“All American: The Power of Sports” Press Kit
September 16, 2022–January 7, 2024
National Archives Museum, Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery
Washington, DC
The National Archives celebrates the role of sports in creating, spreading, and promoting American identity with a new exhibit, All American: The Power of Sports, opening on September 16, 2022. The power of sports has many applications. Sports unite people, teach values, and inspire hope and pride. In the United States, sports have powered efforts to bring citizens together, shape them, and project a vision of what it means to be American. But sports convey power to athletes too—power to break social barriers and protest injustice. All American explores the power of sports both to embody our national ideals and challenge us to live up to them.
This 3,000-square-foot exhibit will showcase more than 75 items including original records, artifacts, and photographs. Highlights will include original sports equipment and jerseys given by star athletes to Presidents, early 20th-century tobacco baseball cards, trophies, rare pictures and film footage, patents, and more!
Read the exhibit press release: National Archives Celebrates Sports History with New Exhibit
Visual Resources
NARA Blog Posts
- National Archives Museum Displays Title IX Documents Ahead of All American Sports Exhibit, National Archives News
- National Archives Examines Sports History with New Exhibit, National Archives News
Related National Archives Blog Posts and Online Resources
- Special Topics page: Baseball at the National Archives
- National Archives eBook: Baseball: The National Pastime in the National Archives
- Online Exhibit: Letter from Jackie Robinson to IKE about the Little Rock 9
- DocsTeach: Baseball on the World War I Homefront
- DocsTeach: Baseball: A Morale Booster During Wartime?
- Unwritten Record: Football Photographs at the National Archives
All American: The Power of Sports is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation through the generous support of AT&T, AARP, and Mars, Incorporated. Additional support provided by HISTORY® and the Lawrence F. O’Brien Family. Opening Month support provided by Anheuser-Busch.