National Archives Observes Veterans Day with Special Programs in DC and Nationwide
Press Release · Friday, November 7, 2014

Washington, DC

In observance of Veterans Day, the National Archives presents a series of programs in at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, and programs and free admission at National Archives Presidential Libraries nationwide.

All programs at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, are free and open to the public. The building is located on the National Mall and is fully accessible. Attendees should use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street, NW.

Events at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC

Thursday, November 13, at noon
War Dogs: Tales of Canine Heroism, History, and Love
Loyal and courageous, dogs are truly man’s best friend on the battlefield. The history of dogs in the U.S. military is long and rich, from the mascots of the Civil War to the dogs leading patrols and hunting for IEDs on today’s battlefields. In War Dogs, Rebecca Frankel offers a riveting history of the world of military working dogs and a look at the science of dogs’ special abilities. A book signing will follow the program.

Friday, November 14, at noon
The Accidental Admiral: A Sailor Takes Command at NATO
As the first admiral to take command as NATO commander in Europe, Adm. James G. Stavridis was responsible for 120,000 coalition troops serving in 51 nations on three continents and at sea. The Accidental Admiral looks at the challenges of directing NATO operations, cyberthreats, and piracy. Stavridis shares his insights into the personalities of President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Secretaries of Defense Robert Gates and Leon Panetta. A book signing follows the program.

Reservations for public programs are not required but are recommended

1. Register at www.archivesfoundation.org/events/.
2. Print your email confirmation and bring it with you.
3. To reserve by phone, call 202-357-6814. Walk-ins without reservations will be admitted, depending on available seats.

Enter through the Special Events Entrance on Constitution Avenue. The doors to the building will open 45 minutes prior to the start of the program.

Events at National Archives Presidential Libraries Nationwide

The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum will offer free admission to veterans and active-duty military on Veterans Day. On Tuesday, November 11, at 2 p.m., Mark DePue will present The Origins of World War I in the Herbert Hoover Presidential Museum Figge auditorium. DePue has followed dual careers for most of his life—one as a military officer, the other as a historian. He retired from a career in the military in 2001 and began his second career in history. He is currently the Director of Oral History at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library. Before 1914, many in Europe believed that the world had become so civilized that large-scale war seemed unlikely. But that summer, the assassination of two people, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophia, plunged the entire world into a war of unprecedented scale and ferocity. Historians have been arguing about the causes ever since. The Origins of World War I will discuss these causes.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, in partnership with the National Park Service, will offer free admission to veterans and their families on Veterans Day.

The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum will host a tribute to our nation's veterans on Sunday, November 9, with free admission, patriotic concert, wreath laying, 21-gun salute, and a Veterans’ Reception. A special program will feature Rear Admiral (Ret.) J. Stanton Thompson, who will draw on his 35 years of distinguished service to deliver his keynote address, “Here I Am, America—Send Me.” Admission will be free for all retired and active military on November 11.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum will offer free admission to veterans. The library offers free admission to active-duty military year-round. On Tuesday, November 11, the Eisenhower Library hosts the VFW and American Legion’s Veterans Day Ceremony at the Flagstaff near the Pylons at 10:30 a.m.

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum will offer veterans and their families free admission from November 8 through November 16. The library offers free admission to active-duty military year-round and $4 off admission for veterans throughout the year.

The LBJ Presidential Library and Museum will offer free admission to all on Veterans Day.

The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum will offer free admission to all on Veterans Day. On November 11, at 10 a.m. there will be a program featuring keynote remarks by former National Security Adviser Robert “Bud“ McFarlane, remarks by decorated Vietnam War POW Lt. Col. Orson Swindle, and a formal Presentation of the Colors with performances by the Villa Park High School Jazz Ensemble and Orange High School Concert Choir. At 12:30 p.m. there will be a performance of All-American classics from the 90-member Placentia Symphonic Band.

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum will offer free admission to veterans, active duty military, and members of the Coast Guard.

The Jimmy Carter Library and Museum offers free admission to veterans and their immediate family on Tuesday, November 11. In addition, there are three free author programs during the week. On Monday, November 10, Ritu Sharma discusses her book, Teach a Woman to Fish. In this firsthand account, she shares how women can, and are, overcoming the forces that keep them in poverty. On Friday, November 14, Rick Bragg discusses Jerry Lee Lewis, His Own Story. The Pulitzer Prize–winning Bard of the American South will be serving up one of the consummate and most colorful of Southern stories—a firsthand account of the singularly scandalous life of one of the greatest rock and rollers of all time. And on Saturday, November 15, award-winning author Nuruddin Farah discusses his novel Hiding in Plain Sight. A new departure in theme and setting for “the most important African novelist to emerge in the past 25 years” (New York Review of Books), Hiding in Plain Sight is a profound exploration of the tensions between freedom and obligation and the ways gender and sexual preference define us. All three author events are free and open to the public.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum will offer free admission to all on Veterans Day, and offers free admission to active-duty military year-round. The library will also honor veterans with a special program on Tuesday, November 11, featuring Rear Admiral Russell Perriman, former Reserve Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, U.S. Pacific Fleet; musical entertainment by the Santa Susana High School Symphony Orchestra and Vocal Ensemble; Civil War reenactments by the Washington Artillery of New Orleans; and a display of World War II and current military vehicles. There will also be a flyover by the Tiger Squadron at 10:30 a.m.

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum will offer free admission to veterans, National Guard and reserve members, and military retirees with ID or other proof of service. On November. 11, President George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States, will launch the release of his new book, titled 41: A Portrait of My Father, at the George Bush Presidential Library Center in College Station, TX. This personal biography tells the story of his father, President George H. W. Bush, 41st President of the United States, through his own eyes and in his own words. The event is by invitation only but will be streamed live online. For more information, go to www.georgebushfoundation.org/portrait.

The William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum will be offering free admission to veterans and their families on Veterans Day.

The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum will honor military members and their families again this Veterans Day by offering free admission to all active-duty, retirees, veterans, Reservists, National Guard, and Coast Guard members as well as their families. Free admission is available for one service member and up to five members of his or her family. This special offer is not available to those purchasing tickets online.

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For press information contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5300.

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