Archive for September, 2012
John F. Kennedy and PT Boat 59
Today’s post is written by archivist Dr. Greg Bradsher. When one thinks about President Kennedy’s naval career in World War II, what most often comes to mind is his command of Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109. Thanks to the 1963 movie PT 109, adapted from the 1961 book PT 109: John F. Kennedy in World War [...]
Posted by Hilary on September 24, 2012, under - Presidents, - World War II.
Tags: JFK, naval history, President Kennedy, PT 109, PT 59, Solomon Islands, Solomons, World War II, WWII
Comments: none
Constitution 225: It was secret, but we know about it
Today’s post was written by National Archives volunteer Paul Richter. It is part of a series tracing the development of the Constitution in honor of the 225th anniversary of this document on September 17, 2012. In the earliest days of the Constitutional Convention, the delegates agreed their proceedings would be secret. As the convention drew [...]
Posted by Hilary on September 20, 2012, under - Constitution.
Tags: Constitution, Constitution 225, constitution day, constitutional convention, Madison, secret records, State Department
Comments: 1
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on display in New York City
The fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation. . . . In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free—honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best, hope of [...]
Posted by Hilary on September 19, 2012, under - Civil War.
Tags: Archivist, civil war, Emancipation Proclamation, Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, slavery
Comments: 1
Constitution 225: And the winner is….
In honor of the 225th anniversary of the Constitution, we challenged citizens on Twitter to take the Preamble of the Constitution and distill its meaning into a twitter-sized bite. The Archivist of the United States chose the winner on the Constitution Day. Congratulations to Jean Huets, who will receive a pocket-sized Constitution from the Foundation [...]
Posted by Hilary on September 18, 2012, under - Constitution, Uncategorized.
Tags: Archivist, Constitution, constitution day, constitution225, Preamble, Twitter
Comments: none
Constitution 225: To errata is human
Imagine a time before computers and the safety net of spellcheck and auto-correct. Imagine you are about to write by hand (or “engross”) the document that will set out the fundamentals of governing a new nation. And you have less than 48 hours to do it. The Constitution (plus its “fifth page” were written by [...]
Posted by Hilary on September 14, 2012, under - Constitution, Uncategorized.
Tags: Constitution, Constitution 225, engrossing, handwriting, Jacob shallus, parchment
Comments: none