January 2009
Washington, DC, Area Events
Program Highlights
- Treaty of Paris
In celebration of our new exhibit, “1783: Subject or Citizen?,” we present programs commemorating the 225th anniversary of the Treaty of Paris. (January 10, 22) - Presidential Transitions
The National Archives celebrates the peaceful transfer of political power that occurs in our country every four years. (January13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 23) - American Conversation with John J. Sweeney
The January 13 event has been cancelled. - Lincoln Bicentennial
The National Archives presents a film and lecture series in honor of the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. (January 17, 22) - Alaska Statehood
In honor of the anniversary of the 50th anniversary of Alaska’s statehood, we examine the northern lights through NASA’s THEMIS project. (January 29) - Know Your Records Programs
A variety of programs explore records held by the National Archives. (January 6, 7, 21, 22, 24, 27, 29)
Exhibit Highlights
- Permanent Exhibits
The Charters of Freedom, A New World Is at Hand, The Public Vaults, Magna Carta - Special Exhibit in Washington, DC
1783: Subject or Citizen? Closing January 25. - Special Exhibit in College Park, MD
The Long View
Locations, Hours, and Contact Information
All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted; reservations are not required unless noted. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For McGowan Theater programs, the doors to the building will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the program. Use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue.
1783: Subject or Citizen?
The year 2008 marked the 225th anniversary of the Treaty of Paris, which ended the American Revolution and reshaped modern North America. In celebration of our “1783: Subject or Citizen?” exhibit, we present programs commemorating this historic event.
Thursday, January 22, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
The Black Loyalists and Their Flight to Freedom
During the American Revolution, thousands of slaves fled their masters seeking
freedom with the British. After the Treaty of Paris in 1783, more than 3,000
departed with the British Army, most of whom were transported to Nova Scotia.
During the War of 1812, thousands more black refugees from the United States
rebelled against their owners and attempted to reach the British military
encampments. What were their experiences, and what were the far-reaching effects
of their exodus? Edna Greene Medford, associate professor of history, Howard
University, moderates a discussion on this topic with a distinguished panel
including James W. St. G. Walker, professor of history, University of Waterloo; Harvey
Amani Whitfield, associate professor of history, University of Vermont; and
Jeffrey R. Kerr-Ritchie, assistant professor of history, Howard University.
Saturday, January 10, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Treaty of Paris Film Series
This film series features Hollywood’s depiction of the events leading
up to and during the Revolutionary War and the postwar westward expansion
enabled by the Treaty of Paris.
The Far Horizons
Following the United States’ acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from
the French, Meriwether Lewis (Fred MacMurray), William Clark (Charlton Heston),
and their Native American guide Sacagawea (Donna Reed) set out to find a waterway
that would connect St. Louis and the Pacific Ocean. Directed by Rudolph Maté.
(107 minutes, 1955)
Presidential Transitions
The National Archives Experience is pleased to present programs on Presidential transitions in celebration of the peaceful transfer of political power that occurs in our country every four years.
January 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
From the Vaults: Presidential Inaugurations
In celebration of the 2009 Presidential inauguration, the Charles Guggenheim
Center for the Documentary Film presents a selection of archival film and
video related to the ceremonial inaugural events that occur every four years.
Drawn from the holdings of the National Archives’ Presidential Libraries,
the programs will feature historical footage of Presidents Herbert Hoover
through William Clinton.
Schedule (subject to change)
Tuesday, January 13, at noon
Herbert Hoover Inaugurated, 1929
Excerpt from The Open Mind: March 4th, 1933—FDR’s First Inaugural
President Truman’s Inauguration, 1948
Total Running Time: 80 minutes
Wednesday, January 14, at noon
Inauguration 1953 (Dwight Eisenhower)
CBS Coverage of John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural, 1961
Total Running Time: 90 minutes
Thursday, January 15, at noon
Inauguration of the President and Vice President of the United States,
1965 (Lyndon B. Johnson)
The Inaugural Story 1969 (Richard Nixon)
Total Running Time: 90 minutes
Friday, January 16, at noon
Swearing-In of Gerald R. Ford as President, August 9, 1974
Inaugural Events, 1977 (Jimmy Carter)
President Reagan’s Inaugural Ceremony, 1981
Total Running Time: 120 minutes
Monday, January 19, at noon
Inauguration of George Herbert Walker Bush, 1989
William Jefferson Clinton Inaugural Ceremony, 1993
Total Running Time: 120 minutes
Thursday, January 15, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
The White House: Moving Out/Moving In
How does a first family prepare to move into the White House? How does a President-elect
plan to govern from day one—and through his first 100 days? What role
does the outgoing President play in assisting the newcomers, and where do
his official papers go? More than ever, the need for an organized transition
is critical. A panel of scholars and former White House staff will discuss
keys to a successful White House transition. Panelists include Ann
Stock,
social secretary, Clinton administration; Gary Walters, White House chief
usher, 1986–2007; Sharon Fawcett, Assistant Archivist for Presidential
Libraries, National Archives; Martha Joynt Kumar, Towson University; Roger
Porter, Harvard University and economic adviser to Ford, Reagan, and George
H.W. Bush; John Burke, University of Vermont; and Terry
Sullivan, UNC-Chapel Hill and Presidential Transition Project, The James A. Baker Institute. Presented
in partnership with the White House Historical Association.
Friday, January 23, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
To Serve the President: Continuity and Innovation in the White House Staff
To most Americans, the White House staff and its works are largely unknown.
A few senior staff members are in the public eye, but the vast majority of
staffers do their indispensable work completely behind the scenes. Join us
today as author and former White House staff member Bradley H. Patterson discusses
his book To Serve the President and offers an insightful look at
how the 135 offices of the White House staff support the President of the
United States and help to shape and focus Presidential power.
Please note: On January 20 beginning at 11:30 a.m., the Inaugural swearing-in ceremony and parade will be shown live in the William G. McGowan Theater.
American Conversation
CANCELLED
Tuesday, January 13, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
An American Conversation with John Sweeney
John J. Sweeney will join Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein for
an “American Conversation” to explore the role of the labor movement
throughout American history. Mr. Sweeney has been president of the AFL-CIO
(American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations) since 1995.
He is the author of America Needs A Raise: Fighting for Economic Security and Social Justice.
Read more about the American Conversations series.
Lincoln Bicentennial
The National Archives Experience is pleased to present this film and lecture series in celebration of the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth.
Saturday, January 17, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Abraham Lincoln
Director D. W. Griffith presents a biography of Abraham Lincoln through vignettes
about his life, including his birth, early jobs, courtship of Mary Todd, the
Lincoln-Douglas debates, his Presidency, and the Civil War. Walter Huston stars
as Lincoln. (96 minutes, 1930)
Thursday, January 22, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln
Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln are the two preeminent self-made men
in American history. Lincoln was born poor, had less than one year of formal
school, and became one of the nation’s greatest Presidents. Douglass
spent the first 20 years of his life as a slave, had no formal schooling, and
became the most famous black man in the Western world and one of the nation’s
greatest writers. John Stauffer, author of Giants: The Parallel Lives of
Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, discusses how Douglass
and Lincoln reinvented themselves and transformed America.
50th Anniversary of Alaska Statehood
Thursday, January 29, at noon
William G. McGowan Theater
NASA’s THEMIS Project
When viewed from Alaska and other northern locations, the aurora borealis, or “northern
lights” is a shimmering, ethereal phenomenon that dances in a spectacular
burst of colorful light and rapid movement. But what causes it? To find out,
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched a fleet of
satellites and established a network of 20 ground observatories in Canada and
Alaska called THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during
Substorms). Discovering what causes auroras to change will provide scientists
with important details on how the planet’s magnetosphere works and the
important Sun-Earth connection. Today, Dr. John Sigwarth, a
NASA astrophysicist, will present an illustrated lecture on
the THEMIS project, and how the data collected is being used to resolve one of
the oldest mysteries of space physics.
Know Your Records Programs: January
CANCELLED Tuesday, January 6, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Civil War Pension Files at Footnote.com
Beau Sharbrough from Footnote.com will discuss the Civil War pension
files recently scanned and published online through the partnership between
the National Archives, Family Search, and Footnote.com. (This lecture
will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in the
auditorium on Wednesday, January 7, at 11 a.m.)
Wednesday, January 7, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Introduction to Genealogy
Archives staff will present a lecture on basic genealogical research
in Federal records. This lecture occurs on the first Wednesday of the
month and selected Saturdays. The next weekday lecture will take place
on Wednesday, February 4.
Wednesday, January 21, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Digital Vaults
Suzanne Isaacs will present features in the National Archives “Digital
Vaults” exhibit. With a database of some 1,200 documents, photographs,
drawings, maps, and other materials and a keywording system that visually
links records, the Digital Vaults enables visitors to customize their
exhibit experience and to create posters, movies, and games that can
be shared by e-mail. (This lecture will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, MD, in the auditorium on Thursday, January 22, at 11 a.m.)
Saturday, January 24, at 10 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Introduction to Genealogy
Archives staff will present a lecture on basic genealogical research
in Federal records. This lecture occurs on selected Saturdays and the
first Wednesday of the month. The next weekend lecture will take place
on Saturday, February 21.
Saturday, January 24, noon–4 p.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
“Help! I’m Stuck”
On selected Saturday afternoons, an archivist with extensive experience
in genealogy and the records of the National Archives will be available
to assist with your research questions. Please sign up for a 20-minute
appointment at the Research Center. The next opportunity will be on Saturday,
February 21.
Tuesday, January 27, at 11 a.m.
Room G-24, Research Center (Enter on Pennsylvania Avenue)
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
Ramona Branch Oliver will discuss provisions of the Freedom of Information
Act and how the statutes affect public access to both archival and operational
records at the National Archives. (This lecture will be repeated at the
National Archives at College Park, MD, in the auditorium on Thursday,
January 29, at 11 a.m.).
Boeing Learning Center
An exciting space designed to provide parents and educators of all levels with methods and materials for teaching with primary source documents. Open Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Exhibits
Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom:The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are on permanent display in the Rotunda. "A New World Is at Hand" surrounds the Rotunda's centerpiece cases. Presenting a selection of milestone documents, the exhibit chronicles the creation of the Charters of Freedom in the 18th century and their impact on the course of history in the United States and around the world.
The Public Vaults: This interactive exhibit invites visitors into the stacks and vaults of the National Archives to explore the raw material from which history is made. From Washington's letters, Lincoln's telegrams, and FDR's fireside chats to UFO reports and declassified secrets of World War II, these documents chronicle both great national events and the lives of individual Americans.
Magna Carta: This foundation document of English common law was confirmed by Edward I in 1297. Only four originals of the 1297 Magna Carta remain, and only one permanently resides in the United States. Purchased by David M. Rubenstein in 2007, it is on loan to the National Archives. West Rotunda Gallery.
Special Exhibit in Washington, DC
1783: Subject or Citizen? For the 225th anniversary of the Treaty of Paris,
which ended the Revolutionary War, the National Archives and Library and
Archives Canada jointly created this exhibit, which reveals the untold story
of the treaty and its effect on everyday lives and features valuable archival
treasures from the vaults of both institutions, including the rarely seen
American copy of the 1783 treaty. Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery
Closing January 25, 2009.
A related exhibit, “Champlain's Dream,” with Samuel de Champlain’s notebooks and artifacts from the John Carter Brown Library, is at the Embassy of Canada Gallery, October 16–December 30. Champlain's Dream, a book by David Hackett Fischer, was published in October 2008 in the U.S. and Canada.
Special Exhibit in College Park, Maryland
Auditorium Lobby at the National Archives Research Center:
"The Long View" features digitally produced facsimiles of historic panoramic photographs from the Still Picture holdings.
The exhibit not only showcases the wide variety of panoramic techniques, but also includes National Archives records such as cartographic maps and patent drawings that relate to the photographs. Thirty-four panoramas and other records are on display and span the period from 1864 to 1997.
See more panoramas online.
Traveling Exhibits
The traveling exhibit program makes it possible for people across the country to experience selected historical documents and artifacts that reflect our national experience.
Eyewitness: American Originals from the National Archives
Drawing on rarely displayed documents, audio recordings, and film footage culled
from the extensive holdings of the National Archives and its Presidential libraries,
"Eyewitness" features first-person accounts of watershed moments in
history.
Online exhibit
Tour itinerary:
October 4, 2008–January 4, 2009 |
Durham Western Heritage Museum, Omaha, NE |
Online Exhibits
Dozens of exhibits can be experienced online. Visit Now!
Locations, Hours, and Contact Information
The National Archives Experience
Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW, Washington, DC
For details, see the Visitor's Map or visit the National Archives Experience.
- Daily, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
- Last admission is 30 minutes prior to closing.
Open every day except Thanksgiving and December 25.
Admission free.
All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted; reservations are not required unless noted. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. For McGowan Theater programs, the doors to the building will open 30 minutes prior to the start of the program. Use the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue.
For details, see the Visitor's Map or visit the National Archives Experience.
For reservations or to be placed on the mailing list, call 202-357-5000 or e-mail public.program@nara.gov.
The National Archives Research Center
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC and 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD.
Research Hours for both locations:
- Monday, Tuesday, and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Check the Washington, DC and College Park, MD location information for records pull times and other important details.
Call 202-357-5450 for a docent-led guided tour.
TDD: 301-837-0482. The National Archives is fully accessible. To request an accommodation (such as a sign language interpreter) for a public program, please call 202-357-5000 or e-mail public.program@nara.gov at least two weeks prior to the event.