The Library of Congress holds locks of hair from many famous and lesser-known figures, including Thomas Jefferson, Walt Whitman, and James Madison. Jefferson’s hair was cut by his family on his deathbed, while Whitman’s housekeeper clipped a few strands from him. Madison’s hair is neatly braided inside a velvet-lined gold case. Before photography became widely accessible, cutting a loved one’s hair was a way to preserve their memory, a symbol of love, sentimentality, and often mourning.
