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Free to Use and Reuse: Birthdays

How do you like to celebrate your own birthday or the anniversary of an organization? You can find inspiration here. Cakes and candles turn up most often. You'll also find gift ideas, festive parties, music, and fireworks. Unless otherwise noted, the selected images are from the Prints & Photographs Division.

Browse more content that is free to use and reuse

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  The birthday cake. 1914

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  N.A.A.C.P. birthday ball, Feb. 26th, Golden Gate Ballroom, Count Basie and his Orchestra. 1943

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  Young girl, Kimu, carrying a birthday cake through the Lachung Monastery, Sikkim. 1969

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  Happy Birthday sign, Putt-Putt, Drayton Plains, Michigan. 1986

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  Woman suffrage. Birthday cake. Washington, DC. 1916

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  Laddie boy's birthday cake. 1922

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  Why not books? for birthdays, weddings, graduations, holidays.1920s

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  Baby’s birthday. 1880

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  Norma Horydczak and friends at her 8th year birthday party. Around 1930

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  Washington, D.C. Pouring lemonade at a birthday party on Seaton Road. 1942

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  First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt cuts President's birthday cake, Washington, DC. 1938

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  Children's folktale contest and old people's birthday party held at Shinsundo Studio, 3315 N. Clark St., Chicago, Illinois. 1977 (American Folklife Center)

• A Little Bird’s Song on My Birthday. 1887 (General Collections)

• Tennessee Williams with "birthday" cake for the 20th anniversary of "The Glass Menagerie" opening. 1965

• Feliz cumpleanos. 1915 (Sound recording in the National Jukebox)

• The birthday party in the woods. 1898

• Birthday party with women preparing tea at left, a group of women on raised platform at center, and children with elders under the Chinese character representing longevity on the right. 1800s

• Louis McDowell cuts Michael Young's hair; the haircut is called a "high-top fade"; today is Young's 14th birthday. 1994 (American Folklife Center)

• Josie Caudill cutting pie at neighbor's house where several families are visiting to celebrate a birthday. Pie Town, New Mexico. 1940

• Greenbelt, Maryland. Party for Mrs. Taylor's eighty third birthday, attended by her children and grandchildren, on the grounds of the home of her son-in-law, Dr. McCarl. 1942

• Night fireworks for Prophet's (Mohamed) birthday, May 22nd, 1937

• "The President's birthday ball "So we may dance again" Fight infantile paralysis. 1936-1939"

• Birthday dinner at J.G. Feight's, attended by the Wright Brothers. 1899

• Das liederliche Kleeblatt, oder, lumpaci vagabundi, "birthday congratulations."1894

• Ball of 2nd Corps--Washington's birthday during the Civil War. 1864

• Lily Bells Ring: A Birthday Chime. 1888 (General Collections)

• Legal holiday Lincoln's birthday February 12th no business transacted. 1890s