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By the People Bulletin

 

New transcription campaigns give context to American Revolution 

What do patriotic songs, society women’s diaries and nautical maps have in common? All give context to life in America before, during and after the Revolutionary War — and you’re invited to transcribe them all with By the People in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence! 

By the People has launched The American Revolution in Context to bring together pages that provide context for the colonial period, revolution, and early republic from across Library collections. In addition to celebrating the United States semi quincentennial, The American Revolution in Context is a community engagement project for the PBS documentary series, “The American Revolution” by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt. The twelve-hour series about America’s founding struggle, which premiered November 16, 2025, presents the story of the men and women of the revolutionary generation, their humanity in victory and defeat, and the crisis through which they lived.  

The first three transcription campaigns of The American Revolution in Context include letters and diaries from women of the early republic, early American books, and early copyright ledgers. Additional campaigns for early American sheet music, the Atlantic Neptune revolution-era nautical atlases, and 18th-century cookbooks will be published in the next 6 months. Jump in to learn more about this important period in our history! 

Engage your community around "The American Revolution"

Our partners at WETA, the PBS station in Washington, DC, have created themed toolkits to help libraries, clubs, schools, public media stations, and individuals engage their communities in "The American Revolution" documentary series and in the history of the period. Check out their resources, everything from downloadable event flyers to By the People transcribe-a-thon tips to film discussion prompts. You can also find events and screenings in your local area using their map tool. We're excited to collaborate with WETA to bring history to life! 

Happy transcribing,

Abby, Carlyn, and Lauren