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
December 15 is Bill of Rights Day which commemorates the ratification of the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution. As we celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Bill of Rights on December 15—Bill of Rights Day—let’s take a look back at the origins and history of that day. On December 15, 1791, the first 10 amendments … Continue reading Bill of Rights Day
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 Andrew Grafton in the National Archives History Office. A man deeply devoted to preserving United States history, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made contributions to the National Archives that have proven invaluable. Not only did he sign the law creating the National Archives, appoint the first Archivist of the United States, and … Continue reading New Web Exhibit on FDR and the Presidential Library System
Continuing our celebration of Natinal Hispanic Heritage Month, this post comes from Idaliz Marie Ortiz Morales, intern in the National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications. Did you know that Fidel Castro, when he was just 14 years old, wrote a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II? How many of us, at … Continue reading Fidel Castro’s childhood plea to President Roosevelt
Continuing our celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, today’s post comes from Idaliz Marie Ortiz Morales, intern in the Office of Strategy and Communications at the National Archives. To find out more about our Bilingual Social Media Project. In English: On December 7, 1941, the date that President Franklin D. Roosevelt said would “live in infamy,” … Continue reading Rudy Martinez: The Beginning of the Latino Impact in World War II
Today's post comes from the National Archives Office of Presidential Libraries. King David Kalakaua of Hawaii was the first head of state to be honored with a White House state dinner on December 12, 1874, by President and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant. In the years that have followed, state dinners have come to signify the utmost respect … Continue reading State Dinners at the White House
The Constitution hasn’t changed much since it was adopted in 1787. However, it has been tweaked by 27 amendments—some were ratified in a few months, another took more than two centuries. The ink on the Constitution had barely dried in 1787 when people discovered what it did not say. It did not spell out adequately, … Continue reading Amending the Constitution: 100 Days to 200 Years
Today's post comes from Nikita Buley, an intern in the National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications. The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York, was the first Presidential library built in the United States. President Roosevelt led its conception and building, and he is the only President to have … Continue reading Archives Spotlight: The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
In the early afternoon of December 7, 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt was just finishing lunch in his oval study on the second floor of the White House, preparing to work on his stamp album. The phone rang, and he was informed that the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, shortly before 1 p.m. Washington time, … Continue reading Crafting a Call to Arms: FDR’s Day of Infamy Speech
