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The National Archives Hosts Special Public Programs in February
Press Release · Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Washington, DC

The National Archives presents a series of daytime public programs in February.  These programs are free and open to the public.  The  February 11 genealogy program will be held in the Research Center (Pennsylvania Ave NW entrance). For all other programs, attendees should use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue at 7th Street, NW.  Metro accessible on the Yellow and Green lines, Archives/Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter station.

BOOK TALK:  The Blood of Emmett Till

Wednesday, February 8, noon, William G. McGowan Theater & YouTube

In 1955, a fourteen-year-old young black man named Emmett Till was visiting relatives in Mississippi when he was murdered by a group of white men. Till’s attackers were never convicted, but Till’s lynching became one of the most notorious hate crimes in American history and launched the Civil Rights Movement.  In his latest book, The Blood of Emmett Till, Professor Timothy B. Tyson, reexamines this monumental event using a wide range of new sources, interviews, and transcripts and redefines a crucial moment in civil rights history.  A book signing follows the program. Reservations are recommended and can be made online.

GENEALOGY:  “Help! I’m Stuck” Genealogy Consultation

Saturday, February 11, noon-4 p.m., Research Center (Penn. Ave. Entrance)    
Not sure where to begin? Has a genealogical problem stumped you? Archivist Claire Kluskens is available from noon to 4 p.m. to answer your questions. Sign up for first-come, first-served 20-minute appointments at the Microfilm Research desk.  Genealogy consultations take place one Saturday a month, in the Microfilm Research Room of the Research Center..

STORY TIME:  Special Program for Pre-Schoolers and Adults on Civil Rights

Wednesday, February 15,  10-11 a.m., Boeing Learning Center

Story time—designed for 3-5 year olds and accompanying adults—gives children the opportunity to practice listening skills, sing songs, and make crafts. February's theme is “The Civil Rights Movement.”

Featured “Hands On” Activity to Learn about Japanese-American Internment during World War II
Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Boeing Learning Center ReSource Room
Seventy-five years ago, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, and put into motion the process of Japanese Internment. Stop by the Boeing Learning Center this month to engage in hands-on activities and immerse yourself in a world of spies and suppressed evidence to solve the mystery of how the National Archives helped right the wrongs of Japanese Internment.

Related Program:  Harriet Tubman: A Woman of Courage and Vision

Tuesday, February 28, at 7 p.m, William G. McGowan Theater and YouTube

To celebrate the March 2017 grand opening of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor’s Center, we join the National Park Service in presenting a panel discussion examining the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman and the ongoing preservation of her Maryland birthplace.  Reservations are recommended and can be made online.  

Related Online Resources on Civil Rights and Black History Month

The Archives holds a wealth of material documenting the African American experience, and highlights these resources online, in programs, and through traditional and social media.  Detailed information and links to records, images and special events online.

Related Exhibit Features Section on Civil Rights for African Americans
The National Archives’ “Records of Rights” permanent exhibition uses original documents, photographs, facsimiles, videos, and interactive exhibits to explore how Americans have worked to realize the ideals of freedom enshrined in our nation’s founding documents and how they have debated issues such as citizenship, free speech, voting rights, and equal opportunity. A special section of this exhibit, “Bending toward Justice,” showcases the drive for civil rights for African Americans.

Related new exhibit: Amending America

Only 27 times—out of more than 11,000 proposals—have Americans reached consensus to amend the Constitution. This new exhibit reveals the stories behind why some proposed amendments successfully became part of the Constitution, while others failed to gain enough support. Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery, through September 4, 2017.

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For media inquiries, please contact: National Archives Public and Media Communications at (202) 357-5300 or via email at public.affairs@nara.gov.

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This page was last reviewed on November 22, 2022.
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