February 2009
Washington, DC, Area Events

Program Highlights

• Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial
  The National Archives will exhibit the original Emancipation Proclamation (February 12–16) and present films, book lectures, and a family day celebration in honor of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. (February 7, 9, 12, 14)
• American Conversation with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Harvard professor and author Henry Louis Gates, Jr., will discuss African American genealogy. (February 5)
• African American Heritage
  We present screenings of African American Lives and two book lectures (February 6, 11, 25)
• Showcase of Academy Award®–Nominated Documentaries and Shorts
  Free screenings of the nominess in four ctaegories: Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Live Action Short Film, and Animated Short Film. (Febuary 18–22)
• Know Your Records Programs
  A variety of programs explore records held by the National Archives. (February 3, 4, 5, 10, 12, 17, 18, 19, 21, 24)

March Events

 

 

Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial

To honor the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth, the original Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Abraham Lincoln, will be on view February 12–16 in the East Rotunda Gallery. The National Archives Experience also presents a Lincoln film and lecture series and a special Family Day Celebration.

Thursday, February 12, at 6 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
Abraham Lincoln
In his new book, Abraham Lincoln, political figure, veteran, and historian Senator George S. McGovern, illuminates Lincoln in a way that has never been done before. Sean Wilentz, editor of the Times Books American Presidents series, will join Senator McGovern in the discussion. A book signing will follow the program. Please note the time change from our usual evening programs; this program begins at 6 p.m.

Abraham Lincoln Family Day
Saturday, February 7, noon to 3 p.m.
Throughout the National Archives Experience
Celebrate the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth with activities specially designed for family audiences.

• Create Your Own “Presidential Proclamation”
• Archival Adventures
• Decipher Secret Telegrams Sent to the Union Army
• Listen to Stories about Abraham Lincoln, Especially for Younger Audiences
• Don a Top Hat and Beard and Step Up to the Podium to Declare the Gettysburg Address
• Build Your Own Log Cabin
• Play Games from the Lincoln Era and Create Your Own Whirligig
• Meet President Abraham Lincoln and First Lady Mary Lincoln
• Listen to the Songs of Lincoln’s Era

Monday, February 9, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Lincoln the Inventor
Abraham Lincoln is the only President to hold a patent. Jason Emerson, author of Lincoln the Inventor, is the first historian to treat the subject of Lincoln’s “device to buoy vessels over shoals” as more than a historical footnote. Emerson also discusses how Lincoln’s penchant for inventions and inventiveness helped to shape his political beliefs. A book signing will follow the program.

Saturday, February 14, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Young Mr. Lincoln
From Lincoln’s boyhood days to his early law practice, director John Ford tells the story of the man who would eventually become known as “The Great Emancipator.” Stars Henry Fonda. (100 min., 1939)

American Conversation

Thursday, February 5, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
An American Conversation with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
The National Archives welcomes Harvard professor and renowned author Henry Louis Gates, Jr., to discuss African American genealogy. Professor Allen Weinstein and Dr. Lonnie Bunch will co-moderate the discussion. While researching his own family history, Professor Gates discovered the fascinating histories of other prominent African Americans, resulting in his new book, In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary African Americans Reclaimed Their Past. A book signing will follow the program.

The two-part PBS documentary, African American Lives, upon which In Search of Our Roots is based, will be screened in the William G. McGowan Theater on February 6 and 13 at noon.

Read more about the American Conversations series.

African American Heritage

Friday, February 6, at noon (parts 1 & 2)
Friday, February 13, at noon (parts 3 & 4)
William G. McGowan Theater
African American Lives
Hosted and narrated by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the PBS series African American Lives uses genealogy, oral history, family stories, and DNA analysis to trace lineage through American history and back to Africa, the series provides a life-changing journey for a diverse group of highly accomplished African Americans: Dr. Ben Carson, Whoopi Goldberg, Bishop T. D. Jakes, Dr. Mae Jemison, Quincy Jones, Dr. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Chris Tucker, and Oprah Winfrey. Each day’s program will run 120 minutes.

 

 

 

Wednesday, February 11, at noon
Jefferson Room
Becton: Autobiography of a Soldier and Public Servant
Lt. Gen. Julius W. Becton, Jr., discusses his memoir, Becton: Autobiography of a Soldier and Public Servant. Becton fought for his country in three wars, overcame many obstacles, and reached the unprecedented rank of three-star general. Later, he was both the innovative head of FEMA and a university president. A book signing will follow the program.

 

 

Wednesday, February 25, at noon
Jefferson Room
Death or Liberty: African Americans and Revolutionary America
In Death or Liberty, Douglas R. Egerton offers a sweeping chronicle of African American history from Britain’s 1763 victory in the Seven Years’ War to the election of slaveholder Thomas Jefferson as President in 1800. A book signing will follow the program.

 

 

81st Academy Award Nominees

Join us and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this month as we screen all documentary and short films nominated for the 81st Academy Awards®.

February 18–22
William G. McGowan Theater
The Center for the National Archives Experience will host the fifth annual free screenings of the Academy Award® nominees in four categories—Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Live Action Short Film, and Animated Short Film—from Wednesday, February 18, through Sunday, February 22. The screenings are presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in partnership with The Charles Guggenheim Center for the Documentary Film and the Foundation for the National Archives.

This year, the Documentary Feature nominee screenings will be hosted by actress, critic, and cultural commentator Jennice Fuentes. Fuentes is a panelist on WETA’s Around Town, as well as a guest host and frequent guest on NPR/WAMU's live, two-hour radio program, The Kojo Nnamdi Show.

Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservations will be accepted. Free tickets will be distributed (at the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue) 60 minutes prior to start time. You must be present to receive a ticket. Theater doors will open 30 minutes prior to start time. The saving of seats is strictly prohibited.

Know Your Records Programs:  February

Tuesday, February 3, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Declassifying Secrets: Opening Classified Records for Public Disclosure
Neil Carmichael will discuss the declassification process at the National Archives, past executive orders, present initiatives, and the future of declassification in the executive branch.  (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in the auditorium, on Thursday, February 5, at 11 a.m.).

Wednesday, February 4, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Introduction to Genealogy
Archives staff will present a lecture on basic genealogical research in Federal records. This lecture occurs on select Saturdays and the first Wednesday of the month. (The next lecture will take place on Wednesday, March 4.)

Tuesday, February 10, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Discovering Lincoln in the Records
Trevor Plante will discuss Lincoln records held at the National Archives in the Washington, DC, area. His talk will include an overview of documents in Federal custody written to and from Abraham Lincoln as well as several that bear his signature. Digitized copies of documents that show the President saving soldiers from the death penalty and Lincoln assassination records will also be on view. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in the auditorium, on Thursday, February 12, at 11 a.m.).

Tuesday, February 17, at 11 a.m. and noon
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
From the Records Book Group and Lecture
Following a related presentation at 11 a.m., the From the Records Book Group will discuss The Pentagon: A History—The Untold Story of the Wartime Race to Build the Pentagon—and to Restore It Sixty Years Later by Steve Vogel. Please check the Archives Shop (202-357-5271) for book availability and a special discount for book group participants. The March book selection will be The Harp and the Eagle: Irish-American Volunteers and the Union Army, 1861–1865 by Susannah Bruce.

Wednesday, February 18, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Passport Applications, 1795–1925
Rebecca Sharp and Katherine Vollen will discuss how to locate passport applications and how these records can enhance your genealogical research.  (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in the auditorium, on Thursday, February 19, at 11 a.m.).

Saturday, February 21, at 10 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Introduction to Genealogy
Archives staff will present a lecture on basic genealogical research in Federal records. This lecture occurs on select Saturdays and the first Wednesday of the month. (The next weekend lecture will take place on Saturday, March 21.)

Saturday, February 21, noon–4 p.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
“Help! I'm Stuck”
On select Saturday afternoons, an archivist with extensive experience in genealogy and the records of the National Archives will be available to assist with your research questions. Please sign up for a 20-minute appointment at the Research Center. (The next opportunity will be on Saturday, March 21.)

Tuesday, February 24, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
New Deal
John Deeben will examine the central files of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (1933–1936) and demonstrate how the records provide personal and family information about individuals within the context of their experiences during the Great Depression. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in the auditorium, on Thursday, February 26, at 11 a.m.).

Exhibits

Permanent Exhibits

Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom:The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are on permanent display in the Rotunda. "A New World Is at Hand" surrounds the Rotunda's centerpiece cases. Presenting a selection of milestone documents, the exhibit chronicles the creation of the Charters of Freedom in the 18th century and their impact on the course of history in the United States and around the world.

The Public Vaults: This interactive exhibit invites visitors into the stacks and vaults of the National Archives to explore the raw material from which history is made. From Washington's letters, Lincoln's telegrams, and FDR's fireside chats to UFO reports and declassified secrets of World War II, these documents chronicle both great national events and the lives of individual Americans.

Magna Carta: This foundation document of English common law was confirmed by Edward I in 1297. Only four originals of the 1297 Magna Carta remain, and only one permanently resides in the United States. Purchased by David M. Rubenstein in 2007, it is on loan to the National Archives. West Rotunda Gallery.

Special Featured Document Display in Washington, DC

Original Emancipation Proclamation
February 12–16
The original Emancipation Proclamation will be on view for a special five-day display honoring Abraham Lincoln’s bicentennial birthday. With the President’s signature and the official seal of the United States, this document has behind it the force of law, thus distinguishing itself from all other copies. The Emancipation Proclamation, a major milestone in the destruction of slavery in the United States, is one of the nation’s most treasured documents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Exhibit in College Park, Maryland

Auditorium Lobby at the National Archives Research Center:

"The Long View" features digitally produced facsimiles of historic panoramic photographs from the Still Picture holdings.

The exhibit not only showcases the wide variety of panoramic techniques, but also includes National Archives records such as cartographic maps and patent drawings that relate to the photographs. Thirty-four panoramas and other records are on display and span the period from 1864 to 1997.
See more panoramas online.

Online Exhibits

Dozens of exhibits can be experienced online. Visit Now!

Page URL: http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/events/february.html

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001 • Telephone: 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272