“Let your lover be dumpy or handsome or slim/ Young or old, you need care not a feather; /Just fill your ink-bottle up to the brim/ And write from these pages a letter.” Such wondrously poetic lines grace the cover of “The Mirror of Love,” a 19th century chapbook that was meant to inspire valentine […]
Meat substitutes are having a bit of a moment, with popular products like the Beyond Burger introducing more and more people to plant-based meals. But “fake meat” is nothing new at all! An abundance of American 19th and early 20th century vegetarian recipes can be discovered in the historic cookbooks of Special Collections. Called “mock […]
“Love me, Love my Vote” proclaims a cherubim-faced little girl who is staring directly at the viewer and pointing proudly at her “votes for women” sash. The postcard, designed by the popular commercial artist Ellen Hattie Clapsaddle for Wolf & Co., links sentiments of love with the sheer purity of women fully participating in democracy. […]
As our daylight hours dwindle, I am always reminded of Dylan Thomas. Not because he wrote “A Child’s Christmas in Wales,” but because of his poem “Do not go gentle into that good night.” Thomas of course was writing of a much more permanent darkness, not the perennial shrinking of the day’s sunlit hours, but […]
Many thanks to our guest blogger Nandini Dey (political science, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences) for contributing these delicious Indian dishes, and a bit of history behind them! ‘Tis the start of the jolly season, signaled by the trees outside of the library on Keyser Quad being lit up, Have Yourself A Merry Little […]
Each part of the world has its own collection of stories written to frighten readers. Their degree of fear can range from friendly giants roaming the tranquil countryside to the paranormal haunting a castle. What was once shared around the campfire in the dark shadows of a forest is now viewed on smart devices as […]
While some University institutes, departments, and programs may slow down during summer break, Homewood Museum and Evergreen Museum & Library remain hives of scholarly research and curatorial activity. In some ways, the museum’s are busier than ever as they continue to host exhibitions, events, and prepare for a full slate of fall programming. Helping the […]
So how much do you know about the Declaration of Independence? I am sure you could tell me who wrote it. And you know it is associated with July 4th, 1776 and the Revolutionary War. And names like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams come to mind. But what else do you know? The […]
Annie Tang is an archivist in Special Collections in the Milton S. Eisenhower Library at Johns Hopkins University. She loves to travel, a good bowl of Vietnamese pho (pronounced ‘fuh’), discussing intersectionality, and waxing nostalgic about California weather. “Not all those who wander are lost.” This line from J.R.R Tolkien’s first installment of The Lord […]
As Spring Fair gets under way, here’s a look back at the origins of the annual event. The first Spring Fair took place April 21-23, 1972, an entirely student-run festival. From the earliest days, it has been organized and run by the undergraduate student body, with cooperation from campus offices providing electricity, water, and security. It still serves as […]