National Archives Presents Three Noontime Programs in December
Press Release · Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Washington, DC

The National Archives presents three noontime programs in December. These events are free and open to the public and will be held in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, which is located on the National Mall and is fully accessible. Please use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street, NW.

Saturday, December 11, at noon, William G. McGowan Theater
FILM: Ambrose Bierce: Civil War Stories
After serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, Ambrose Bierce became a renowned writer of novels, short stories, and essays. This film dramatizes three of his Civil War-related stories: An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, One Kind of Officer, and Story of a Conscience. (2006; 93 minutes)

Tuesday, December 14, at noon, William G. McGowan Theater
FILM: My Grandfather Was a Nazi Scientist: Opa, von Braun, and Operation Paperclip
This new documentary by filmmaker Amy Gerber-Stroh captures her quest to uncover the life of her grandfather, Dr. Eduard Gerber, a scientist who worked for Nazi Germany during World War II. After the war, Dr. Gerber was among more than 700 German scientists—including the rocket expert Wernher von Braun—brought to the United States as part of the classified program Operation Paperclip. The film will be introduced by Gerber-Stroh. Director of the National Archives’ National Declassification Center, Sheryl Jasielum Shenberger, will moderate a post-screening Q&A. (2010; 66 minutes)

Wednesday, December 15, at noon, Jefferson Room
BOOK TALK: Lost Rights: The Misadventures of a Stolen American Relic
With the ratification of the first ten amendments to the Constitution in 1789, fourteen handwritten copies were drafted, one for each of the original states and one for the federal government. At the end of the Civil War, it is believed a soldier from Sherman’s army pilfered North Carolina’s copy and carried it home to Ohio. The following year, it was sold to an Indiana businessman for five dollars. In his book Lost Rights, author and editor David Howard discusses the century-long journey of this document and how it took antique dealers, historians, businessmen, attorneys, three state governors, and the FBI to return the document to North Carolina. A book signing will follow the program; the book is available at a discount from the Archives Shop (202-357-5271) before and during the event.

To verify dates and times of the programs, call 202-357-5000 or view the Calendar of Events online. To request an accommodation (e.g., sign language interpreter) for a public program, please e-mail public.program@nara.gov or call (202) 357-5000 at least two weeks prior to the event. 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, contact the National Archives Public Affairs Staff at (202) 357-5300.

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