LOC Mixtape

Partners: FableVision Studios, Library of Congress, Maryland Public Television

The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, holding over 4.3 million audio tracks in its collection. From FableVision Studios’ audiyo-yo division comes the “LOC Mixtape” podcast, highlighting some of the “best, craziest, and most inspiring” pieces of music from the Library of Congress archives. This podcast connects historians, musicians, and performance artists to find out who made these musical selections and why. 

The “Library of Congress Mixtape” project invites and empowers high school students to engage with audio primary sources in innovative ways and leverage their interpretation skills to make their own creative works. The host is Postell Pringle, a Brooklyn-based musician, performer, playwright, and composer. The first two episodes of season one are set to release in October 2025, with the remaining two dropping later in the year.

Each season of the podcast comprises four episodes, each around 35 minutes long. The four episodes of the first season highlight a different primary source: a sea shanty, a lullaby recording of a teenage girl, a Chicago blues song recorded in 1978, and a song sung in Spanish by Cuban immigrants in Florida during the 1930s. 

In addition to the podcast, high school teachers and students have access to a companion curriculum program developed by Maryland Public Television in partnership with Carolyn Bennett, former Teacher-in-Residence at the Library of Congress. The materials enable students to engage in hands-on work in examining primary sources and fostering their own creative works. 

About the Library of Congress’ Teaching with Primary Sources Partner Program

This podcast is funded by a grant from the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program, through the Lewis-Houghton Initiative. Content created and featured in partnership with the TPS program does not indicate an endorsement by the Library of Congress. Since 2006, the Library has awarded Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) grants to build a nationwide network of organizations that deliver educational programming, and create teaching materials and tools based on the Library’s digitized primary sources and other online resources. Each year members of this network, called the TPS Consortium, support tens of thousands of learners to build knowledge, engagement and critical thinking skills with items from the Library’s collections.

A Peek Inside

Product: Podcast

Age Range: High School