MEDIA ADVISORY
New Library Exhibition Features History of Voluntary Associations in America
Media Preview Dec. 6 Offers First Look at “Join In: Voluntary Associations in America”
The Library of Congress will host a media preview of its newest exhibition, “Join In: Voluntary Associations in America,” on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 10 a.m. ET. This exhibition explores America’s history as a “nation of joiners” and our long tradition of volunteering for a wide range of groups and causes. The exhibition opens to the public Dec. 16.
Exhibition Media Preview
- When: Tuesday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m. ET
- Where: Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street SE, Washington, DC (use Carriage Entrance on ground floor below outside stairs.)
- Who: Remarks by Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and exhibition curator Nathan Dorn, followed by gallery tours and interview opportunities.
- RSVP: Media interested in covering the event must RSVP in advance to Brett Zongker at bzongker@loc.gov by Dec. 5. (Media only, please.)
- Media Assets: Additional materials and press images from the exhibition will be available at newsroom.loc.gov.
Join In: About the Exhibition
Americans have a longstanding impulse to join together for common purposes such as fellowship, charity, professional growth, emergency services, societal reform and community building. The new exhibition, “Join In: Voluntary Associations in America,” opens a conversation about these organizations and their importance in society.
This history of voluntary associations reveals the aspirations of Americans as “a nation of joiners,” while also acknowledging these groups have sometimes reflected society’s exclusions, discriminations and divisions. The exhibition includes 114 artifacts, representing 45 different organizations, ranging from associations created by early American colonists to the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, NAACP, Girl Scouts, and many others that continue today.
The accompanying publication, “Join In: Voluntary Associations in America,” will be available in the Library of Congress Shop.
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
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Media Contact: Brett Zongker, bzongker@loc.gov
PR 22-107
11/21/2022
ISSN 0731-3527