The Librarian of Congress
Dr. Carla Hayden is the best. She’s the 14th librarian of Congress of the United States. Born in Florida she’s spent her career educating and inspiring with stops in Chicago, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. From Charm City Dr Hayden was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate (74-18 by the way) to a ten year term. Dr Hayden is the first woman and person of color to serve as the head of the largest library on the planet. We caught up with Dr Hayden to Walk-A-Mile and to be honest I was not expecting the surprises and treasures she had waiting for us...
Step ahead to:
1:30 Palace to knowledge, not royalty
3:00 Dr Hayden doing DC things
5:30 Audiobooks are reading, says the highest librarian in the land!!!!
6:30 The Great Hall
7:00 Oh that’s the Gutenberg Bible
8:30 The reading room
11:20 get your reader’s card peeps
11:30 Librarian of Congress ceremonial office
13:00 Items from the Lincolns, yes this Lincolns
14:00 inside Abe’s pockets, the night he was assassinated
16:00 Washington, Hamilton things
18:20 The President Lincoln and Frederick Douglass plan of escape for enslaved persons
20:30 Treasures gallery on the way
21:00 Love to Dr Hayden’s Mom
22:00 Comics in the Members room. Original Spiderman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin
25:00 Librarians are not concerned with resale
27:00 Pre-pandemic LOC had 2,000,000 visitors and they’re coming back
27:30 Lin Manuel Miranda and Jonathan Larson
29:30 Long Division, RENT Edition
30:00 Lizzo please come play these priceless flutes
30:30 Info on tours
Here are links to see the treasures Dr Hayden showed us along the walk, thanks to the Library of Congress team for an incredible afternoon.
George Washington’s first inaugural address, April 30, 1789
Alexander Hamilton to wife Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, July 4, 1804
https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss24612.020_0611_0648/?sp=35
Abraham Lincoln, farewell remarks upon leaving Springfield, Illinois, February 11, 1861
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/ms000001.mss30189a.0728000
Frederick Douglass to Abraham Lincoln, August 29, 1864, regarding Lincoln’s suggested plan for escape of enslaved persons in Confederate states
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/ms000001.mss30189a.3565200
Mary Todd Lincoln's Seed-pearl Necklace and Matching Bracelets. https://www.loc.gov/item/scsm001298
The Contents of Lincoln’s Pockets on the Night of His Assassination https://www.loc.gov/item/2011646850/
$100,000 Reward Poster!
https://www.loc.gov/item/96521960/
George Washington’s first inaugural address, April 30, 1789
George Washington Papers, Manuscript Division Library of Congress
https://www.loc.gov/item/mcc.053/
Alexander Hamilton to wife Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, July 4, 1804
Alexander Hamilton Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss24612.020_0611_0648/?sp=35
Abraham Lincoln, farewell remarks upon leaving Springfield, Illinois, February 11, 1861
Abraham Lincoln Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/ms000001.mss30189a.0728000
Frederick Douglass to Abraham Lincoln, August 29, 1864, regarding Lincoln’s suggested plan for escape of enslaved persons in Confederate states Abraham Lincoln Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/ms000001.mss30189a.3565200
A huge thanks for reading this podcast. Dr Carla Hayden is truly an incredible human and trailblazer being the first woman and person of color to serve as Librarian of Congress. If you’re a Washingtonian please make a plan to visit the Library of Congress and if you’re coming to town for a visit make sure you stop by. They’re right next to the Capitol building.
Special thanks to Bridgeen Joyce, Patricia Anderson, Roswell Encina and Mark Isaacson for contributing to this episode… If you’re enjoying Walk-A-Mile please share it with a few friends that would mean the world.
