The National Archives and the Electoral College

When you vote in November, you won’t be casting your ballot directly for the Republican nominee or the Democratic nominee or any other candidate who wants to be President. Instead, you will be voting for the people who will actually “elect” the next President. They are called “electors,” and their names are often on the … Continue reading The National Archives and the Electoral College

Amending the Electoral College: The 12th Amendment

The Electoral College is outlined in Article II, Section 1, of the U.S. Constitution. It is the formal body that elects the President and Vice President of the United States. Back in 1787, when the delegates to the Constitutional Convention were trying to figure out how the President should be chosen, some wanted the Congress … Continue reading Amending the Electoral College: The 12th Amendment

The 1824 Presidential Election and the “Corrupt Bargain”

As we get ready to go to the polls on November 3, we're looking back one of the more controversial elections—the 1824 Presidential election. Today’s post comes from Michael J. Hancock, an archives technician at the National Archives at College Park, MD.  John Quincy Adams was elected President on February 9, 1825, when the House … Continue reading The 1824 Presidential Election and the “Corrupt Bargain”

Margaret Chase Smith: Breaking the Barrier

Today’s post comes from Dena Lombardo, an intern in the Office of Public and Media Communications. Seventy years ago, Senator Margaret Chase Smith (R-ME) delivered her “Declaration of Conscience” speech, criticizing Senator Joseph McCarthy and his anti-communist campaign.  Senator Margaret Chase Smith, ca. 1954 (Records of the U.S. Information Agency, National Archives) Her 15-minute speech … Continue reading Margaret Chase Smith: Breaking the Barrier

19th Amendment at 100: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

The 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, but this landmark event was neither the beginning nor the end of the story for women and their struggle for the right to vote. Join us in 2020 as we commemorate this centennial year with 12 stories from our holdings for you to save, print, or share. October’s … Continue reading 19th Amendment at 100: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Facial Hair Friday: Frida Kahlo

Aside from her powerful self-portraits, Mexican artist and feminist icon Frida Kahlo is perhaps most known for her unibrow, a purposeful statement rejecting stereotypes about what conventional beauty looks like. She is the subject of today’s Facial Hair Friday.  Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón was born in 1907 in Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico. Known … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Frida Kahlo