August 24, 2014, marks the 200th anniversary of the British burning of Washington during the War of 1812. In August 1814, British forces occupying the Chesapeake Bay began to sail up the Patuxent River in Maryland. Fearing an attack on the capital, Secretary of State James Monroe offered to scout the British position and report … Continue reading The burning of Washington
Today's post comes from Marisa Hawley, intern in the National Archives Strategy and Communications office. As part of the "six weeks of style" celebration to recognize the Foundation for the National Archives' partnership with DC Fashion Week, we are showcasing fashion-related records from our holdings. This week's fashion theme is the Revolutionary War: Fashion during America's Fight … Continue reading Hats Off to the Tri-Corner Hat
Get ready to put your best fashion foot forward—and take a step back into the trends of the past—with the National Archives! This fall, the Foundation for the National Archives is partnering with DC Fashion Week to host the opening night. This semiannual event was originally created to spotlight the nation’s capital as a dynamic center of … Continue reading Six weeks of style with the National Archives
By Jim Worsham Harry S. Truman had been Vice President of the United States for only a few weeks when he showed up on February 10, 1945, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. He had agreed to take part in a show for some 800 servicemen. For his part of the show, Truman … Continue reading Truman, Bacall, and That Photograph
Continuing our celebration of the 225th Anniversary of the First Congress, the National Archives is displaying a draft of the Bill of Rights from August 12 to September 11, 2014, in the East Rotunda Gallery. During the 1787–1788 Constitutional ratification process, opponents criticized the Constitution because it lacked a bill of rights. They argued that … Continue reading Featured Document: Senate Revisions to the Proposed Bill of Rights
Today’s post comes from Emma Rothberg, intern in the National Archives History Office in Washington, DC. August 8 marks the 40th anniversary of President Richard M. Nixon's resignation. Early on the morning of June 17, 1972, five men broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. The aftermath brought the first … Continue reading “I have never been a quitter . . .”
Today’s post is from Lee Lacy, an Assistant Professor at the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. When Harry S. Truman was told on April 12, 1945, by Eleanor Roosevelt that her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was dead, Truman reacted true to form. He asked if there was anything he … Continue reading Harry Truman and The Bomb
Today’s post comes from James Zeender, Senior Registrar. Last week, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax opened the exhibition "Prize and Prejudice: Nova Scotia's War of 1812." It is a companion to the War of 1812 exhibit organized by the Canadian War Museum. "Prize and Prejudice" features two letters on loan from … Continue reading Loan to Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax
Today’s post comes from Christine Blackerby, an Outreach Specialist at the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The Center for Legislative Archives is marking the 225th anniversary of the First Congress by sharing documents on Tumblr and Twitter; use #Congress225 to see all the postings. Two hundred and twenty-five years ago, on August 3, … Continue reading The Origins of Senatorial Courtesy
Today’s post is from David Steinbach, intern in the National Archives History Office. William Howard Taft had unusually extensive experience with the Presidential oath of office. In 1909, Taft recited the text on the steps of the Capitol to become the 27th President of the United States. Sixteen years later, as Chief Justice of the … Continue reading An Inaugural Blunder
