The Rubenstein Gallery: Five Years of Celebrating Citizens’ Rights

This month marks the five-year anniversary of the David M. Rubenstein Gallery at the National Archives. Today’s post come from Michael J. Hancock in the National Archives History Office. Magna Carta is the benchmark by which the principles of democracy are tested. Written more than 800 years ago, the document codified the fundamental truths that … Continue reading The Rubenstein Gallery: Five Years of Celebrating Citizens’ Rights

One table, 300 documents to explore

When the David M. Rubenstein Gallery opened to the public on December 11, visitors found that the focal point of the Records of Rights exhibit isn’t a static document, but a 17-foot-long interactive table containing hundreds of digital documents. “From the beginnings of concept development, our team wanted a central element for the exhibit,” curator … Continue reading One table, 300 documents to explore

Records of Rights Vote: “Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Vote”

Cast your vote for the 26th Amendment to be displayed first in the new “Records of Rights” gallery. Polls close on November 15! Congress can move quickly. The 26th Amendment was ratified in 100 days, faster than any other amendment. In April 1970, Congress controversially lowered the voting age to 18 as part of legislation to … Continue reading Records of Rights Vote: “Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Vote”

Records of Rights Vote: The 14th Amendment

Cast your vote now for the 14th Amendment to be displayed first in the new Rubenstein Gallery. Today’s post comes from Jessie Kratz, the Historian of the National Archives. Why should the 14th Amendment be ranked first on any list of most important documents? A constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship for all, Federal protection of … Continue reading Records of Rights Vote: The 14th Amendment

Executive Order 9981: Equality in the military

Cast your vote for Executive Order 9981 to be displayed first in the new "Records of Rights" gallery. Polls close on November 15! Today’s post comes from Tammy Williams, archivist at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library President Harry S. Truman spent his entire young adulthood in Missouri, a border state during the Civil War. … Continue reading Executive Order 9981: Equality in the military