Past Events
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February 4 Thursday
Online - 1:00pm to 2:00pm
South to Freedom: Runaway Slaves to Mexico and the Road to the Civil War
Thousands of people in the south-central United States escaped slavery not by heading north but by crossing the southern border into Mexico, where slavery had been abolished in 1837.
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January 29 Friday
Online - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Forgotten Legacy: William McKinley, George Henry White, and the Struggle for Black Equality
Benjamin R. Justesen reveals a previously unexamined facet of William McKinley’s Presidency: an ongoing dedication to the advancement of African Americans.
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January 28 Thursday
Online - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Lunch & Learn Series - January 2021
The monthly Lunch & Learn series is held the 4th Thursday of each month.
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January 27 Wednesday
Online - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
The Black Civil War Soldier: A Visual History of Conflict and Citizenship
Author Deborah Willis discusses "The Black Civil War Soldier" and offers a kaleidoscopic, yet intimate, portrait of the African American experience from the beginning of the Civil War to 1900.
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January 26 Tuesday
Online - 2:00pm to 3:00pm
Baking, Soil Erosion, and Rats…Oh My! How the Records of the Extension Service May Enrich Your Family History Research
Jenny McMillen Sweeney describes what you can find in the records of the Extension Service.
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January 21 Thursday
Online - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
The Retro Housewife's Guide to Being a First Lady - FREE Virtual Program
In honor of the Presidential Inauguration, Tammy Williams, archivist at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, will talk about the history of being the First Lady of the United States. -
Online - 3:00pm to 4:00pm
Inventing Equality: Reconstructing the Constitution in the Aftermath of the Civil War
Michael Bellesiles traces the evolution of the battle for true equality from the Revolution through the late 19th century.
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January 19 Tuesday
Online - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Whitman in Washington: Becoming the National Poet in the Federal City
Kenneth M. Price analyses Walt Whitman's life, writings, and government work to reevaluate the writer and the nation's capital.
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January 14 Thursday
Online - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Truman and Eisenhower: Presidents Of The Heartland- Online Event
Join Tim Rives and Sam Rushay as they discuss two remarkable presidents from America’s heartland. -
Online - 11:00am to 12:00pm
The National Archives Comes Alive: Young Learners Program - Meet The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s inspiring words are brought to life by the Reverend Dr. John Moore.
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January 13 Wednesday
Online - 7:00pm to 9:00pm
DocsTeach in the Classroom: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Educators, join the National Archives and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum for a webinar on American responses to the refugee crisis and to the Holocaust in the 1930s and 1940s.
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January 12 Tuesday
Online - 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Ike's Book Club
We meet the 2nd Tuesday of alternating months at 7 p.m. These discussions are open to everyone, regardless of whether or not you have read the book.
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January 7 Thursday
Online - 8:00pm to 10:00pm
DocsTeach in the Classroom: International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Educators, join the National Archives and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum for a webinar on American responses to the refugee crisis and to the Holocaust in the 1930s and 1940s. -
Online - 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Beethoven in America
In celebration of the Beethoven 250th birthday, Robert Aubry Davis leads a discussion on Beethoven's influence in America.
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January 3 Sunday
West Branch, IA - 9:00am to 5:00pm
Viva Hoover! Exhibit Closes
Viva Hoover! The 1928 Good Will Tour exhibit closes on January 3, 2021.
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December 18 Friday
Online - 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Wine and the White House: A History
Join the Ford Foundation/Library/Museum for a festive evening of history and wine tasting (in your home) for "Wine and the White House: A History" presented by Frederick Ryan Jr. with guest sommelier, Adam Fortuna.
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December 17 Thursday
Online - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Home For The Holidays With The Trumans - Virtual Event
Gather around the virtual hearth to hear stories of being home for the holidays with the Trumans from Doug Richardson, Chief of Interpretation and Visitor Services at the Harry S. Truman National Historic Site. -
Online - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Larry Tye author program
Bestselling author Larry discusses his book "Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy" with journalist Mike King. -
Online - 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Unceasing Militant: The Life of Mary Church Terrell
Alison M. Parker discusses her latest book, "Unceasing Militant," about Mary Church Terrell, one of the most prominent activists of her time. -
Online - 11:00am to 12:00pm
Young Learners Program - Orville Wright: Aviation Pioneer
Meet Orville Wright, and discover how the Wright Brothers made the first controlled flight of a powered aircraft.
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December 15 Tuesday
Online - 6:30pm to 8:00pm
The Bill of Rights at the Schoolhouse Gate
Join the National Archives and iCivics for a timely discussion about the application of the Bill of Rights in schools
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December 12 Saturday
Online - 11:30am to 12:15pm
Celebrate! with Richard Stillman -- Holiday Troubadour
Take a musical journey around the world and learn about the winter traditions of various cultures—Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, Diwali, and other celebrations. Join in from home in this multicultural celebration.
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December 10 Thursday
Online - 7:00pm to 8:30pm
His Very Best: Jimmy Carter, A Life
In "His Very Best," award-winning historian Jonathan Alter tells the story of an enigmatic man of faith and his improbable journey from barefoot boy to global icon. -
Online - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Truman Library Renovation Sneak Peek - Virtual Event
The renovation of the Truman Library and creation of the new Truman exhibition is nearing completion. Please join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes, virtual tour of the work in progress. -
Online - 7:00pm to 8:30pm
The Resurrection of Richard Nixon – Our Elder Statesman
Kasey S. Pipes, former advisor to President George W. Bush joins the Hauenstein Center, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation/Library/Museum to discuss his recent book.
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December 8 Tuesday
Online - 9:00am to 10:00am
Truman Library Renovation Sneak Peek - Virtual Event
The renovation of the Truman Library and creation of the new Truman exhibition is nearing completion. Please join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes, virtual tour of the work in progress.
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December 7 Monday
Online - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
The Four Continents – An Open Dialogue
Join us for the second discussion about the Four Continents statues at the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House in New York City. -
Online - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy
Author Larry Tye charts the legacy of Joe McCarthy in "Demagogue."
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December 4 Friday
Online - 3:00pm to 4:00pm
A Georgetown Life: The Reminiscences of Britannia Wellington Peter Kennon
Grant Quertermous tells the story of life in the oldest neighborhood in the nation's capital in his book, "A Georgetown Life."
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December 1 Tuesday
Online - 4:00pm to 5:30pm
A Virtual Conversation with Dave Barry
Please join us virtually for what should be a fun event as we have a conversation with American author and humorist Dave Barry. Barry will be discussing aging and life lessons learned from his beloved dog, Lucy. -
Online - 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Karen Sherman Author program
Author Karen Sherman discusses her book "Brick by Brick" with Atlanta singer-songwriter Caroline Herring .
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November 30 Monday
Online - 3:00pm
JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917 - 1956 Fredrik Logevall
VIRTUAL -- Fredrik Logevall discusses his book, JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917- 1956. Logevall delves into JFK's early relationships, his formative experiences during World War II, his ideas, his writings, and his political aspirations. -
Online - 1:00pm
JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917 - 1956 Fredrik Logevall
VIRTUAL -- Fredrik Logevall discusses his book, JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917- 1956. Logevall delves into JFK's early relationships, his formative experiences during World War II, his ideas, his writings, and his political aspirations. -
Online - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
A Question of Freedom: The Families Who Challenged Slavery from the Nation’s Founding to the Civil War
William G. Thomas III recounts the story of the longest and most complex legal challenge to slavery in American history. -
Online - 11:00am
JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917 - 1956 Fredrik Logevall
VIRTUAL -- Fredrik Logevall discusses his book, JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917- 1956. Logevall delves into JFK's early relationships, his formative experiences during World War II, his ideas, his writings, and his political aspirations.
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November 24 Tuesday
Online - 7:00pm to 8:00pm
We Gather Together: A Nation Divided, a President in Turmoil, and a Historic Campaign to Embrace Gratitude and Grace
Denise Kiernan will discuss her latest book, the story of Sarah Josepha Hale, who in the 19th century campaigned to make real an annual day of thanks.
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November 23 Monday
Online - 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Saving Freedom: Truman, The Cold War, And The Fight For Western Civilization - Virtual Event
Joe Scarborough, co-host of MSNBC's Morning Joe, will talk about his newest book, Saving Freedom: Truman, the Cold War and the Fight for Western Civilization.
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November 19 Thursday
Online - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
The Lenin Plot: The Untold Story of America’s Midnight War Against Russia
Author Barnes Carr discusses an audacious World War I spy plot—a plan to mount a coup against Soviet dictator Lenin and get Russia back into the war.
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November 18 Wednesday
Online - 7:00pm to 8:00pm
Native Communities and the Vote: Teaching about American Indian Voting Rights through Documents
Join us in this webinar for educators and learn how to incorporate primary sources related to American Indian voting rights into your lessons. -
Online - 3:00pm to 4:00pm
Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis and Social Justice
In the 1910s, the "House of Truth" was a meeting place for young progressives, including Felix Frankfurter, Walter Lippmann, and Louis Brandeis.
All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted.