February 2010
Washington, DC, Area Events
Inclement Weather Closure Notice
The
National Archives research rooms in Washington, DC, and College Park, MD are closed Tuesday, February 9. The museum in Washington, DC is also closed. Call 202-357-5000 or 301-837-0700 or check the Federal Government Operating status on the OPM web site for updates on weather closures.
Program Highlights
- Noontime Lecture Series
Jeffrey Herf discusses his book Nazi Propaganda in the Arab World. (February 4) - Presidents Day
LBJ Library Director Mark Updegrove discusses his book on Eight Presidents Who Took Office in Times of Crisis. (February 11) - Fighting for Democracy
A biography of Colorado Governor Ralph Carr during World War II, a salute to the Tuskegee Airmen, and a photographic exploration of Japanese American relocation. (February 17, 24) - African American History
Explore the legacy of historian John Hope Franklin. (February 18) - Polar Exploration
A book lecture on Capt. Mike Healy of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, two films—With Byrd at the South Pole and March of the Penguins, and “Polar Exploration Family Day” activities (February 24, 25, 27) - Know Your Records Programs
A variety of programs explore records held by the National Archives. (February 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 16, 17, 18, 20, 23, 25)
Exhibit Highlights
- Permanent Exhibits
The Charters of Freedom, A New World Is at Hand, The Public Vaults, Magna Carta - Special Exhibit
Polar Exploration - Traveling Exhibits
"Fighting for Democracy" - Special Exhibit in College Park, MD
The Long View
Locations, Hours, and Contact Information
All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted; reservations are not required unless noted. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For McGowan Theater programs, the doors to the building will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the program. Use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue.
Noontime Lecture Series
Thursday, February 4, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Nazi Propaganda in the Arab World
Jeffrey Herf, professor of history at the University of Maryland in College Park, offers the most extensive examination to date of Nazi propaganda activities targeting Arabs and Muslims in the Middle East during World War II and the Holocaust.
Presidents Day
Mark Updegrove
Thursday, February 11, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
Baptism by Fire: Eight Presidents Who Took Office in Times of Crisis
Director of the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library Mark Updegrove discusses eight U.S. Presidents who faced crises immediately upon assuming office. Washington led a fragile and fledgling nation; Jefferson faced a nation divided by a two-party schism; Tyler stepped into office after the first death of a sitting President; Lincoln inherited a divided nation on the brink of war; Franklin Roosevelt wrestled with the Great Depression; Truman was sworn in as commander in chief at the close of World War II; Kennedy stepped into the heated atmosphere of the Cold War; and Ford aimed to end America’s “long national nightmare.” Joining the discussion will be Michael Duffy, assistant managing editor for TIME magazine. A book signing will follow the program.
Fighting for Democracy
The National Archives Experience is pleased to present programs in conjunction with our exhibit “Fighting for Democracy,” on display through February 28 in the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery.
Wednesday, February 17, at noon
Jefferson Room
The Principled Politician: Governor Ralph Carr and the Fight Against Japanese American Internment
Broadcast journalist and author Adam Schrager discusses his book, The Principled Politician, which tells the story of the only political leader in the country to welcome Japanese Americans to his state during World War II. Colorado Governor Ralph Carr was an up-and-coming member of the Republican Party when he took a courageous, yet unpopular, stance on the internment of Japanese Americans and Japanese American rights. A book signing will follow the program.
Wednesday, February 17, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
A Salute to the Tuskegee Airmen
In partnership with Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Archives Experience presents a panel discussion and film screening celebrating the achievements of America’s first African American military airmen. Moderated by Dr. Rex M. Ellis, associate director of curatorial affairs, Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture, the discussion is scheduled to include Lt. Gen. (ret.) Russell C. Davis, current president of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., and several surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen. Also part of the program will be a screening of Wings for This Man, an 11-minute film produced in 1944 by the Army Air Forces and narrated by Ronald Reagan.
Japanese Americans at a WRA center in Poston, AZ, watch an outdoor musical performance, June 1942. Photo by Francis Stewart. (210-G-D596)
Wednesday, February 24, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
A Photographic Exploration of the Japanese American Relocation During World War II
From 1942 to 1945, photographers for the War Relocation Authority (WRA) documented the evacuation and relocation of Japanese Americans. Why were these photographs created; what role have they played; and how have they been interpreted in American history? Frank H. Wu, professor of law at Howard Law School, moderates a panel discussion featuring rare WRA photographs in the National Archives. Panelists include Todd Stewart, assistant professor of photography at the University of Oklahoma and the author of Placing Memory: A Photographic Exploration of Japanese American Internment; Jasmine Alinder, assistant professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and author of Moving Images: Photography and the Japanese American Incarceration; and Elena Tajima Creef, associate professor of women’s studies at Wellesley College and author of Imaging Japanese America. Book signings of the three books will follow the program.
African American History
Thursday, February 18, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
From Slavery to Freedom and the Legacy of John Hope Franklin
The ninth edition of From Slavery to Freedom by John Hope Franklin and Evelyn Higginbotham has been revised to reflect the most current scholarship on African American history. Tonight we present a program on the legacy of John Hope Franklin and this award-winning work. Joining the discussion will be Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, co-author of From Slavery to Freedom; Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero; and John Franklin, son of John Hope Franklin. A book signing will follow the program.
Polar Exploration
The National Archives Experience is pleased to present lectures and films in celebration of “Polar Exploration,” a new feature on display beginning February 19 in the Public Vaults.
Wednesday, February 24, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Captain “Hell Roaring” Mike Healy: From American Slave to Arctic Hero
In the late 1880s, many lives in maritime Alaska rested in the hands of Michael A. Healy. During his years in the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, Healy arrested lawbreakers, helped to deter smuggling, rescued sailors in distress, helped to improve the lives of indigineous populations, prevented the wholesale slaughter of marine wildlife, and explored unknown waters and lands. Today Dennis Noble and Truman Strobridge discuss their book, Captain “Hell Roaring” Mike Healy. A book signing will follow the program.
Thursday, February 25, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
With Byrd at the South Pole
In 1929, Richard E. Byrd became the first to fly over the South Pole. In 1930, Paramount Pictures released With Byrd at the South Pole, which captured the entire journey. The film won an Academy Award® for Best Cinematography. Tonight’s screening of the 82-minute film will be introduced by Guy Guthridge, historian and creator of the National Science Foundation’s Antarctica Artists and Writers program. This program is presented in partnership with the Explorers Club Washington Group.
Saturday, February 27, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Throughout the National Archives Experience
Polar Exploration Family Day
Celebrate the opening of the “Polar Exploration” exhibit in the Public Vaults with hands-on activities designed for children and their families. Participate in an Archival Adventure in the Boeing Learning Center, play Inuit string games, learn about the life of “Snowbaby” Marie Peary, meet a polar explorer reenactor, read telegrams sent from the North Pole and make your own, and sketch your view of the North Pole or Antarctica based on the journals of Matthew Henson and Robert Peary.
Saturday, February 27, at 2 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
March of the Penguins
This beautiful nature documentary follows the annual journey of emperor penguins to their breeding ground in Antarctica. The film focuses on one steadfast pair as they face birth and death, dating and mating, and predators in their fight for survival. Winner of the Academy Award® for Best Documentary Feature. Narrated by Morgan Freeman. (2005, 84 minutes)
Know Your Records Programs: February
Tuesday, February 2, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Declassified Records
Neil Carmichael, National Archives supervisory archivist for the Initial Processing and Declassification Division, discusses the lifecycle of classified national security information within the executive branch of the Federal Government. The talk will cover creation through declassification and use the Berlin Crisis (1961) to show the many issues and complexities facing this process. (The lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in Lecture Room B, Thursday, February 4, at 11 a.m.)
Wednesday, February 3, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Introduction to Genealogy
Archives staff present a lecture on basic genealogical research in Federal records. This lecture occurs the first Wednesday of the month: the next one is Wednesday, March 3.
Tuesday, February 9, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
African American Genealogy in Ancestry.com
Sabrina Petersen of Ancestry.com discusses African American genealogy resources in National Archives records available through Ancestry.com. (The lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in Lecture Room B, Thursday, February 11, at 11 a.m.)
Tuesday, February 16, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
“Face to Face with History”: African American Civil War Surgeons
Jill L. Newmark, exhibition specialist and registrar in the History of Medicine Division at the National Library of Medicine, discusses her article “Face to Face with History” in the Fall 2009 issue of Prologue magazine. She shares her discovery of William P. Powell, Jr.’s story as an African American surgeon during the Civil War and how National Archives records provide a glimpse into a rarely studied part of history. (The lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in Lecture Room B, Thursday, February 18, at 11 a.m.)
Wednesday, February 17, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Beyond the Basics: African American Genealogy
Archives staff teach “beyond the basic” archival research skills on the third Wednesday and third Saturday of the month. Wednesday’s topic will be African American genealogy.
Saturday, February 20, at 10 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Beyond the Basics: Finding Aids
Archives staff teach “beyond the basic” archival research skills on the third Wednesday and third Saturday of the month. Saturday’s topic will be finding aids for genealogy. The next lecture is Wednesday, March 17, on nonpopulation census schedules.
Saturday, February 20, noon–4 p.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
“Help! I’m Stuck”
Not sure where to begin? Has a genealogical problem stumped you? Would you like to explore new directions in your research? On the third Saturday of the month, an archivist is available from noon to 4 p.m. to answer questions. Look for the “Help! I’m Stuck” sign at the Research Center desk.
Tuesday, February 23, at 11 a.m.
Adams Room (Enter Special Events Entrance on Constitution Avenue)
From the Records Book Group Pre-Program: George Washington in the Records
In celebration of George Washington’s birthday, Timothy Duskin, National Archives archives technician, explores the many records held at the National Archives on the first President of the United States. Please stay for a noontime discussion on the book The Valley Forge Winter: Civilians and Soldiers in War by Wayne K. Bodle.
Tuesday, February 23, at noon
Adams Room (Enter Special Events Entrance on Constitution Avenue)
From the Records Book Group Discussion: The Valley Forge Winter
The From the Records Book Group discusses The Valley Forge Winter: Civilians and Soldiers in War by Wayne K. Bodle. Please check the Archives Shop (202-357-5271) for book availability and a special discount for book group participants. The March 16 book selection will be Our Mother’s War by Emily Yellin.
Thursday, February 25, at 11 a.m.
National Archives at College Park, MD, Lecture Room B
George Washington in the Records
In celebration of George Washington’s birthday, Timothy Duskin, National Archives archives technician, explores the many records held at the National Archives on the first President of the United States.
Boeing Learning Center
An exciting space designed to provide parents and educators of all levels with methods and materials for teaching with primary source documents. Open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Exhibits
Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom:The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are on permanent display in the Rotunda. "A New World Is at Hand" surrounds the Rotunda's centerpiece cases. Presenting a selection of milestone documents, the exhibit chronicles the creation of the Charters of Freedom in the 18th century and their impact on the course of history in the United States and around the world.
The Public Vaults: This interactive exhibit invites visitors into the stacks and vaults of the National Archives to explore the raw material from which history is made. From Washington's letters, Lincoln's telegrams, and FDR's fireside chats to UFO reports and declassified secrets of World War II, these documents chronicle both great national events and the lives of individual Americans.
Magna Carta: This foundation document of English common law was confirmed by Edward I in 1297. Only four originals of the 1297 Magna Carta remain, and only one permanently resides in the United States. Purchased by David M. Rubenstein in 2007, it is on loan to the National Archives. West Rotunda Gallery.
Special Exhibit in Washington, DC
Polar Exploration
The Public Vaults will add a spectacular display of items from polar expeditions–including the first successful attempt to reach the North Pole in 1909 by Robert Peary. Each year a different adventurer will be featured, beginning with Matthew Henson—a pioneering African American explorer who reached the North Pole with Peary. Expedition equipment, artwork, journals, and photographs bring these historic and death-defying journeys to life.
In the Public Vaults beginning February 19
Special Exhibit in College Park, Maryland
Auditorium Lobby at the National Archives Research Center:
"The Long View" features digitally produced facsimiles of historic panoramic photographs from the Still Picture holdings.
Motorcycle Corps, Army Motor Service - Under Command of J. S. Berryman. US Capitol. Wash., DC. Jan. 26, 1919, By R. S. Clements. Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs (165-PP-60-47)
The exhibit not only showcases the wide variety of panoramic techniques, but also includes National Archives records such as cartographic maps and patent drawings that relate to the photographs. Thirty-four panoramas and other records are on display and span the period from 1864 to 1997.
See more panoramas online.
Traveling Exhibits
The traveling exhibit program makes it possible for people across the country to experience selected historical documents and artifacts that reflect our national experience.
“Fighting for Democracy”
What do we mean by “We the People?” This question is explored in “Fighting for Democracy” through the experiences of women and minorities who sought equal treatment during World War II. This exhibition tackles questions about freedom, history, and democracy in a diverse America. Presented by the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, an educational program of the Japanese American National Museum, this traveling exhibit will be at the National Archives for one month.
Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery, January 29 through February 28, 2010
Online Exhibits
Dozens of exhibits can be experienced online. Visit Now!
Eyewitness: American Originals from the National ArchivesDrawing on rarely displayed documents, audio recordings, and film footage culled from the extensive holdings of the National Archives and its Presidential libraries, "Eyewitness" features first-person accounts of watershed moments in history. Online exhibit
Locations, Hours, and Contact Information
The National Archives Experience
Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW, Washington, DC
For details, see the Visitor's Map or visit the National Archives Experience.
- Daily, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. through March 4.
- Last admission is 30 minutes prior to closing.
- Open every day except Thanksgiving and December 25.
Admission free.
All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted; reservations are not required unless noted. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For McGowan Theater programs, the doors to the building will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the program. Use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue.
For details, see the Visitor's Map or visit the National Archives Experience.
For reservations or to be placed on the mailing list, call 202-357-5000, or toll free at 1-877-874-7616, or e-mail public.program@nara.gov.
Museum Visit Reservations: To make reservations to visit the museum, especially during the height of the tourist season and holiday periods use online reservations.
The National Archives Research Center
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC and 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD.
Research Hours for both locations:
Please note that all National Archives research rooms will be closed on Monday, February 15, for the observance of Washington's birthday.
- Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Check the Washington, DC and College Park, MD location information for records pull times and other important details.
Call 202-357-5450 for a docent-led guided tour.
TDD: 301-837-0482. The National Archives is fully accessible. To request an accommodation (such as a sign language interpreter) for a public program, please call 202-357-5000, or toll free at 1-877-874-7616, or e-mail public.program@nara.gov at least two weeks prior to the event.
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