Strange-but-true stories about America’s Presidents from the National Archives and Presidential Libraries.
February 19, 2018, is the Federal holiday celebrated as George Washington's Birthday. Today's post comes from John Lockwood, a long-time federal employee who has written numerous articles, many for the National Archives. Some time back, I was busy working on an article about how in 1854 Pope Pius IX donated a gift stone to be … Continue reading The Lost Gift Stones of the Washington Monument
This May we celebrate both Public Service Recognition Week and the centennial of the birth of a President closely associated with public service: John F. Kennedy. In Kennedy’s first inaugural address, in 1961, he made his famous call to public service by asking Americans “to ask not what your country can do for you—ask what … Continue reading A Call to Public Service: the Peace Corps
Since the National Archives was established more than 80 years ago, millions of people from the United States and abroad have visited our historic building in Washington, DC. Ten of those visitors were sitting U.S. Presidents. In 1933, before there was a building, President Herbert Hoover became the first President to visit when he laid … Continue reading From 1600 to 700 Pennsylvania Avenue: Presidential Visits to the National Archives
George Washington led the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, presided over the Constitutional Convention, and served as the first President of the United States. He is known, quite rightfully, as the Father of our Country. Washington was born in Virginia on February 11, 1731, according to the then-used Julian calendar. In 1752 Britain and … Continue reading Happy George Washington’s Birthday!
Today's post comes from Christine Blackerby, archives specialist in the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives in Washington, DC. She is also co-curator of the exhibit “Amending America,” which runs in the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery in the National Archives Building through September 4, 2017. Today marks the 50th anniversary of the ratification of the … Continue reading The 25th Amendment: Succession of the Presidency
On January 20, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made history by being the first President to be inaugurated for a third term. The previous year, Roosevelt had been elected President for the third time, and the inauguration marked the start of his third term in office. No other President in American history had been elected … Continue reading A Precedent-Breaking Inauguration
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
Anyone who is a fan of the hit musical Hamilton knows the song “Election of 1800.” It depicts an infamous election that ultimately led us to change our Constitution. By 1800, the nation's first two political parties were beginning to take shape. The two major candidates for President were the Federalist President, John Adams, and the … Continue reading The Election of 1800
Today's post comes from Jim Zeender, Registrar on the National Archives Exhibits Staff. On June 1, my colleagues Alexis Hill, Warren Halsey, and I culminated about nine months of work with a visit to the Lincoln Cottage on the grounds of the Old Soldiers Home. Terry Boone and Bill Nenichka had participated in previous trips. A … Continue reading The 1986 Immigration Act and My Lifetime Relationship with the Lincoln Cottage
Today's post comes from Andrew Grafton in the National Archives History Office. In a nation as large and as diverse as the United States, it is rare to find something that nearly half of its citizens have in common. Though the U.S. economy supports a variety of different careers, there is one job that almost … Continue reading A Celebration of Moms and Dads: National Parents’ Day
