May 6, 1937: Hindenburg disaster

Today is the 75th anniversary of the Hindenburg disaster.  The German zeppelin Hindenburg catches fire and is destroyed while attempting to dock in Lakehurst, NJ. Thirty-six people are killed.  Here are more resources on the Hindenburg...

Herb Morrison - Hindenburg Disaster, 1937, National Archives

Hindenburg, FBI Vault

The Zeppelin, U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission

Sonnet Ireland
Head of Federal Documents
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research, Political Science
Urban and Transportation Studies, Engineering

October 15, 1966: Black Panther Party is created

Today is the 45th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party (originally called the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale.

Here is more information on the Black Panther Party...

Black Panther Party, FBI

Black Panther, ca. 1966 - ca. 1969, National Archives (video)


Sonnet Ireland
Head of Federal Documents
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research, Political Science
Urban Studies, Engineering

June 24, 1901: First exhibition of Pablo Picasso's work opens

Today is the 110th anniversary of the opening of Picasso's first exhibit. Pablo Picasso was a Spanish artist, who was born in 1881 and died in 1973.

For more information about Pablo Picasso and his work, check out these resources:

Pablo Picasso, National Gallery of Art

National Stolen Art File Search - Pablo Picasso, FBI

Sonnet Ireland
Head of Federal Documents
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research, Political Science
Urban Studies, Engineering

January 28, 1986: Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Challenger disaster. On January 28, 1986, at 11:39 am EST (approximately one minute after liftoff), the Challenger spacecraft disintegrated off the coast of central Florida. The crew consisted of Commander Francis R. Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith, Mission Specialists Judith A. Resnick, Ellison S. Onizuka, Ronald E. McNair, Payload Specialists Gregory B. Jarvis and Sharon Christa McAuliffe. Christa McAuliffe was a school teacher who was selected as the primary candidate for the NASA Teacher in Space Project on July 19, 1985.

Challenger STS 51-L Accident
NASA History Program Office

Report of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident
(Volumes 1-5)

Investigation of the Challenger Accident
Report of the Committee on Science and Technology
House of Representatives (99th Congress)

Investigation of the Challenger Accident
Volume 1
Volume 2
Hearings before the Committee on Science and Technology
House of Representatives (99th Congress)

A New Day: Challenger and Spaceflight Thereafter
National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Post-Challenger Evaluation of Space Shuttle Risk Assessment and Management
Committee on Shuttle Criticality Review and Hazard Analysis Audit
National Research Council

Space Shuttle Challenger Explosion
Federal Bureau of Investigation






Sonnet Ireland
Head of Federal Documents
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research, Political Science
Urban Studies, Engineering

John Dillinger: Public Enemy Number One

This month (July 22nd) marks the 75th anniversary of the death of John Dillinger, the first fugitive to be named Public Enemy Number One by the FBI.  With the new movie, Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, comes a renewed interest in this charismatic felon.  And, being the stereotypical documents librarian, I wanted to find a way to use this new movie to promote documents.  Think documents are boring?

Check out these documents on John Dillinger and his accomplices:

FBI: John Dillinger

FBI: Evelyn 'Billie' Frechette

FBI: Joseph Aiuppa

There are also documents on some other names you might recognize from the movie:

FBI: Melvin Purvis

Sonnet Erin Brown
Head of Federal Documents
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research, Political Science
Earth & Environmental Sciences, Philosophy