The National Archives Presents Noontime Programs in February
Press Release · Monday, January 31, 2011

Washington, DC

The National Archives presents noontime programs in February. These events are free and open to the public and will be held at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, which is located on the National Mall and is fully accessible. For programs in the Jefferson Room and the William G. McGowan Theater, please use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street, NW. For programs in Room 105, please use the Pennsylvania Avenue entrance, between 7th and 9th Streets, NW.

BOOK TALK: Near Andersonville - Winslow Homer's Civil War
Monday, February 7, at noon,Jefferson Room (Special Events Entrance on Constitution Avenue)
American painter Winslow Homer rose to national attention during the Civil War, but one of his most important early paintings, “Near Andersonville,” remained unknown for a century. In this illustrated lecture, author Peter Wood reveals the long-hidden story of this remarkable Civil War painting. Wood examines the interplay of symbolic elements and links the painting to Abraham Lincoln’s presidential campaign of 1864. Wood’s provocative study offers a fresh vantage point on Homer’s early career, the struggle to end slavery, and the dramatic closing years of the Civil War. A book signing will follow the program; the book is available at a discount from the Archives Shop (202-357-5271) before and during the event.

BOOK TALK:  An Example for All the Land: Emancipation and the Struggle over Equality in Washington, DC
Tuesday, February 8, at noon, Jefferson Room (Special Events Entrance on Constitution Avenue)
In An Example for All the Land, author Kate Masur discusses Washington, DC, during the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War. The city became a laboratory for political experimentation as the question of racial equality produced a debate about black Washingtonians and their demands for public respect, equal access to employment, public services, and the right to vote. A book signing will follow the program; the book is available at a discount from the Archives Shop (202-357-5271) before and during the event.

LECTURE:  Russell W. Porter: The Art of Arctic Exploration, 1896–1905
Wednesday, February 23, at noon, Jefferson Room (Special Events Entrance on Constitution Avenue)
When brave explorers journeyed north to conquer the icy Arctic – the ultimate frontier of the 19th century – artists and surveyors were there to capture and immortalize their harrowing expeditions. In conjuncture with the rotation of the Public Vaults’ exhibit, “Pursuit of the Pole,” Kamissa Mort will discuss her recently published thesis on artist, Arts and Crafts architect, and arctic explorer Russell W. Porter.

FILM:  The Hunley
Saturday, February 12, at noon, Jefferson Room (Special Events Entrance on Constitution Avenue)
Armand Assante and Donald Sutherland star in the true story of the submarine CSS Hunley, set during the siege of Charleston of 1864. The Hunley was the first submersible to sink an enemy ship during wartime. (1999; 120 minutes)

FILM:  Ken Burns’s The Civil War
Thursdays, February 10, 17, and 24 at noon - Jefferson Room and William G. McGowan Theater
We continue the landmark nine-part television series by filmmaker Ken Burns:
February 10—Most Hallowed Ground (1990; 72 minutes) -  Jefferson Room
February 17—War is All Hell (1990; 67 minutes) - Jefferson Room
February 24—The Better Angels of Our Nature (1990; 69 minutes)- William G. McGowan Theater

Please note:  The William G. McGowan Theater will be closed through February 19, 2011, to make necessary improvements to the lighting and projection systems. Public programs will continue during this period in alternate venues.

To verify dates and times of the programs, call 202-357-5000 or view the Calendar of Events online. To request an accommodation (e.g., sign language interpreter) for a public program, please e-mail public.program@nara.gov or call (202) 357-5000 at least two weeks prior to the event. To contact the National Archives, please call 1-866-272-6272 or 1-86-NARA-NARA (TDD) 301-837-0482.

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

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