The National Archives Presents Noontime Programs in September
Press Release · Thursday, August 23, 2012

Washington, DC

The National Archives presents a series of noontime programs in September. These events are free and open to the public. They 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.

BOOK TALK:  For Liberty and Equality: The Life and Times of the Declaration of Independence
Wednesday, September 5, at noon
Law historian Alexander Tsesis, author of a history of the Declaration of Independence from its creation in 1776 to the present, will discuss the numerous ways the document has influenced American politics, laws, and society. A book signing will follow the program.

BOOK TALK:  The Long Road to Antietam: How the Civil War Became a Revolution
Wednesday, September 12, at noon
In the summer of 1862, Abraham Lincoln decided on a radical change of strategy—one that abandoned hope for a compromise peace and committed the nation to all-out war. The centerpiece of that new strategy was the Emancipation Proclamation. In The Long Road to Antietam, Richard Slotkin reexamines the challenges that Lincoln encountered during that anguished summer. A book signing will follow the program.

FILM:  Inherit the Wind
Saturday, September 15, at noon
Nominated for four Academy Awards®, this fictionalization of the 1925 Scopes “Monkey Trial” stars Spencer Tracey, Fredric March, and Gene Kelly. Directed by Stanley Kramer. (1960; 127 minutes)

PROGRAM:  Happy Birthday, U.S. Constitution!
Monday, September 17, noon–2 p.m.
In a special program in celebration of the signing of the U.S. Constitution, the first 225 guests will join the Founding Fathers for cake after their performance in the McGowan Theater.

FILM:  Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment
Wednesday, September 19, at noon
A landmark in American documentary films, Robert Drew’s cinéma vérité work chronicles how President John F. Kennedy, along with his brother Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, clashed with Alabama Governor George Wallace over racial integration at the University of Alabama in 1963. (1963; 52 minutes)

BOOK TALK:  The Devil’s Causeway
Friday, September 21, at noon
Matthew Westfall’s The Devil’s Causeway is a true account of the long-forgotten events of a secret rescue mission gone wrong in the Philippines in April 1899. A book signing will follow the program. This program has been canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience.

BOOK TALK:  The President’s Czars: Undermining the Congress and the Constitution
Wednesday, September 26, at noon
The word “czar” may seem inappropriate in a republic, but it has been used to describe independent executive branch officials with significant authority over a policy area. Mark Rozell discusses the history of the Presidential czars since FDR’s administration. A book signing will follow the program.

FILM:  12 Angry Men
Saturday, September 29, at noon
Directed by Sidney Lumet, 12 Angry Men takes place entirely in a jury room. When Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) is not convinced of the boy’s guilt, an exploration of the issue “beyond a reasonable doubt” ensues. (1957; 95 minutes)

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, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5300.

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