Newberry Library

06/12/2026

On Thursday, June 18, from 6 to 7 pm, join political cartoonists Lalo Alcaraz, Scott Stantis, and Alexandra Bowman for a discussion about the history of political cartoons, the role of this art form in interpreting news in a democratic society, and the ways that the digital media landscape is influencing the field. Margaret Storey, curator of our new exhibition, "Conceived in Liberty: Cartoons, Caricatures, and Illustrations in the Wartime US, 1812-1918," will moderate the discussion and share examples of historical cartoons from the exhibition.

Follow the link to register for the event: https://www.newberry.org/calendar/political-cartoons

06/05/2026

Save the date: on June 17, registration for the newest term of Adult Education classes will open. Our diverse offerings include writing workshops, literature deep-dives, art history courses, and more. To browse upcoming courses, click the link: https://www.newberry.org/learn/adult-education-classes

06/03/2026

Uptown Poetry Slam founder Marc Kelly Smith is joining forces with the Newberry to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Slam, which was founded in 1986 at Chicago's famed Green Mill Lounge.

This fundraising event will feature Marc and other poets talking about the Slam's origins and early days, with performances, an introductory video produced by the Newberry, and a display of artifacts from the newly acquired Marc Kelly Smith Poetry Slam Collection.

The afternoon will also have complimentary snacks and beverages, a cash bar, and some surprises! Limited space available - visit the link to learn more and purchase your ticket: https://www.newberry.org/calendar/poetry-slam-fundraiser

06/03/2026

Summer is in full swing at the Newberry Bookshop, where we’ve been obsessed with clothbound classics, medieval-inspired prints, pheasant pens, and–of course–puzzles.

Check out these staff picks and much more at the Newberry Bookshop, Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (and don’t forget to stash your new goodies in the Newberry-exclusive Manuela Tote!)

06/02/2026

Shop a curated selection of used books from a variety of categories and at great prices!

The Mini Used Book Sale will be held in Rettinger Hall from 10am-3pm on Saturday, June 6. All proceeds from the sale will benefit the library’s collections and programs.

While you are visiting, consider joining a tour of the Newberry at 10:30am or 2:30pm.

06/01/2026

The Newberry Library will be continuing its commemoration of the United States at 250 with multiple events on Saturday, June 6. At 2pm, Harvard University professor and author Danielle Allen will appear as part of the Colonial History Speaker Series with Scott Stephenson, President and CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution. The discussion will feature a deep dive into the history, impact, and contemporary resonance of the Declaration of Independence. Register through our Linktree; the event will be followed by a book signing of Dr. Allen’s latest book, "Radical Duke."

The program is part of an exciting day of events at or near the Newberry (60 West Walton). The library’s latest exhibition, "Free and Independent: The Declaration of Independence and the Words That Made the United States," will be on view in the Hanson Gallery from 10am to 5pm. The exhibition includes a 1776 broadside of the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson’s copy of The Federalist, and John Jay’s handwritten drafts of the Federalist Papers (shown on Slide 3). Following the Colonial History Speaker Series program, curator Eric Slauter (University of Chicago) will be on hand to answer questions in the Free and Independent exhibition.

There will be additional free programming available in Washington Square Park, directly across the street from the Newberry, presented by the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Illinois and the Museum of the American Revolution. The Museum’s hand-sewn replica of General George Washington’s dining tent will be on display in the park from 10am to 4pm.

We look forward to seeing you on Saturday at the Newberry!

06/01/2026

In January 1931, a lecture by German sexologist Magnus Hirschfeld at Chicago’s Dill Pickle Club, just south of the Newberry off Dearborn, was postponed by authorities because of its “indecent” subject matter. The event included a reading by Elisabeth Davis, a le***an activist and regular of the Dill Pickle Club.

Magnus Hirschfeld was a trailblazing advocate for the LGBTQ+ community who founded the Scientific-Humanitarian Committee in 1897, the world’s first gay rights organization, and the Institute of Sexual Science in 1919, which performed the first gender-affirming surgeries for transgender patients. Hirschfeld argued that homosexuality is a biological phenomenon unrestricted by cultural differences. His advocacy for decriminalization frequently quoted Friedrich Nietzsche: “What is natural cannot be immoral.”

An openly gay and Jewish man, Hirschfeld was persecuted and eventually exiled to France by the N**i regime. However, his research revolutionized the study of human sexuality and encouraged greater compassion for LGBTQ+ individuals globally.

The Newberry’s Dill Pickle Club Records contain two fliers for the Hirschfeld/Davis event, which connect Chicago’s rich history of bohemianism, free speech, and gay activism to Hirschfeld’s legacy.

05/30/2026

The Newberry recently hosted former Latvia President Egils Levits for a collection presentation and tour of our exhibition, "The Declaration of Independence and the Words That Made the United States." It was especially fitting as Mr. Levits wrote the declaration of restored Latvian independence in 1990. The Newberry's President and Librarian Astrida Orle Tantillo joined Mr. Levits in the Hanson Gallery, and collection presentation participants included curators Jill Gage and Suzanne Karr Schmidt and Robert Blumberg, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Latvia in the State of Illinois. Materials included contemporary works as well as the first example of printed Latvian outside of Latvia, featured in the 1550 Münster Cosmographia (the "Our Father," visible at the center of Slide 6). Mr. Levits served as the tenth president of Latvia from 2019 to 2023.

05/29/2026

Late last week, the Associated Press featured the Newberry's Curt Teich Postcard Archives Collection as part of an article investigating large-letter postcards and the mid-twentieth century American optimism and idealism they embodied.

In the piece, Will Hansen, the Newberry's Curator of Americana, reflects on these postcards, saying, "They’re very optimistic looking. That is sort of in tandem with how Americans are thinking about America at that time — that this is a country on an upward trajectory, that we have more money to spend, that we’re able to travel freely in ways we couldn’t before."

The article is a part of the Associated Press' America 250 series, "American Objects," which examines the materiality of American life through quintessentially American objects, from the baseball and blue jeans to even ranch dressing. Click the link to read the whole story, which has now appeared in 173 news outlets across the US and Canada and in a few locations like the UK and New Zealand: https://apnews.com/article/america-250-objects-postcards-df352f5524ec904a032cb6a85b9ec51e?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share

The Newberry is home to the largest public collection of postcards in the United States. Stop by the library to browse our collection or visit collections.newberry.org to view digitized postcards.

Postcards emblazoned with “Greetings from” a state, city or tourist attraction advertise more than just the tiny scenes squeezed into 3D letters.

05/28/2026

Earlier this month, the winners of the inaugural Newberry Medieval Minicomic Book Prize, Audrey Avril (not pictured) and Eli Estrella Pérez (left), appeared at Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE) held at the Irish American Heritage Center. The artists engaged in a comic reading and a conversation with the Newberry's Chris Fletcher and cartoonist Marnie Galloway (right)!

After winning last year's Minicomic Prize, Avril and Pérez were commissioned by the Newberry's Center for Renaissance Studies to develop comics that incorporated medieval artistic elements. The artists discussed this experience and how comics can create new opportunities for contemporary audiences to understand and engage with the art, ideas, and culture of the Middle Ages.