Press/Journalists

Press Release nr05-45
Press Release · Saturday, April 18, 1942

Washington, DC

Washington, DC. . . In April, the National Archives will host free public programs with topics relating to baseball, the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, Vice Presidential photographers, and a special "Constitutional Conversation" featuring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Reservations are recommended. Reserve by email (public.program@nara.gov) or telephone (202-501-5000 before April 15, then use 202-357-5000 thereafter).

The McGowan Theater and the Jefferson Conference Room are located in the National Archives Building on Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW, Washington, DC. Room G-24 is located in the National Archives Building Customer Service Center. Please note: the public must use the National Archives Building Pennsylvania Avenue entrance between 7th and 9th Streets, NW, to access Room G-24. Some lectures will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, facility.

Tuesday, April 5 – BASEBALL
Lecture: Beyond the Box Score: Baseball Research in the National Archives

To celebrate the return of major league baseball to Washington, DC, the National Archives is pleased to present the following program:
Archivists John Vernon and David Pfeiffer will discuss textual and non-textual National Archives sources for baseball-related research and will show facsimiles of records. 11 a.m. Room G-24. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, in Lecture Room D, on Thursday, April 7, at 11 a.m.)

Wednesday, April 6 – CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL
Lecture

To mark the 93rd celebration of the original gift of 3,000 cherry trees from the city of Tokyo to the people of Washington, DC, Ann McClellan will discuss her book, The Cherry Blossom Festival: Sakura Celebration (Bunker Hill Press, 2005). McClellan's research includes the story of the trees' cultivation and significance in Japan for more than 1,000 years, how they came to the United States, and their importance as representatives of Japanese and American friendship. Extensive illustrations complement the text. The National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2005. Noon. Jefferson Conference Room.

Thursday, April 7–BASEBALL
Lecture: The Washington Senators

The National Archives celebrates the return of major league baseball to Washington, DC, with a presentation of the following program:
"Sons of the Senators" will gather to discuss the history of baseball in Washington, DC. Guest speakers include Henry W. Thomas, grandson and author of Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train; Mark Judge, grandson of Joe Judge and author of Damn Senators: My Grandfather and the Story of Washington's Only World Series Championship; and Bill Gilbert, former batboy for the Senators, later their marketing director, and author of numerous books, including The Seasons: Ten Memorable Years in Baseball, and in America. 5:30 p.m. William G. McGowan Theater.

Tuesday, April 12 – GENEALOGY
Lecture: The Official Register of the United States, 1816-1959

Archives Technician John Deeben will discuss the Official Register, a national directory of federal employees, published every two years by mandate from Congress. The Register offers an excellent starting point for genealogy research relating to federal employment. 11 a.m. Room G-24. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, in Lecture Room C, on Thursday, April 14, at 11 a.m.)

Wednesday, April 13 – AEROSPACE
Lecture: Aerospace Pioneer James H. Doolittle

On April 18, 1942, Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle led a flight of sixteen B-25 bombers off the flight deck of the USS HORNET on one of the most daring raids in U.S. military history, a low-level strike on Tokyo and other Japanese cities. For this heroic act, he received the Medal of Honor. But, author Dik Alan Daso argues based on his new book, Doolittle Aerospace Visionary (Potomac Books, 2005), that James H. Doolittle should be remembered as much more than a famous combat pilot. He devoted his life to mastering the airplane and advising on the development of ballistic missiles and the fledgling space program. Noon. Jefferson Conference Room.

Friday, April 15 – BASEBALL
Film: The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg

To celebrate the return of major league baseball to Washington, DC, the National Archives is pleased to present the following program:
Filmmaker Aviva Kempner will be on hand to introduce and discuss her 2001 award-winning documentary on Detroit Tiger Hank Greenberg, the extraordinary baseball player who transcended religious prejudice to become an American icon. This compelling documentary combines archival footage, photographs and period music to examine how America’s first Jewish baseball star was a beacon of hope to American Jews who faced bigotry during the Depression and World War II. (95 minutes.) 7:00 p.m. William G. McGowan Theater.

Tuesday, April 19 – VETERANS RECORDS
Lecture: Using National Archives Records to Assist Veterans

Archivist Richard Boylan will discuss how National Archives staff works with records to assist veterans. Researching many record groups, including the Records of the U.S. Forces in Southeast Asia, 1950-1975, Boylan will discuss how their research results in updated service records, medals conferred to deserving veterans, uniting of families separated by war, and benefits bequeathed to those that served and sacrificed. Boylan will show how these "old" records have real-time value to the veteran, their family, and their comrades who served with them. 11 a.m. Room G-24. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, in Lecture Room C, on Thursday, April 21, at 11 a.m.)

Wednesday, April 20 – PHOTOGRAPHY
Lecture: Vice Presidential Photographers

Former and current Vice-Presidential photographers will gather to share their experiences and the photographs created during their service. As a virtual shadow, their access to the Vice Presidents helped chronicle significant events in world politics as well as everyday activities. Panelists include David Valdez (G.H.W. Bush), Callie Shell (Gore), and David Bohrer (Cheney). Noon. William G. McGowan Theater.

Wednesday, April 20 – GENEALOGY
Genealogy Fair: Technology and Family History

The National presents its first one-day genealogy fair designed to provide information to genealogists about technical innovations and techniques that can enhance doing research in the records of the Federal Government. Sessions and demonstrations will focus on using technology to find descriptions of documents; organizing and publishing your findings; planning a future visit to an archives/library; and reproducing documents. 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Research Center. Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue. Although there is no fee, reservations are required. To register, call 202 208-0781, ext. 254.

Thursday, April 21– U.S. CONSTITUTION
Lecture: Constitutional Conversation

The National Archives, the National Constitution Center, and the Aspen Institute will cosponsor an evening of "Constitutional Conversation" moderated by Tim Russert. Special guest speaker will be Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. 7:00 p.m. William G. McGowan Theater.

Tuesday, April 26 – MILITARY/GENEALOGY
Lecture: American participation in World War I from 1917-1919

Archivist Mitch Yockelson will examine the Records of the American Expeditionary Forces and the Records of U.S. Army Mobile Commands. His presentation will include description of the National Archives’ holdings of non-textual records such photographs, motion pictures, and maps and how such records can aid both academic and family historians. 11 a.m. Room G-24. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, in Lecture Room C, on Thursday, April 28, at 11 a.m.)

Wednesday, April 27 – MILITARY
Lecture: A Sense of Duty

Quang Pham will discuss his book, A Sense of Duty: My Father, My American Journey (Ballantine Books, 2005). At the age of 10, Pham came to the United States during the last week of the Vietnam War. His father, a senior Vietnamese Air Force pilot, was incarcerated for more than 12 years in Communist reeducation camps. Upon graduation from UCLA and completing Marine Corps Officer Candidate School, he earned his pilot's wings. But it was the reunion with his father that would help him close a chapter on a long-ago war. Noon. William G. McGowan Theater.

Wednesday, April 27 – POLITICS
Lecture: The Political Life of Boss Tweed

Ken Ackerman will discuss his latest book, Boss Tweed: The Crooked Pol Who Conceived the Soul of Modern New York (Carroll & Graf, 2005). William Marcy "Boss" Tweed wielded almost total control over New York state and city politics. His attempt to control judges, mayors, governors, and newspapers was balanced against his image as a friend to the poor, a champion of immigrants, and the builder of a greater New York. Ackerman examines the life of the master manipulator whose disregard for the law led to his imprisonment. 7:00 p.m. William G. McGowan Theater.

Thursday, April 28 – BASEBALL
Lecture: Lou Gehrig

The National Archives celebrates the return of major league baseball to Washington, DC, with a presentation of the following program:
Jonathan Eig will discuss his book, Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig (Simon and Schuster, 2005). Eig interviewed more than 30 former ballplayers who played for or against Gehrig, examined the archives of the Baseball Hall of Fame, and reviewed nearly 200 pages of correspondence to and from Gehrig to paint this portrait of the "Iron Horse." 5:30 p.m. William G. McGowan Theater.

Friday, April 29 – ENVIRONMENT
Lecture and Film: Creating The Greatest Good: A Forest Service Centennial Film

In conjunction with tonight’s 7 p.m. screening of The Greatest Good: A Forest Service Centennial Film, filmmaker’s Steve Dunsky and Dave Steinke will discuss the archival film research they performed during the film’s production. They will focus on material they obtained from the National Archives, presenting extended clips from some of the films. (90 minutes.) Noon. William G. McGowan Theater.

Friday, April 29 – ENVIRONMENT
Film: The Greatest Good: A Forest Service Centennial Film

Produced and directed by the Forest Service's own Steve Dunsky and Dave Steinke, this new documentary commemorates a century of conflict and growth and a century of politicians and visionaries. Not merely a historical survey, this film combines rare archival footage with breathtaking new photography to provide a close examination of the last 100 years of Forest Service initiatives in the context of public and private interests. (120 minutes.) 7:00 p.m. William G. McGowan Theater.

# # #

For PRESS information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (202) 501-5526.

PHONE NUMBER CHANGE: On April 15, the National Archives Public Programs Line (202-501-5000) will be changed to 202-357-5000.

View the Calendar of Events on the web at: www.archives.gov/about_us/calendar_of_events/index.html

05-45

This page was last reviewed on July 10, 2018.
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