On April 12, 1955, a vaccine against polio was declared safe and effective. Jonas E. Salk's great discovery was too late for President Franklin Roosevelt, who had contracted polio in 1921, at age 39, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. But the President, who died in 1945, had been instrumental in funding research that eventually led … Continue reading The dimes that saved lives
Only 9 days left until the seventh annual Genealogy Fair! The fair is free and open to the public, and will take place at the National Archives building in Washington, DC. The Archivist will cut the ribbon at 9 a.m. on April 20 to open the fair. Need an introduction to genealogy? There's a session … Continue reading Get ready for the Genealogy Fair!
Harry S. Truman was never really fond of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, especially after their frosty 1950 Wake Island meeting in the Pacific while the Korean War raged. Things had not gone particularly well since the North Koreans invaded South Korea in late June 1950. By October, South Korean troops had pushed across the 38th parallel, … Continue reading “You’re Fired!”
Congratulations to Marene! Our guest judge Marvin Pinkert, director of the National Archives Experience, felt that your caption best wrapped up the directives of Open Government. Check your email for the code to receive 15% off a purchase at the eStore. And in the spirit of transparency, we will reveal to you the actual meaning … Continue reading Thursday Photo Caption Contest
When Robert Peary wrote "The pole at last!!!" into his diary on April 6, 1909, he had no idea that his claim would be disputed for the next several decades by experts who doubted that he and Matthew A. Henson were the first men to reach the North Pole. Marie Peary Stafford had no such doubts, … Continue reading “The pole at last!”
A search for "Rosenberg" in the Open Public Access system of the National Archives brings up a strange and poignant collection of documents: a passport picture of a family with the mother clutching a tiny infant, childlike sketches of shapes, a smiling couple, and an empty Jell-O box. In September 1949, the White House announced the … Continue reading Fat Man, Little Boy, A Packet of Jell-O
President Woodrow Wilson’s campaign slogan throughout his 1916 reelection campaign was "he kept us out of war," but on April 2, 1917, Wilson reversed course and called on Congress to provide a declaration of war for American intervention in World War I. Although this shift in policy contradicted Wilson’s isolationist principles and firm commitment to … Continue reading The “Wilsonian” Path to War
