February

Black History Month

NAL Special Collections is privileged to be the curator of two George Washington Carver collections.  In honor of Black History Month, our calendar highlights those collections as well as the collection of plant explorer Roland Maurice Jefferson.  Professor Carver worked for the US Department of Agriculture in the Division of Plant Mycology. Roland Maurice Jefferson was the first black botanist and plant explorer to work at the United States National Arboretum. He is known for his work with cherry trees.

Library Lovers Month

Who doesn’t love a library?  This month we give our love especially to the National Agricultural Library.  Within several collections in NAL Special Collections, the history of NAL is thoroughly documented and illustrated.  We stand on the shoulders of giants.

Cherry Month

NAL Special Collections is proud to be entrusted with the National Arboretum Cherry Blossom Files.   And the Jean Meyer Cookbook collection consists of 250 cookbooks.  How many recipes for cherry pie must be within that?

View many more images of cherries in the Pomological Watercolor Collection.

National Inventors' Day

(February 11)

In 1983, Ronald Reagan named February 11th National Inventors' Day, "in recognition of the enormous contribution inventors make to the nation and the world." This date was chosen to coincide with the birthday of Thomas Edison. Read the full proclamation at the Goovernment Printing Office.