After viewing the Civil War exhibit at the LOC, I wandered around the library a little bit more. There were a few other exhibits that I wanted to check out.
As a military spouse, I love learning more about individuals who have tirelessly supported our troops. No one is more famous for his devotion to the US Military and the USO than Bob Hope. On the ground floor level, down the corridor that leads to the young reader area, is a display the highlights the work of Hope, and political satire.
Bob Hope was also a master of political comedy. He jabbed at presidents from FDR to Clinton. Many other comedians followed in his large footsteps. Other highlights of the exhibit include an interactive SNL video display, as well as political songs and other videos.
Lots of Hope’s memorabilia, including pictures of him with the troops in World War II, Vietnam and Iraq, his golf club and his Medal of Freedom, as on display.
Along the corridor that leads to Bob Hope is also a small room with an exhibit on the Gershwin brothers, George and Ira. Original scores, marketing materials, playbills from Porgy and Bess, as well as from movies that used their music, are all on display. Music that they composed is playing as visitors take in the display that is spaced around their grand piano, situated in the middle of the room.
Along another long corridor, near the gift shop, is an exhibit that combined cartoon satire with photographs of nature.
The Down to Earth exhibit combined the iconic political cartoons of Herblock with pictures of the environment, and of humans’ impact on the environment. This was definitely a moving exhibit, since it called attention to the devastating effects that we have on our world, as well as our complacency with the status quo.
My favorite photo was an Ansel Adams print of Alaska. Something about the stark blacks, whites and greys draws me into Adam’s pictures. He was able to capture the majesty of nature, while still highlighting the details that add to the beauty.
In the rooms leading into the Herblock exhibit was a retrospective on cartoons through time, from the first cartoons of the 19th century to modern day political satire, as well as more Herblock cartoons that spanned his career.
While the exhibits are insanely cool, the building itself is a work of art. Tomorrow, I’ll post more about the actual building that houses our LOC.
~M
I was just there as well. Seeing the first draft of the Emancipation Proclaimation in Lincoln’s hand was amazing.
Bob Hope had a long standing commitment to visit the troops overseas as long as the U.S.A. had fighting troops overseas and he was physically able. Year after year, after year Hope traveled to the battle fields around the world to bring a moment of relief and maybe a bit of joy to the women and men defending our country. A true patriot who put the lives of the people in our Armed Forces ahead of any politics.
Also, did you know you can access a significant portion of the holdings of the Library of Congress electronically?
It may not be SoCal but D.C. is a great place to be. Thank you for bringing us little bits of our Nation’s Capital.