#exhibits

Certain exhibits being removed from Harpers Ferry under Trump administration order

by: Sam Kirk

Posted: Sep 18, 2025 / 11:14 AM EDT

Updated: Sep 18, 2025 / 04:40 PM EDT

HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. (WBOY) — The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia has spoken out against a move by the Trump administration to remove references to slavery from exhibits in the state’s only national historic park.

Harpers Ferry National Historic Park is the location of John Brown’s raid, a significant move in the war against slavery in 1859 that helped catapult the nation into Civil War. It was also a major battle ground during the Civil Way in 1861-1865, changing hands eight times during the war, according to the National Park Service’s website.

After an order from President Donald Trump’s administration, certain exhibits, photos and references to slavery are being removed from the national historic park, the ACLU-WV said in a statement Wednesday.

H is for HDS Library Book on Display in New York!

We are honored to have one of our rare books displayed as part of an exhibit titled, "The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt" at the Jewish Museum of New York until August 10, 2025!

In the age of Rembrandt van Rijn (1606 – 1669), the biblical Book of Esther was a key source of inspiration for diverse communities in Holland, both Jewish and Christian. Traditionally, the Esther story is read annually on the Jewish holiday of Purim. For immigrant Jewish communities living with new freedom in more tolerant Amsterdam, celebrating Purim—notably through finely produced Esther scrolls and theater productions—became meaningful expressions of Jewish culture. For the Dutch, Queen Esther’s heroism came to represent their emerging nation’s identity. Rembrandt and his contemporaries depicted essential scenes of Esther’s story in paintings, prints, drawings, and decorative arts. This exhibition gives expression to this full range of the Book of Esther’s popularity and meaning in Rembrandt’s time.

The HDS Library contribution is a Dutch bible from 1649 that includes a lovely initial H illustrated with a scene of Esther before the king.

More info about the exhibit is here.

Photo credit (images 1 & 2): Installation view of "The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt," at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 7–August 10, 2025. Photo by Kris Graves.

October 2019

Nature in human creativity🕊

Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Linocuts by Meredith Stern (Labadie Collection N 7433.4 .S835 U56 2017)