalkers had attacked clients. Many thought that prostitutes were beginning to make more money through violence than “rendered services”, this at a time whenContinue reading “The Bad Old Days of New York: 15 Black and White Photos Documented NYC Street Prostitutes in 1971”
15 Protest Signs That Sum Up the Sixties
These movements include the civil rights movement, the student movement, the anti-Vietnam War movement, the women’s movement, the gay rights movement, and the environmental movement. Each, to varying degrees, changed government policy and, perhaps more importantly, changed how almost every American lives today.
Ravensbruck, Hitler’s Concentration Camp for Women During World War II
Ravensbrück was the only major Nazi concentration camp for women. At the end of autumn 1938, Himmler decided to establish a concentration camp for women in Ravensbrück. This location was chosen by Himmler because it was out-of-the-way and at the same time easy to reach. Ravensbrück was a small village located in a beautiful areaContinue reading “Ravensbruck, Hitler’s Concentration Camp for Women During World War II”
