The National Archives Presents Noontime Programs in April
Press Release · Monday, March 26, 2012

The National Archives presents afternoon programs in April on topics ranging from Benjamin Franklin to Robert McNamara. These events are free and open to the public and will be held in the William G. McGowan Theater of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, which is located on the National Mall and is fully accessible. Attendees should use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street, NW.

BOOK TALK: The Making of a Patriot: Benjamin Franklin at the Cockpit
Thursday, April 5, at noon, William G. McGowan Theater
In 1774, Benjamin Franklin was called before the Privy Council—a select group of the King’s advisors. Solicitor General Alexander Wedderburn unleashed a withering tirade against Franklin, citing seditious acts in the American colonies. In her book The Making of a Patriot, historian Sheila Skemp describes how Franklin faced the Privy Council as a loyal Englishman, but left as a budding American Revolutionary. 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. This special program is held in conjunction with the electrifying new exhibition, Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World, on view through May 6, 2012, in the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. See more information about the exhibit.

BOOK TALK: McNamara, Clifford, and the Burdens of Vietnam, 1965–1969
Tuesday, April 10, at noon, William G. McGowan Theater
Dr. Erin Mahan, chief historian of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, moderates
a panel discussing the roles Robert S. McNamara and Clark M. Clifford
played in the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Participating on the panel will be Dr.
Harold Brown, who worked under McNamara as director of defense research
and engineering from 1961 to 1965; Dr. George C. Herring (America’s Longest
War: The United States and Vietnam, 1950-1975), one of the nation’s foremost
experts on the Vietnam War; and Dr. Edward Drea, author of McNamara, Clifford,
and the Burdens of Vietnam, 1965 - 1969. McNamara was the eighth Secretary of Defense, and served under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. 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. This program is presented in partnership with the Historical Office of the Secretary of Defense.

BOOK TALK: The President’s Club: Inside the World’s Most Exclusive Fraternity
Friday, April 27, at noon, William G. McGowan Theater
Harry Truman and Herbert Hoover established the Presidents Club at Eisenhower’s inauguration. Time magazine editors Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy discuss the secret history of the private relationships among the last 13 presidents. 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.

The National Archives is fully accessible, and Assisted Listening Devices are available in the McGowan Theater upon request. 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 verify dates and times of the programs, call 202-357-5000 or view the Calendar of Events online. 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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