The National Archives Hosts Noontime Book Lectures and Films in January
Press Release · Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Washington, DC

Washington, DC…The National Archives presents a series of noontime programs this January on topics ranging from emancipation to the Kennedys to historic inaugural films. These lectures and films are free, and no registration is required. All programs will be held in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, which is located on the National Mall and is fully accessible. Attendees should use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street, NW.

Tuesday, January 8, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
From the Vaults: The Cuban Missile Crisis
In conjunction with our exhibit “To the Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis,” we present two films from the holdings of the National Archives: One Week in October (1964) and Conversation With the President (1962). (90 minutes)

Thursday, January 10, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Martin’s Dream: My Journey and the Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
In his candid memoir, Dr. Clayborne Carson, editor of the King Papers, recounts his decades-long quest to preserve King’s great legacy and understand his “dream.” Taking the reader on a journey of rediscovery, he reveals little-known aspects of Dr. King and shows how our image of him has evolved over generations. A book signing will follow the program.

Friday, January 11, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery
The Emancipation Proclamation is one of the most important documents in American history, but what do we really know about those who experienced slavery? Using photographs from the 1850s through the 1930s, Deborah Willis and Barbara Krauthamer discuss the seismic impact of emancipation on African Americans born before and after the Proclamation. A book signing will follow the program.

January 16, 17 & 18, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
From the Vaults: Presidential Inaugurations
In celebration of the 2013 Presidential inauguration, the Charles Guggenheim Center for Documentary Film presents a selection of archival motion pictures drawn from the holdings of the National Archives.

Screening schedule (subject to change)

January 16 at noon
First and Last Inaugurations of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (March 4, 1933, and January 20, 1945)
Inauguration of Harry S. Truman (January 20, 1949)
Inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower (January 20, 1955)
Inauguration of John F. Kennedy (January 20, 1961)

January 17 at noon
Inauguration of Lyndon Baines Johnson (January 20, 1965)
Inauguration of Richard M. Nixon (January 20, 1969)
Swearing-In Ceremony of Gerald R. Ford (August 9, 1974)
Inauguration of Jimmy Carter (January 20, 1977)

January 18 at noon
Inauguration of Ronald W. Reagan (January 20, 1981)
Inauguration of George H.W. Bush (January 20, 1989)
Inauguration of William J. Clinton (January 20, 1993)
Please note: On January 21, beginning at 11:30 a.m., the President’s swearing-in ceremony will be shown live in the William G. McGowan Theater.

Wednesday, January 23, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
The U.S. Senate: Fundamentals of American Government
Former Senator Tom Daschle discusses his book The U.S. Senate, which explores that body’s inner workings, from historic beginnings to modern-day issues. A book signing will follow the program.

Wednesday, January 30, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
A Declaration of Freedom: Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation and its Legacy of Liberty
A panel discussion on Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation, its meaning to newly freed slaves, and the Proclamation’s legacy in American history features speakers Greg Carr, chair of the Afro-American Studies Department at Howard University; Kenvi Phillips, historian for the Black History Program of the Maryland–National Capital Park and Planning Commission, and Abraham Lincoln scholar John O’Brien. Presented by the National Archives Afro-American History Society.

The National Archives is fully accessible, and Assisted Listening Devices are available in the McGowan Theater upon request. To request a sign language interpreter for a public program, please send an email to public.program@nara.gov or call 202-357-5000 at least two weeks prior to the event. To verify dates and times of the programs, call 202-357-5000 or view the Calendar of Events online. To contact the National Archives, please call 1-866-272-6272 or 1-86-NARA-NARA (TDD 301-837-0482).

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For press information, please contact the National Archives Public Affairs Staff at (202) 357-5300.

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