September 2009
Washington, DC, Area Events
The Rotunda and the National Archives Experience in Washington, DC, will open to the public at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 15 and remain open until 5:30 p.m. Winter hours of 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. resume on Wednesday, December 16.
Program Highlights
- 75th Anniversary of the National Archives
Join us for lecture and film programs celebrating the establishment of the National Archives in 1934. (September 10, 14, 23, 29) - Constitution Day
A panel discussion of constitutional issues on the 222nd anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. (September 17) - Charles Guggenheim Tribute
A screening of The Johnstown Flood followed by a panel discussion. (September 23) - BIG!
Programs in connection with our exhibit, “BIG! Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the National Archives.” (September 16, 26) - African American Life and Culture
A panel discussion on the subject of “The Shaping of Black History.” (September 10) - Hispanic Heritage
A discussion of Mendez v. Westminster, the landmark 1946 ruling that prohibited segregation in California’s public schools. (September 30) - Know Your Records Programs
A variety of programs explore records held by the National Archives. (September 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 29; October 1 )
Exhibit Highlights
- Permanent Exhibits
The Charters of Freedom, A New World Is at Hand, The Public Vaults, Magna Carta - Special Exhibit
BIG! - Special Exhibit in College Park, MD
The Long View
Locations, Hours, and Contact Information
All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted; reservations are not required unless noted. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For McGowan Theater programs, the doors to the building will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the program. Use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue.
75th Anniversary of the National Archives
Congress established the National Archives in 1934. This year marks its 75th anniversary. Join us as we present programs and films celebrating this important milestone.
Thursday, September 10, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
75th Anniversary Noontime Film Series
Featuring films from the holdings of the National Archives
From the Vaults: Humor & Entertainment
Today we look at the lighter side of our motion picture holdings by screening a selection of humorous short films including Finding His Voice, a fanciful 1929 animated cartoon designed to demonstrate “talking” movies, and a sampling of short subjects from the Army-Navy Screen Magazine featuring stars Bob Hope, Betty Hutton, Lena Horne, and Abbott & Costello. (60 minutes.)
Cokie Roberts
Monday, September 14, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
75 Years of Discovering Archival Treasures
The National Archives has been our nation’s record keeper for 75 years, and priceless treasures await researchers. Tonight a distinguished panel discuss their favorite discoveries in the National Archives and explain why records matter. Cokie Roberts, political commentator for ABC News and author of Ladies of Liberty: The Women Who Shaped Our Nation, moderates a panel including Michael Beschloss, author of Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America, 1789–1989; Drew Faust, president of Harvard University and author of This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War; and David Grubin, documentary filmmaker and biographer for the PBS American Experience series.
Wednesday, September 23, at noon
Jefferson Room
75th Anniversary Noontime Lecture Series
Featuring authors whose research significantly reflects the holdings of the National Archives
Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln’s Legacy
Author David O. Stewart re-creates the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson, which became the central battle in the struggle to reunite a nation after four years of war. In Impeached, Stewart challenges the traditional version of this pivotal moment in history. A book signing follows the program.
Tuesday, September 29, at noon
Jefferson Room
75th Anniversary National Archives Expert Series
Featuring staff experts who focus on archival treasures discovered among the holdings of the National Archives
Bruce Bustard, senior curator for the National Archives Experience, discusses the photographic holdings of the National Archives and their use in exhibits.
Constitution Day
Thursday, September 17, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
The Constitution in 2020
What will the Constitution look like over the next decade? What are the issues that will arise and how should they be handled? Four Yale Law School scholars will discuss constitutional issues of the future, including the challenge of new technologies, Presidential power, voting, economic rights, and freedom of speech. Moderated by Linda Greenhouse, Distinguished Journalist-in-Residence and Senior Fellow in Law, the panel includes professors of law Jack M. Balkin and Reva B. Siegel, co-editors of The Constitution in 2020, and Robert C. Post, dean of Yale Law School. A book signing of The Constitution in 2020 will follow the program.
Charles Guggenheim Tribute
Wednesday, September 23, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
Third Annual Charles Guggenheim Tribute Program
The Johnstown Flood: 20th Anniversary Screening and Discussion
Charles Guggenheim accepted his third Oscar® in 1990 for The Johnstown Flood (Best Documentary Short Subject). The film expertly weaves archival photographs, narration, and historical recreations to chronicle the catastrophic May 31, 1889, flood that killed 2,209 people. Following a screening of the 26-minute film, Sky Sitney, Artistic Director of AFI/SILVERDOCS, will moderate a panel discussion featuring Grace Guggenheim, president of Guggenheim Productions, Inc., and executive producer of The Johnstown Flood; Richard Burkert, director of the Johnstown Area Heritage Association; Catherine Shields, the film’s editor; and Skip Sorelle, the film’s sound designer.
BIG!
The National Archives Experience continues to present noontime lecture and film series in celebration of our new exhibit, “BIG! Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the National Archives.” The exhibit features big records, big events, and big ideas and runs through January 3, 2010, in the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery.
Wednesday, September 16, at noon
Jefferson Room
Roosevelt and the Great White Fleet
Cdr. Henry J. Hendrix, USN, will discuss Theodore Roosevelt’s Naval Diplomacy: The U.S. Navy and the Birth of the American Century. Hendrix examines Roosevelt’s use of U.S. seapower to advance his diplomatic efforts and facilitate the emergence of the United States as a great power. A book signing follows the program.
Saturday, September 26, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) battles snakes, Nazis, and supernatural forces to rescue the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred box that contains the original Ten Commandments in this action-loaded film set in 1936. Directed by Stephen Spielberg. (115 minutes, 1981.) Screened in conjunction with Smithsonian Magazine’s Museum Day.
African American Life and Culture
Thursday, September 10, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
The Shaping of Black History: A Hopeful Vision—A Dream Realized
In partnership with the National Park Service Carter G. Woodson Home Historic Site, we present a discussion on preservation in African American life and culture. Moderated by Ida Jones, assistant curator of manuscripts, Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University, the discussion will focus on the extent to which Woodson’s pioneering work in black history shaped the African American ethos toward historic preservation, and the role of African Americans in creating and protecting their “untold stories. Panelists include Pero Dagbovie, professor of history at Michigan State University; Elizabeth Clark-Lewis, director of the public history program, Howard University; Talitha L. LeFlouria, assistant professor of African American history, Florida Atlantic University; Robert Stanton, former director of the National Park Service; and Bettye Collier Thomas, founder of the National Archives for Black Women’s History, Mary McLeod Bethune Council House.
Hispanic Heritage
Wednesday, September 30, at 2 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
Mendez v. Westminster: For All The Children/Para Todos los Ninos
In partnership with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, we present a discussion of Mendez v. Westminster, the landmark 1946 ruling by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, which prohibited segregation in California’s public schools. Moderated by Jose Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, panelists will include Charles J. Saylors, president of the National Parent Teacher Association; Brent A. Wilkes, National Executive Director for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); Silvia Mendez, a civil rights activist who played an instrumental role in the Mendez case; and Eutiquio Chapa, a past recipient of the Hispanic Youth Award for Education. Following the discussion, we will screen the 2003 PBS Emmy Award-winning documentary Mendez vs. Westminster: For All The Children/Para Todos los Ninos, written and produced by Sandra Robbie, who will introduce the film.
Know Your Records Programs: September
Tuesday, September 1, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
World War II Finding Aid
We will discuss the new World War II: Guide to Records Relating to U.S. Military Participation. September 1 is the 70th anniversary (1939) of Germany’s invasion of Poland, which began World War II. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in Lecture Room B, on Thursday, September 3, at 11 a.m.).
Tuesday, September 8, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
The Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company: A Gold Mine for Black and White Genealogists
Susannah E. Brooks will present information on both African American and white depositors at the Freedman’s Savings and Trust. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in Lecture Room B on Thursday, September 10, at 11 a.m.).
Tuesday, September 15, 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 lecture, Randall Fortson will lead a discussion on The General and the Jaguar: Pershing’s Hunt for Pancho Villa: A True Story of Revolution and Revenge, by Eileen Welsome. Check the Archives Shop (202-357-5271) for book availability and a discount for book group participants. October’s book will be Secret Empire: Eisenhower, the CIA, and the Hidden Story of America’s Space Espionage, by Philip Taubman.
Thursday, September 17, at 11 a.m.
Lecture Room B, National Archives at College Park, MD
National Archives Records on Ancestry.com
Sabrina Petersen Business Operations Manager from Ancestry.com, will discuss National Archives files recently scanned and published online through the partnership between the National Archives and The Generations Network. The presentation topic will focus on the United States Constitution in celebration of its signing anniversary. (This lecture will be videotaped and made available at the library.)
Saturday, September 19, noon–4 p.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
“Help! I'm Stuck”
Not sure where to begin your research? Is there a genealogical or historical problem that has stumped you? Look for the sign at the Research Center desk reading, “Help! I'm Stuck.” The next weekend opportunity will be on Saturday, October 24.
Tuesday, September 22, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
“Documented Rights” Exhibit
Lisa Royse National Museum Programs Coordinator, will discuss the new traveling exhibit, “Documented Rights”: Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the National Archives. The exhibit’s selected documents, photographs, and original testimonies exemplify the range and depth of National Archives regional holdings chronicling the evolution of human and civil rights in the United States. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, Auditorium, on Thursday, September 24, at 11 a.m.).
Tuesday, September 29, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Using Footnote.com for Jewish Research
Laura Prescott of Footnote.com, will explore recently scanned and published Jewish records made available by the National Archives’ partnership with Footnote. Learn how to effectively use the site and discover fascinating records. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in Lecture Room B on Thursday, October 1, at 11 a.m.)
Boeing Learning Center
An exciting space designed to provide parents and educators of all levels with methods and materials for teaching with primary source documents. Open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
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 Exhibit in Washington, DC
BIG!
To celebrate a big anniversary—our 75th—the National Archives presents
an exhibit featuring big records, big events, and big ideas. See the nation’s
original records in their full-scale glory, including the 13-foot scroll of
the Articles of Confederation (never before displayed unrolled) and a 13-by-13-foot
map of the Gettysburg Battlefield. Also featured are a gigantic footprint of
a dinosaur and the size 22 sneakers of basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal.
Embodying America's biggest idea, the first printing of the Declaration of
Independence produced on the night of July 4–5, 1776—one of the
greatest treasures in our holdings—is a special highlight of the exhibit.
Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery through January 3, 2010
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.
Motorcycle Corps, Army Motor Service - Under Command of J. S. Berryman. US Capitol. Wash., DC. Jan. 26, 1919, By R. S. Clements. Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs (165-PP-60-47)
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.
Traveling Exhibits
The traveling exhibit program makes it possible for people across the country to experience selected historical documents and artifacts that reflect our national experience.
Eyewitness: American Originals from the National ArchivesDrawing on rarely displayed documents, audio recordings, and film footage culled
from the extensive holdings of the National Archives and its Presidential libraries,
"Eyewitness" features first-person accounts of watershed moments in
history.
Online exhibit
Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America Through Galveston Island
February 21–October 11, 2009
The Immigration Act of 1924 and other original National Archives documents are on display at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in the exhibition Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America Through Galveston Island.
Online Exhibits
Dozens of exhibits can be experienced online. Visit Now!
Locations, Hours, and Contact Information
The National Archives Experience
Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW, Washington, DC
For details, see the Visitor's Map or visit the National Archives Experience.
- Daily, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. through September 7; hours change to 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. on September 8.
- Last admission is 30 minutes prior to closing.
- Open every day except Thanksgiving and December 25.
Admission free.
All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted; reservations are not required unless noted. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For McGowan Theater programs, the doors to the building will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the program. Use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue.
For details, see the Visitor's Map or visit the National Archives Experience.
For reservations or to be placed on the mailing list, call 202-357-5000, or toll free at 1-877-874-7616, or e-mail public.program@nara.gov.
The National Archives Research Center
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC and 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD.
Research Hours for both locations:
- Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Check the Washington, DC and College Park, MD location information for records pull times and other important details.
Call 202-357-5450 for a docent-led guided tour.
TDD: 301-837-0482. The National Archives is fully accessible. To request an accommodation (such as a sign language interpreter) for a public program, please call 202-357-5000, or toll free at 1-877-874-7616, or e-mail public.program@nara.gov at least two weeks prior to the event.
