June 2009
National Archives Anniversary Expert Series
June 5, noon, Washington Room, Washington, DC, building
June 12, 19, 26, noon, Jefferson Room, Washington, DC, building
Featuring staff experts who will focus on archival treasures discovered among the holdings of the National Archives.
- June 5: Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler and Kitty Nicholson will discuss the preservation of the Charters of Freedom.
- June 19: Rick Blondo will discuss the history and significance of the architecture of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC.
- June 26: Jessie Kratz, Martha Grove, and Christine Blackerby will discuss the unusual finds they've made while researching legislative records.
First Friday Happy Birthday!
June 5, noon - 2 p.m.
Philadelphia, PA, Regional Archives
First Friday open house. Join us for birthday cake, door prizes, and other souvenirs! Then stay for our regular First Friday Genealogy Open House. For more information, visit the Mid Atlantic Region.
“Documented Rights”:
Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the National Archives Exhibit Opening
The National Archives at Atlanta: June 13, 2009–February 23, 2010
The National Archives at Kansas City: September, 2010–February, 2011
View the related Online Exhibit
The exhibit's selected documents, photographs, and original testimonies exemplify the range and depth of National Archives holdings chronicling the evolution of human and civil rights in the United States. From the 1844 slave manifest of the brig Alo to the five cases that composed the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Supreme Court case, “Documented Rights” contains more than 80 documents, facsimiles, images, and sound recordings that give voice to those who fought for or championed personal rights and freedoms. Each of the exhibit’s five historic theaters features a signature personality and thematic song intended to evoke the memories, longings, and challenges of the times. Through the coupling of dramatic words, powerful visual images, and the soundtrack of our collective journey for equality, “Documented Rights” both entertains and enlightens. Free admission.
National History Day - National Finals
NARA Announces Student Winners of its National History Day Prizes
June 14 - 18
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
The National Archives is sponsoring two awards at the National History Day competition in honor of its anniversary. The contest was open to secondary school students; $1,000 will be awarded at the junior and senior levels for outstanding entries in any category that use the records of the Federal Government to either illuminate the creation and ratification of the U.S. Constitution or to focus on constitutional issues throughout American history.
Students interested in participating in the National History Day competition can find more information on the National History Day web site.
Learn more about the National Archives' National History Day research resources.
“75 Years: The National Archives from a Community Perspective”
Wednesday, June 17, at noon
McGowan Theater, Washington, DC, building
Moderator: David McMillen, External Affairs Liaison
Many types of researchers take advantage of the vast resources offered by the National Archives, the Presidential libraries, and the regional records centers and archives. Our panelists, all experienced researchers, will consider the National Archives of the past and future. Will there be researchers in the research rooms, and what is the future and the National Archives’ role? Moderated by David McMillen, Director of External Affairs, National Archives, panelists include H. W. Brands, Presidential historian and professor of history, University of Texas, Austin; Margo Anderson, Federal historian and professor of history, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Megan Smolenyak, Chief Family Historian and spokesperson for Ancestry.com; Donald Ritchie, associate historian, U.S. Senate Historical Office; and Michael Dobbs, Washington Post reporter.
Happy Birthday to the National Archives!
June 19, College Park, MD
June 1 - 30, NARA-wide reunions
Staff, retirees, and volunteers are invited to a cookout at the National Archives at College Park, MD, 6 p.m.—9 p.m. at on June 19. There will also be music, dancing, photos from the past, and children's activities. NARA facilities coast to coast are planning observances of the anniversary in June. Staff, retirees, and volunteers should contact their units for information about local plans. (See event details.)
Calling all NARA retirees! We're looking for YOU! Please send your e-mail and mailing address to 75th-Anniversary@nara.gov to receive your invitation!
Special Anniversary Issue of Prologue Magazine on Sale
Mid-June
To purchase online or subscribe, visit the Archives Store.
Anniversary Noontime Lecture Series with Robert V. Remini
Debut Program
A Short History of the United States
June 24 at noon
Jefferson Room, Washington, DC, building
Dr. Robert Remini, Historian of the United States House of Representatives, discusses his book A Short History of the United States, which vividly contains the essential facts about the discovery, settlement and growth of the United States along with other themes that have run through our history. Remini describes how English colonists slowly transformed themselves into the Americans we know.
Anniversary Noontime Film Series
From the Vaults: Propaganda, Persuasion & Promotion
Thursday, June 25, at noon (1 hour)
William G. McGowan Theater, Washington, DC, building
Featuring historic films taken from the motion picture holdings of the National Archives, the series kicks off with a selection originally designed to explain and promote U.S. Government programs and policies. Included will be the New Deal–era promotional short subject The Road Is Open Again (1933); Who Died? (1944) and Here Is Germany (1945), made during the Second World War; and The Road to the Wall (1962), a look at the rise of communism produced by CBS News for the U.S. Army. Please note—some scenes may be disturbing to younger viewers.
