Where we separate fact from fiction about some of history’s most divisive moments and personalities
Today's guest post comes from Susan Donius, Director of the Office of Presidential Libraries at the National Archives. This post originally appeared on the White House blog. Did you know that before the 1940s, Thanksgiving was not on a fixed date but was whenever the President proclaimed it to be? George Washington issued the first … Continue reading Thanksgiving with the Presidents
Today's blog post was written by Tammy Kelly, an archivist at the Harry S. Truman Library. When future President Harry S. Truman was born on May 8, 1884, his parents decided to name him Harry, after his mother’s brother Harrison Young. But what about a middle name? Harry’s parents could not come to a decision—should … Continue reading Sometimes an “S” is just an “S”
Today's guest post comes from Miriam Kleiman of the Public and Media Communications Office. Before joining the Public Affairs staff, I was a researcher for the “Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group.” I reviewed records of Nazi war criminals, including those recruited by the U.S. intelligence. Needless to say, this … Continue reading Hitler and his Dentist
Are these the most famous sideburns in music history? They might be the most famous sideburns in the National Archives. If you are a fan of Elvis, you've seen the photograph: Nixon and Elvis shaking hands in the White House. This is the most-requested image in our holdings. The quirky story behind the meeting of the King … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Elvis has NOT left the building
What do you if you love Thanksgiving but it falls on a day when you can't eat turkey? In 1947, President Truman faced an awkward dilemma. Truman took up the office of President during World War II, but even after the war ended, the plight of the Europeans was on his mind. Americans were still urged … Continue reading What’s Cooking Wednesday: Truman and the no-turkey Thursday
This post was written by Laura Brandt and originally appeared on the Facebook page of the Foundation for the National Archives. Flexing your literary muscles this month but facing writers' block? Don't forget that the National Archives has a wealth of information to enhance your tale, whether you are writing a historical novel or are … Continue reading Inspired by the Archives! Top Ten Tips for Writers
Want a waffle with that earthshake? All Virginia earthquake jokes aside, today is a momentous day indeed. On this day in 1869, Dutch American Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York, received a U.S. patent for the first waffle iron. Described as simply a “device to bake waffles,” the waffle iron was heated over a coal … Continue reading What’s Cooking Wednesday: National Waffle Day
Today's guest post is from Samuel Rushay, senior archivist at the Truman Presidential Library and Museum, who is featured in our newest "Inside the Vaults" video about the adventure of John Paton Davies. “…I stood in the open door of that miserable [C-46, Curtis] Commando and decided—`Well, if nobody else is going to jump, I’ll jump. … Continue reading Headhunters and diplomats in the Truman Library
Today's post comes from Gregory Marose, an intern in the National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications. UPDATE: Capone's criminal case file has been digitized and is now online. Al Capone—the quintessential American gangster—headed the nation’s most notorious organized crime syndicate for more than a decade during Prohibition. Through smuggling, bootlegging, and a variety of … Continue reading The Taxman Cometh: U.S. v. Alphonse Capone
If you have watched the movie Glory, you saw a recreation of the assault on Fort Wagner, South Carolina, by the 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry. But a real-life hero from that battle was Sgt. William Harvey Carney, who was awarded the Medal of Honor on May 23, 1900—37 years after the assault on Fort Wagner. The Medal of Honor is … Continue reading A record of valor
