November 2009
Washington, DC, Area Events
The Rotunda and the National Archives Experience in Washington, DC, will open to the public at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 15 and remain open until 5:30 p.m. Winter hours of 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. resume on Wednesday, December 16.
Program Highlights
The National Archives Building in Washington, DC.
- 75th Anniversary of the National Archives
Short films from the holdings of the National Archives highlight war footage, and Elizabeth P. McIntosh talks about women wartime spies. (November 12, 18) - McGowan Forum: Government 2.0
Panelists debate whether “Government 2.0” technologies can build a new kind of participatory democracy. (November 5) - Supreme Court
A panel discussion about Justice Louis D. Brandeis of the U.S. Supreme Court. (November 19) - BIG!
In connection with our exhibit, "BIG!" we present a screening of Moon Beat, a Taft Family Day, and It Happened One Night. (November 5, 7, 14) - Cold War
Lynne Joiner discusses Honorable Survivor, and Romesh Ratnesar revisits Reagan's famous challenge to "Tear Down This Wall." (November 3, 9) - Know Your Records Programs
A variety of programs explore records held by the National Archives. (November 4, 10, 12, 17, 21)
Exhibit Highlights
- Permanent Exhibits
The Charters of Freedom, A New World Is at Hand, The Public Vaults, Magna Carta - Special Exhibit
BIG! - 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.
75th Anniversary of the National Archives
Congress established the National Archives in 1934. This year marks its 75th anniversary. Join us as we present programs and films celebrating this important milestone.
Thursday, November 12, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
75th Anniversary Film Series
From the Vaults: War & Conflict
Today we present a selection of short films from the holdings of the National Archives including Our America at War (1941), John Huston’s The Battle of San Pietro (1944), UN Offensive (1950), and others. (75 minutes.) Please note—some scenes may be disturbing to younger viewers.
Wednesday, November 18, at noon
75th Anniversary Lecture Series
Jefferson Room
Sisterhood of Spies: The Women of the OSS
Within the ranks of America’s intelligence community, former agent Elizabeth P. McIntosh is a legend. A one-time war correspondent, the young McIntosh joined the fledgling Office of Strategic Services in 1943, plunged into her assigned task of running morale operations against the Japanese, and went on to become a longtime employee of the CIA. In Sisterhood of Spies, McIntosh tells the story of undercover women, including Marlene Dietrich and Julia Child. A book signing will follow the program.
McGowan Forum on Communications, Technology, and Government
Darrell West
Thursday, November 5, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
The Fifth Annual William G. McGowan Forum on Communications, Technology, and Government
Web 2.0 Technologies and Participatory Democracy
President Obama has called for transparency and collaboration. But can “Government 2.0” technologies build a new kind of participatory democracy? A panel, moderated by Darrell M. West, vice president and director of governance studies at the Brookings Institution, discusses how collaborative democracy can be designed. Panelists include Beth Simone Noveck, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Mark H. Webbink, visiting professor of law, New York Law School, and executive director, Center for Patent Innovations; Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder, Public Knowledge; and Jason R. Baron, director of litigation, National Archives and Records Administration.
This program is generously supported by the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Inc.
Supreme Court
Chairman Jon Leibowitz
Adam Liptak
Thursday, November 19, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis, the Law and the 21st Century
As a Supreme Court justice (1916–1939), Louis D. Brandeis developed the modern jurisprudence of free speech and laid the basis for a constitutionally protected right to privacy. He helped draft the Federal Reserve Act, the Clayton Antitrust Act, and the law establishing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Melvin Urofsky, author of Louis D. Brandeis: A Life, and a distinguished panel discuss Brandeis’s story and his continuing effect on American society. Adam Liptak, Supreme Court correspondent for the New York Times, will moderate. Panelists include Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the FTC; Thomas L. Ambro, third circuit judge, U.S. Court of Appeals; and Maeva Marcus, director of the Graduate Institute for Constitutional History. Presented in partnership with the Freedom Forum’s First Amendment Center. A book signing of Louis D. Brandeis: A Life will follow the program.
BIG!
The National Archives Experience continues to present lecture, film series, and family programs in celebration of our exhibit, "BIG!"
Photo courtesy of Kevin Stirling
Thursday, November 5, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Preview Screening and Discussion—Moon Beat
This award-winning new documentary from filmmaker Kevin Stirling recalls the 1969 flight of Apollo 11 from the perspective of the print, radio, and television journalists who covered it. Culled from hours of interviews, Moon Beat explores the behind-the-scenes world of the beat reporters, NASA media officials, and others who communicated the stories about the U.S. space program. John L. Wilhelm, former Time magazine senior science correspondent, will join Stirling for a post-screening discussion of the film. (90 minutes.)
Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Presidential Conference Rooms
A BIG! President: Taft Family Day
This year marks the centennial of the inauguration of President Taft, whose recreated bathtub can be found in “BIG!” Learn more about his life and the events during his administration with hands-on activities designed for family audiences.
- Meet President and Mrs. Taft—Presidential Conference Rooms
- Participate in a Taft archival adventure—Boeing Learning Center
- Create your own political cartoon about the 1912 Presidential Election—Presidential Conference Room Lobby
- Watch early cinema in Before the Nickelodeon (1982, continuous 60 min. screenings)—Washington Room
- Play President Taft trivia bingo—Jefferson Room
- Take your picture next to a reproduction of President Taft’s bathtub—Jefferson Room
- Play with games and toys from the 1910s that were Taft’s favorites—Madison Room
Saturday, November 14, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
It Happened One Night
Due to unexpected licensing restrictions, we will be unable to show The Wizard of Oz on Saturday, November 14. We will instead screen It Happened One Night.
An unhappy heiress (Claudette Colbert) falls for a news reporter (Clark Gable) she meets on a bus trip across America. The film dispensed with traditional studio sets to show the real America of buses, highways, and motels. One of the most popular comedies of the 30s and winner of five major Academy Awards® including Best Picture. Directed by Frank Capra. (1934, 105 minutes)
Cold War
Tuesday, November 3, at noon
Jefferson Room
Honorable Survivor: Mao’s China, McCarthy’s America and the Persecution of John S. Service
Honorable Survivor weaves John S. Service’s extraordinary story into the fabric of a watershed moment: World War II was ending, the Cold War was dawning, and the McCarthy-era witch-hunters were stirring. Award-winning journalist and news anchor Lynne Joiner tells the true story of John S. Service, a U.S. Foreign Service officer in wartime China whose reports were not heeded by U.S. policymakers. When he predicted Mao Tse-tung’s successful revolution long before anyone else, he became the first victim of Senator Joseph McCarthy. A book signing will follow the program.
Monday, November 9, at noon
Jefferson Room
“Tear Down this Wall!” Reagan and the Berlin Wall
Romesh Ratnesar, deputy managing editor of Time magazine, recreates Ronald Reagan’s historic June 1987 speech at the Brandenburg Gate and his famous challenge to Mikhail Gorbachev in “Tear Down this Wall!” A book signing will follow the program.
Know Your Records Programs: November
Wednesday, November 4, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Introduction to Genealogy
Archives staff will present a lecture on basic genealogical research in Federal records. This lecture occurs the first Wednesday of the month: the next one is Wednesday, December 2.
Tuesday, November 10, 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Panoramic Photographs of the Alaskan Frontier, 1911–1932
Richard Schneider, National Archives analyst, will discuss the preservation project to reformat deteriorating nitrate film negatives, taken by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) surveyors and topographers, of various Alaskan regions in the early 20th century. The project was recently completed in 2008, so this will be the first public viewing of these panoramas. The discussion will cover preservation, textual records, cartographic records, and access. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in Lecture Room B, on Thursday, November 12, at 11 a.m.)
Tuesday, November 17, at 11 a.m. and noon
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
From the Records Book Group and Lecture
Following a related lecture, Carolyn Gilliam, National Archives reference librarian, will lead the From the Records Book Group discussion on The Whiskey Merchant’s Diary: An Urban Life in the Emerging Midwest by Joseph J. Mersman. Please check the Archives Shop (202-357-5271) for book availability and a special discount for book group participants.
Saturday, November 21, at 10 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Introduction to Genealogy
Archives staff will present a lecture on basic genealogical research in Federal records.
Saturday, November 21, 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 select Saturdays, an archivist will be available from noon to 4 p.m. to answer questions. Look for the “Help! I’m Stuck” sign at the Research Center desk.
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
BIG!
To celebrate a big anniversary—our 75th—the National Archives presents
an exhibit featuring big records, big events, and big ideas. See the nation’s
original records in their full-scale glory, including the 13-foot scroll of
the Articles of Confederation (never before displayed unrolled) and a 13-by-13-foot
map of the Gettysburg Battlefield. Also featured are a gigantic footprint of
a dinosaur and the size 22 sneakers of basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal.
Embodying America's biggest idea, the first printing of the Declaration of
Independence produced on the night of July 4–5, 1776—one of the
greatest treasures in our holdings—is a special highlight of the exhibit.
Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery through January 3, 2010
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.
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
Online Exhibits
Dozens of exhibits can be experienced online. Visit Now!
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.
The National Archives Research Center
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC and 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD.
Research Hours for both locations:
- 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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