Press Release
Press Release · Monday, August 12, 2002

Washington, DC . . . In September and October, the National Archives and Records Administration presents a series of lectures relating to Hispanic Heritage Month, the Civil War, World War II, and a special series on historical American architecture.

The programs are free and open to the public and will take place in Room 105 at the National Archives Building, Pennsylvania Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW and at the National Archives at College Park, located at 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD, unless otherwise stated. Due to limited seating in Room 105 of the National Archives Building, reservations are recommended, call (202) 208-7345. The public may verify times and dates by calling the National Archives public events line at (202) 501-5000. TDD users may call (202) 501-5404.

Tuesday, September 17 - Hispanic Heritage Month
Slide Lecture
Archivists Greg Lamotta, James Cassedy, and John Powers will present a "Labor Report from Cuba," a slide show on their recent trip to Cuba. As representatives of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2578, which represents many NARA workers, they attended a conference sponsored by the Confederation of Cuban Workers. Noon.

Thursday, September 19 - Civil War
On the 140th anniversary of the battle, James McPherson will discuss his latest book, Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam 1862: The Battle That Changed the Course of the Civil War. Mr. McPherson provides a riveting account of this pivotal battle, the events that led up to it, and its aftermath. Weaving the strands of diplomatic, political, and military history into a swift-moving narrative, he shows why America's bloodiest day is, indeed, a turning point in American history. 7 p.m.

Tuesday, September 24 - Federal Register Workshop
"The Federal Register: What It Is and How to Use It" is a public workshop presented by staff of the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration. It includes a discussion of the regulatory process, focusing on public participation; an explanation of the relationship between the Federal Register (FR) and Code of Federal Regulations (CFR); a "Guided Tour" of an issue of the FR and a volume of the CFR; an introduction to FR/CFR finding aids; and an introduction to using the FR and CFR online.

Please note: This workshop will be held at:

Office of the Federal Register
800 North Capitol Street, NW
Washington, DC
[3 blocks north of Union Station Metro]
7th Floor Conference Room, 9 a.m. to 12 noon. For reservations, call 202-523-4538.

Thursday, September 26 - Civil War
David Johnson will discuss his biography of Douglas Southall Freeman, one of the greatest historians of the Civil War. Mr. Johnson researched more than 244 boxes of Freeman's papers and interviewed surviving relatives, bringing to life the many achievements and diverse talents of Douglas Freeman. 7 p.m.

Wednesday, October 2 - Civil War
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of women assumed male aliases, disguised themselves in men's uniforms, and charged into battle as Union and Confederate soldiers. DeAnne Blanton and Lauren Cook will discuss their book, They Fought Like Demons: Women Soldiers in the American Civil War, the first book to fully explore and explain these women, their experiences as combatants, and the controversial issues surrounding their military service. Noon.

Tuesday, October 8 - Architecture Lecture Series
David Miller discusses his book, Second Only to Grant: Quartermaster General Montgomery C. Meigs. A master logistician, Quartermaster General Meigs saw to the supply of every Union army from his appointment as in May 1861 through the end of the war. He was a skilled engineer, architect, scientist, and artist, and designed the Pension Building (now the National Building Museum) in Washington, DC. Noon.

Thursday, October 10 - Architecture Lecture Series
Marc Leepson will discuss Saving Monticello: The Levy Family's Epic Quest to Rescue the House That Jefferson Built. Mr. Leepson reveals the amazing story of how US naval hero Uriah Phillips Levy and his nephew, Congressman Jefferson M. Levy, saved the house from ruin on two different occasions. The Levys, members of one of the nation's most accomplished and illustrious 18th- and 19th-century Jewish families, owned Monticello for 89 years-longer than the Jefferson family did. 7 p.m.

Saturday, October 12 - Architecture Lecture Series
Walking Tour and Booksigning
Kathy Jacob returns for a walking tour based on her book Testament to Union: Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C. Ms. Jacob tells the stories behind the many District of Columbia statues that honor participants in the Civil War. Organized geographically for easy use on walking or driving tours, the entries list the subject and title of each memorial along with its sculptor, medium, date, and location. 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Comfortable walking shoes are strongly recommended. Reservations are required; call 202-208-7345.

Tuesday, October 15 - Franklin Roosevelt
Larry and Cornelia Levine discuss their latest work, The People and the President: America's Conversation with FDR. President Roosevelt delivered a total of 31 "Fireside Chat" radio addresses during his Presidency. At the end of each chat, he invited his listeners to write and tell him their concerns. The Levines have assembled a representative sample of the American people's responses, arranged chronologically through 1945. Co-Sponsored by the Center for the Book. 6:30 p.m. Please note: This lecture will be held at the Library of Congress, 101 Independence Avenue, SE.

Thursday, October 17 - World War II
Professor Tim Maga returns to discuss his latest book, America Attacks Japan: The Invasion That Never Was. In 1945 the United States and its allies planned the greatest invasion in world history. Professor Maga examines what might have happened had that invasion taken place, as well as the lingering controversies over the decision that made all those plans obsolete. Noon.

Tuesday, October 22 - World War II
On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 allowing for the summary removal of Japanese aliens and American citizens of Japanese descent from their West Coast homes and their incarceration in camps. In By Order of the President: FDR and the Internment of Japanese Americans, Greg Robinson uses Roosevelt's own writings, his advisers' letters and diaries, and internal government documents to reveal the President's central role in making and implementing the internment. 7 p.m.

Thursday, October 24 - Architecture Lecture Series
Ken Bowling will discuss his latest book, Peter Charles L'Enfant: Vision, Honor, and Male Friendship in the Early American Republic. In the first definitive work on L'Enfant, Mr. Bowling examines the interesting but difficult life of this man, later known as "Pierre," the French-American who designed Washington, DC. 7 p.m.

Tuesday, October 29 - Architecture Lecture Series
Pamela Scott will speak on "The Relationship Between the L'Enfant and McMillan Commissions Plans for Washington: Real or Imagined?" Close examination of a wide variety of documents produced by the members of the Senate Park Commission, and their promoters, indicate that L'Enfant's design was resurrected via its connections to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in order to sell the sweeping changes proposed for Washington's monumental core in 1902. Noon.

Wednesday, October 30 - Hispanic Heritage Month
Award-winning journalist Ruben Martínez will speak about his book, Crossing Over: A Mexican Family on the Migrant Trail. Martínez follows the exodus of the Chávez clan, an extended Mexican family with the grim distinction of having lost three sons in a tragic border incident. He reveals the effects of emigration on the family members left behind and offers a powerful portrait of migrant culture, an exchange that deposits hip-hop in Indian villages while bringing Mexican pop to the northern plains. Noon.

Monday, September 16 - Slide Lecture
"Labor Report from Cuba." Noon. Lecture Room D. (See September 17 listing for details.)

For PRESS information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (301) 837-1700 or by e-mail. To verify the date and times of the programs, the public should call the Public Events Line at: 202-501-5000, or view the Calendar of Events on the web at: www.archives.gov/about_us/calendar_of_events/index.html

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