Dr. Carla Hayden is the best. She’s the 14th librarian of Congress of the United States. Born in Florida she’s spent her career educating and inspiring with stops in Chicago, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. From Charm City Dr Hayden was nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate (74-18 by the way) to a ten year term. Dr Hayden is the first woman and person of color to serve as the head of the largest library on the planet. We caught up with Dr Hayden to Walk-A-Mile and to be honest I was not expecting the surprises and treasures she had waiting for us...

Step ahead to:

1:30 Palace to knowledge, not royalty

3:00 Dr Hayden doing DC things

5:30 Audiobooks are reading, says the highest librarian in the land!!!! ******

6:30 The Great Hall

7:00 Oh that’s the Gutenberg Bible

8:30 The reading room

11:20 get your reader’s card peeps

11:30 Librarian of Congress ceremonial office

13:00 Items from the Lincolns, yes this Lincolns

14:00 inside Abe’s pockets, the night he was assassinated

16:00 Washington, Hamilton things

18:20 The President Lincoln and Frederick Douglass plan of escape for enslaved persons

20:30 Treasures gallery on the way

21:00 Love to Dr Hayden’s Mom

22:00 Comics in the Members room. Original Spiderman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Robin

25:00 Librarians are not concerned with resale

27:00 Pre-pandemic LOC had 2,000,000 visitors and they’re coming back

27:30 Lin Manuel Miranda and Jonathan Larson

29:30 Long Division, RENT Edition

30:00 Lizzo please come play these priceless flutes

30:30 Info on tours

Here are links to see the treasures Dr Hayden showed us along the walk, thanks to the Library of Congress team for an incredible afternoon.

George Washington’s first inaugural address, April 30, 1789

Alexander Hamilton to wife Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, July 4, 1804

https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss24612.020_0611_0648/?sp=35

Abraham Lincoln, farewell remarks upon leaving Springfield, Illinois, February 11, 1861

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/ms000001.mss30189a.0728000

Frederick Douglass to Abraham Lincoln, August 29, 1864, regarding Lincoln’s suggested plan for escape of enslaved persons in Confederate states

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/ms000001.mss30189a.3565200 

Mary Todd Lincoln's Seed-pearl Necklace and Matching Bracelets.
https://www.loc.gov/item/scsm001298/

The Contents of Lincoln’s Pockets on the Night of His Assassination
https://www.loc.gov/item/2011646850/ 

$100,000 Reward Poster!

https://www.loc.gov/item/96521960/ 

George Washington’s first inaugural address, April 30, 1789

George Washington Papers, Manuscript Division Library of Congress

https://www.loc.gov/item/mcc.053/

Alexander Hamilton to wife Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, July 4, 1804

Alexander Hamilton Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress

https://www.loc.gov/resource/mss24612.020_0611_0648/?sp=35

Abraham Lincoln, farewell remarks upon leaving Springfield, Illinois, February 11, 1861

Abraham Lincoln Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/ms000001.mss30189a.0728000

Frederick Douglass to Abraham Lincoln, August 29, 1864, regarding Lincoln’s suggested plan for escape of enslaved persons in Confederate states Abraham Lincoln Papers, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/ms000001.mss30189a.3565200 

A huge thanks for reading this podcast. Dr Carla Hayden is truly an incredible human and trailblazer being the first woman and person of color to serve as Librarian of Congress. If you’re a Washingtonian please make a plan to visit the Library of Congress and if you’re coming to town for a visit make sure you stop by. They’re right next to the Capitol building.

Special thanks to Bridgeen Joyce, Patricia Anderson, Roswell Encina and Mark Isaacson for contributing to this episode… If you’re enjoying Walk-A-Mile please share it with a few friends that would mean the world. Next time we walk a mile with one of DC’s most exciting professional athletes, she has several championships under her belt and is hopeful to win one here in Washington.