Videos

Jamie Stiehm compared the lives and achievements of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. She spoke about how growing up in Maryland affected their lives and led to their work as abolitioni…

Military historian Max Hastings presents a history of the first year of World War I in his book Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War. He examines the diplomatic failings that led to the onse…

Jamie Stiehm talked about the humanitarian efforts of Civil War nurse Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross. Ms. Steihm argued that Ms. Barton’s upbringing played a major role in her volunt…

C.R. Gibbs talked about the Underground Railroad network in Washington, D.C., as well as members of Congress involvement and stance on escaped slaves and Underground Railroad locations in th…

Sigrid Fry-Revere talked about her book, The Kidney Sellers: A Journey of Discovery in Iran, in which she explores the ethics and politics surrounding the selling of human organs. She travel…

Kathleen Frydl talked about her book, The Drug Wars in America, 1940-1973, in which she argues that contrary to common perception, the war on drugs did not begin with President Nixon’s prono…

Several Americans who participated in the August 28, 1963, March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom told their stories at an event marking the 50th anniversary of the event. “I Was There:…

David Graeber talked about his book, The Democracy Project: A History, A Crisis, A Movement, in which he argues that America’s political system is only responsive to the wealthy and has dise…

Maya Soetoro-Ng, President Obama’s sister, presented her children’s book, Ladder to the Moon, to children at the Tenley-Friendship Library in Washington, D.C. Ms. Soetoro-Ng’s book was inspi…

Ms. Fox talked to parents and teachers at the Northeast Branch of the District of Columbia Public Library about her new book, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change The…

Author Ellis Cose spoke about his new book “The Envy of the World: On Being a Black Man in America.” The book examines the social, psychological and political factors in which some black men…

Winners of the Letters About Literature contest read their entries. Contestants were asked to write a letter to an author -- living or dead -- explaining how the author’s work changed their …

Mrs. Bush read to students to commemorate National Library Week.

The Jacksons talked about their book It’s About the Money: The Fourth Movement of the Freedom Symphony: How to Build Wealth, Get Access to Capital, and Achieve Your Financial Dreams, publi…

Ms. Greer talked about her book The Whole Woman, published by Knopf Publishing. The book examines the challenges that women face in regard to body, mind, love and power. After her comments s…