Scope and Content
In 1979, Penne (Penelope) Laingen tied a yellow ribbon around a tree in front of her Bethesda, Maryland home when her husband, Bruce, was among those taken hostage in the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran. The Laingens donated this yellow ribbon to the Library of Congress in 1991. The collection contains sound recordings and a photograph from that donation ceremony. Other recordings include an interview with Bruce and Penne Laingen conducted by American Folklife Center reference specialist, Gerald E. Parsons, on April 15, 1991. During the interview, the Laingens discussed their experiences during the hostage crisis and their use of the yellow ribbon and the symbolic significance it acquired. The collection also contains photographs of the Laingens taken during this interview and photographs of yellow ribbon displays during the Persian Gulf War in 1991.