National Archives July Public Programs Nationwide
Press Release · Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Washington, DC

Join the National Archives and its presidential libraries for a series of virtual public programs on a variety of topics in July along with traditional in-person celebrations of Independence Day on Monday, July 4. 

Note: For the July 4th weekend, the National Archives Museum – home of the Declaration of Independence – will be open for special extended hours of 10 a.m.–7 p.m. on July 2, 3, and 4. Free admission; no reservations necessary. The National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, is located on Constitution Avenue at 9th Street, NW. Metro accessible on the Yellow and Green lines, Archives/Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter station. 

*(Virtual Only) The Road to the Declaration of Independence: Liberty Tea! An Examination of the Act That Broke the Camel’s Back
Friday, July 1, at noon ET 
Watch the Virtual Premiere on the National Archives YouTube Channel
After the American tea protests of 1773 and 1774, Mercy Otis Warren and Samuel Adams join Abigail Adams at tea time for coffee and conversation.

This is part four of a four-part video series The Road to the Declaration of Independence: The Early 1770s—The Flame of Independence is Kindled. 

*(In-Person or Virtual) July 4th at the National Archives
Monday, July 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET (10 a.m. Declaration of Independence Reading Ceremony)
National Archives Museum, National Archives Building, Washington, DC
Full schedule: www.archivesjuly4.org. The 10 a.m. ceremony will be livestreamed on the National Archives YouTube channel 
The National Archives marks the 246th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence with its traditional Fourth of July program in person. Highlights include welcoming remarks by Acting Archivist of the United States Debra Steidel Wall, a variety of educational and family-friendly interactive programs with historical figures and Archives educators, and a lively, patriotic reading of the Declaration of Independence emceed by WUSA9 News Anchor Allison Seymour. All July 4th activities are free and open to the public. 

(In-Person Only) "I Love America!" Fourth of July Celebration
George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, College Station, TX
Monday, July 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT
Full schedule
The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is proud to host the College Station Noon Lions Club's "I Love America" Fourth of July Celebration, July 4, 2022, at the George Bush Presidential Library Center at Texas A&M University. 

(In-Person Only) Iowa Brass Fourth of July Concert
The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, West Branch, IA
Monday, July 4, at 2 p.m. CT 
Iowa Brass, formally the Eastern Iowa Brass Band, is composed of dedicated musicians from all walks of life. This concert of patriotic music is free and open to the public, attendees should bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on.

*(Virtual Only) Book Talk –O Say Can You Hear?: A Cultural Biography of “The Star-Spangled Banner”
Wednesday, July 6, at 1 p.m. ET
Register to attend online; watch on the National Archives YouTube Channel 
Author Mark Clague will discuss the history of America’s national anthem, the stories of the song and the nation it represents, and its powerful meaning today. Examining the origins of both text and music, alternate lyrics and translations, and the song’s use in sports, at times of war, and for political protest, he argues that the anthem’s meaning reflects—and is reflected by—the nation’s quest to become a more perfect union. An entire chapter is devoted to some of the most famous performances of the anthem, from Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock to Roseanne Barr at a baseball game to the iconic Whitney Houston version from the 1991 Super Bowl. The book raises important questions about the banner; what it meant in 1814, what it means to us today, and why it matters.

*(Virtual Only) Book Talk – The Second (and Third) Battle of Lexington: A Conversation with Bill McKibben
Presented in partnership with the Concord Museum
Thursday, July 7, at 7 p.m. ET
Register to attend online; watch on the National Archives YouTube Channel
In his new book, The Flag, the Cross, and the Station Wagon, award-winning author, activist, educator Bill McKibben looks back at his adolescent years growing up in Lexington, MA, where he cheerfully led tours of revolutionary battle sites. “I’m curious,” he writes, “about what went so suddenly sour with American patriotism, American faith, and American prosperity.” And he examines why we find ourselves living in an increasingly doubtful nation strained by bleak racial and economic inequality and on a planet whose future is in peril. Joining McKibben in conversation will be Tom Putnam, Executive Director of the Concord Museum.

(Virtual Only) Kid Detectives: History Camp at the National Archives (Ages 11–15)
Monday, July 11–Friday, July 15, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET
Discover how your family’s past connects to American history during this exciting and fun week at the National Archives. Work with other kid detectives and the National Archives Education staff to sleuth out your history using the resources of the National Archives! To register, email education@nara.gov, with “Kid Detectives History Camp” in the subject line. 

This program is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation.

(In-Person Only) Book Talk - Is Remote Warfare Moral?
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, Atlanta, GA
Tuesday, July 12, at 7 p.m. ET
Joseph Chapa is an author with unique credentials of moral philosopher, Predator pilot, and Air Force officer. In his book, he probes the burning issue of remote warfare: is it the right thing to do and, if so, why? Chapa addresses questions such as:

• What are the implications of the distance between war and warfighter on questions about courage, loyalty, and military honor?
• How does remote warfare relate to what we often think of as traditional warfare?
• What principles should we use to evaluate its morality, especially as the crew applies human judgment in a morally complex combat environment?

(Virtual Only) Ike’s Book Club – Servants of the People: The 1960s Legacy of African American Leadership by Lea E. Williams
Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, Abilene, KS
Tuesday, July 12, at 7 p.m CT
Register to attend online 
Book discussion will be led by Dr. Carmaletta Williams with Humanities Kansas. Carmaletta Williams is a retired English and African American Studies professor from Johnson County Community College. Currently, she writes and edits for Williams Publishing Group, LLC. She received her Ph.D. in English from the University of Kansas specializing in African American literature. She is a published author for both creative and scholarly writing.

This program is made possible courtesy of the Eisenhower Foundation with generous support from the Jeffcoat Memorial Foundation.

*(Virtual Only) Book Talk – Feeding Washington’s Army: Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778
Wednesday, July 13, at 1 p.m. ET
Register to attend online; watch on the National Archives YouTube Channel 
In this new history of the Continental Army’s Grand Forage of 1778, historian Ricardo A. Herrera uncovers what daily life was like for soldiers during the darkest and coldest days of the American Revolution: the Valley Forge winter. Here, the army launched its largest and riskiest operation—not a bloody battle against the British but a campaign to prevent starvation or dispersal during the long encampment. Highlighting the missteps and triumphs of both General George Washington and his officers as well as ordinary soldiers, sailors, and militiamen, Feeding Washington’s Army moves far beyond oft-told, heroic, and mythical tales of Valley Forge and digs deeply into its daily reality, revealing how close the Continental Army came to succumbing to starvation and how strong and resourceful its soldiers and leaders actually were. 

*(Virtual Only) Book Talk –Thirteen Clocks: How Race United the Colonies and Made the Declaration of Independence
Wednesday, July 20, at 1 p.m. ET
Register to attend online; watch on the National Archives YouTube Channel 
In his account of the origins of American unity, John Adams described July 1776 as the moment when 13 clocks managed to strike at the same time. So how did these American colonies overcome long odds to create a durable union capable of declaring independence from Britain? In this history of the 15 months that culminated in the Declaration of Independence, author Robert G. Parkinson provides a troubling answer: racial fear. Tracing the circulation of information in the colonial news systems, Parkinson reveals how the system’s participants constructed a drama featuring virtuous men suddenly threatened by ruthless Indians and defiant slaves acting on behalf of the king. Parkinson argues that patriot leaders used racial prejudices to persuade Americans to declare independence. Between the Revolutionary War’s start at Lexington and the Declaration, they broadcast any news they could find about Native Americans, enslaved Blacks, and Hessian mercenaries working with their British enemies. Joining the author in conversation will be Serena Zabin, professor of history at Carlton College.

(In-Person Only) Book Talk –Pediatric neurosurgeon Jay Wellons discusses his book All That Moves Us
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, Atlanta, GA
Wednesday, July 20, at 7 p.m. ET
In All That Moves Us, Dr. Jay Wellons pulls back the curtain to reveal the profoundly moving triumphs, haunting complications, and harrowing close calls that characterize the life of a pediatric neurosurgeon, bringing the high-stakes drama of the operating room to life with astonishing candor and honest compassion. Reflecting on lessons learned over twenty-five years and thousands of operations completed on some of the most vulnerable and precious among us, Wellons recounts in gripping detail the moments that have shaped him as a doctor, as a parent, and as the only hope for countless patients whose young lives are in his hands.

(Virtual Only) Book Talk –A Documentary History of the United States with Alexander Heffner and Brenda Wineapple
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, Hyde Park, NY
Thursday, July 21, at 6 p.m ET
Watch on the FDR Library’s YouTube Channel
In an age dominated by disinformation, what are the facts about the history of the United States? In A Documentary History of the United States, Alexander Heffner revisits primary sources to tell the unvarnished history of the United States -- compiling the key documents, speeches, letters, tweets, and Supreme Court decisions. 

(In-Person Only) Discussion–"War in Ukraine" with Ambassador Larry Napper
George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, College Station, TX
Thursday, July 21, at 6 p.m. CT
Register in advance
Ambassador Napper will discuss the war in Ukraine and its impact on the future of Ukraine, Russia, and the post-Soviet region. Although the current climate of economic uncertainty, social unrest and political division has Americans focused inward, Ambassador Napper will explain how the war in Ukraine has lasting and far-reaching implications for the United States and the world.

(Virtual Only) Young Learners Program – Meet Betsy Ross (portrayed by Kim Hanley)
Thursday, July 21, at 11 a.m. ET 
Register to attend online; watch on the National Archives YouTube Channel 
Did Betsy Ross design the first American flag? Most likely no, she did not. Did Betsy Ross sew a flag for the American Congress early in the struggle for American freedom from Great Britain? Yes, indeed she did. Was this flag the first “Stars and Stripes” ever made? Unfortunately, the answer to this question may never be known, but such facts and myths about Betsy Ross have been recounted by generations of Americans. Learn the inspiring story of the patriot, upholsterer, and flag-maker who really was Betsy Griscom Ross Ashburn Claypoole (portrayed by Kim Hanley).

*(Virtual Only) Book Talk – Women in George Washington’s World
Tuesday, July 26, at 1 p.m. ET
Register to attend online; watch on the National Archives YouTube Channel 
George Washington lived in an age of revolutions, and these revolutions affected American women in profound ways. Although Washington often operated in male-dominated arenas, he participated in complex and meaningful relationships with women from across society. Women in George Washington’s World highlights some of the women—Black and White, free and enslaved—whom Washington knew. These women are chronicled through their own experiences and identities, revealing the lives of a diverse group of women, including plantation mistresses and enslaved workers, Loyalists and Patriots, poets and socialites, as well as mothers, wives, and sisters. Although usually not on battlefields or in government offices, women made choices and acted in ways that affected their own, their families’, and the nation’s future. Co-editors George W. Boudreau, historian of Early Anglo-America and Public History, and Charlene Boyer Lewis, professor of history, Kalamazoo College, will discuss their book with Lorri M. Glover, professor of history, Saint Louis University. 

(In-Person Only) Book Talk–My Boy Will Die of Sorrow
Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, Atlanta, GA
Wednesday, July 27, at 7 p.m. ET
In the summer of 2018, Efrén C. Olivares found himself representing hundreds of immigrant families when Zero Tolerance separated thousands of children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. Twenty-five years earlier, he had been separated from his own father for several years when he migrated to the U.S. to work. Their family was eventually reunited in Texas, where Efrén and his brother went to high school and learned a new language and culture. My Boy Will Die of Sorrow reflects on the immigrant experience then and now, on what separations do to families, and how the act of separation itself adds another layer to the immigrant identity. 

(In-Person and Virtual) Lunch & Learn–Assessing the Eisenhower Presidency
Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, Abilene, KS
Thursday, July 28, at 12 p.m. CT
Registration information will be available soon, on the Library's website
Continuing with this year's theme "The Making of a Leader," this month's Lunch & Learn features guest author/historian Dr. David A. Nichols. Dr. Nichols is a prominent historian of the Eisenhower presidency and former academic dean at Southwestern College, with three books published by Simon & Schuster. His most recent Eisenhower book is Ike and McCarthy: Dwight Eisenhower’s Secret Campaign against Joseph McCarthy.

This program is made possible courtesy of the Eisenhower Foundation with generous support from the Jeffcoat Memorial Foundation.

*July 4th at the National Archives is made possible in part by the National Archives Foundation through the generous support of John Hancock, AARP, and Dykema.