Welcome Remarks for "All American: The Power of Sports" Press Conference

Good evening! I’m very pleased to welcome you for a preview of our new exhibit, All American: The Power of Sports, which will open in the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery this Friday, September 16.

All American is a celebration of the ways that sports have shaped our nation, our identity, and our shared history. The exhibit uses objects and records to show how sports helped form American identity and reflected some of the major themes and struggles of American history.

American life is infused with sports. We play sports in school. They are part of our holiday traditions. Great sports stories permeate our history. Sports are part of who we are and how we identify ourselves as Americans. So it should come as no surprise that you can find fascinating stories related to sports and athletes in the records of the National Archives. This exhibit draws from our holdings across the nation, including some exciting artifacts from our Presidential Libraries. 

I would like to take a moment to thank Alice Kamps, our curator of All American, for creating this wonderful exhibit. It took the collective efforts of National Archives staff across the country during a worldwide pandemic to make this exhibit happen. Many National Archives staff members played essential roles in bringing this exhibit to life: archivists and technicians in textual, motion pictures, and still pictures, digital imaging specialists, curators, exhibit designers, conservators, and registrars. In a few minutes, Alice will give you an overview of the exhibit and highlight specific documents and items on display. 

But before we go any further, I want to express our gratitude to the National Archives Foundation for championing All American and our many other public outreach projects. The Foundation has long supported us in our mission to serve the public and increase awareness of the remarkable holdings of the National Archives. We truly appreciate the support and enthusiasm of the Foundation’s board members and dedicated staff. 

And now I would like to welcome the Chair of the National Archives Foundation Board, Governor Jim Blanchard.