Author: Hilary Parkinson

Sharon Farmer was the first woman and the first African American to be named Chief White House Photographer. Farmer joined the team of four photographers at the Clinton White House in 1993, and worked as director from 1999 to 2001.The four photographers took nearly 12,000 rolls of film each year as they documented pubic and … Continue reading “What a moment in time!”

Today’s post comes from Tom Putnam, Acting Director of the Office of Presidential Libraries. In a recent conversation with a younger colleague about Presidents Day, I mentioned that while I appreciated the three-day weekend, I missed celebrating George Washington’s actual birthday and eating cherry pie. “Cherry pie?” she asked. “Why cherry pie?” The tradition stems, … Continue reading Family Traditions and George Washington’s Birthday

In honor of the upcoming Presidential inauguration, Washington's first inaugural address and the Bible that he used to swear his oath of office are on display. The Bible was loaned for the occasion by St. John’s Lodge No. 1, Ancient York Masons, which still owns the Bible today. Since the country’s first inauguration of George Washington … Continue reading On Exhibit: George Washington’s First Inaugural Address and Bible

Today's post comes from Jim Worsham, editor of Prologue, the quarterly magazine of the National Archives. As news emerged of the Japanese sneak attacks on Pearl Harbor and other U.S. installations in the Pacific 75 years ago, President Franklin D. Roosevelt began writing the speech he would give to Congress the next day. The news was bad, … Continue reading The Day of Infamy Speech: Well-Remembered but Still Missing

Today's post comes from Kimberlee Ried, public programs specialist at the National Archives at Kansas City. Research was provided by Michael Tarabulski, archivist at the National Archives at St. Louis. The 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is today. For those who fought in World War II, they likely had no idea … Continue reading The Last Living Doolittle Raider: Lt. Col. Richard “Dick” Cole

Today's post comes from Victoria Blue, writer-editor in the Office of Internal Communications at the National Archives. When Chief of Conservation Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler retires in July, the last hands to have touched the Declaration of Independence will leave the National Archives. She has been with the agency since 1985. The Declaration of Independence was sealed … Continue reading The Last Hands to Touch the Declaration of Independence

Today’s post is by Rod Ross, a former archivist in the Center for Legislative Archives, who retired in April with 41 years of government service.  His interest in this holiday began at birth–on Flag Day during World War II!  Shortly after the war his family moved to Batavia, Illinois, where the Father of Flag Day, … Continue reading Flag Day, Past and Present

Since 1952, the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights have been on display in the Rotunda of the National Archives. In addition to the bulletproof and moisture-controlled sealed cases, the Charters of Freedom are protected by the National Archives security guards. Hundreds of people filter in and out of the … Continue reading The Men and Women Who Guard the Constitution

In the very top of the dome of the Rotunda, right over the cases holding the Constitution, there is a large opening called an oculus. In March, facilities staff lowered a cable through the oculus to hoist up a 225-foot-long banner that starts over the Bill of Rights, swings up into the middle of the … Continue reading Follow That Banner