On March 20, join us for a sneak peek at our new exhibit, “Making Their Mark: Stories Through Signatures” before it opens to the public. Many of the documents have never been on display before.
A limited number of lucky folks will get a tour at 1:30 p.m. from curator Jennifer Johnson and a special opportunity to take pictures of the exhibit (photography is otherwise banned in our exhibit spaces).
You can also join us beforehand for a brown-bag lunch at noon with the curator and graphic designer, who will demo our new free eGuide as well as talk about how our curators choose from thousands of documents to create an exhibit.
We’ve got limited space, so register now!
Signatures are personal. The act of signing can be as simple as a routine mark on a form, or it can be a stroke that changes many lives. Signatures can be an act of defiance or a symbol of thanks and friendship. “Making Their Mark: Stories Through Signatures” draws from the billions of government records at the National Archives to showcase a unique collection of signatures and tell the stories behind them.
See a patent created by Michael Jackson; a loyalty oath signed by a Japanese American inside an internment camp; a 1938 letter from a Jewish tailor who wrote to President Roosevelt pleading for an escape from Budapest because of “political happenings”; an original “John Hancock” signature; some “signature” items of clothing, including a dress from First Lady Michelle Obama; and many more fascinating, original documents that reveal the power of the pen.