20th Amendment A New Inauguration Day Ongoing Exhibit … The 20th Amendment to the Constitution was proposed by Congress in 1932 and ratified by the states on January 23, 1933. Since then, the President’s and Vice President’s terms begin midday on January 20. Congress begins on January 3. The amendment also defines a backup procedure in the event that a President-elect dies or has not been chosen by inauguration day–a statute that Congress has never needed to enact. Joint Resolution Proposing the 20th …

First Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin Past Exhibit … Four years before ratification of the 19th Amendment secured American women’s constitutional right to vote, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman elected to Congress. Political pioneer, suffragist, pacifist Four years before ratification of the 19th Amendment secured American women’s constitutional right to vote, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman elected to Congress. Rankin was sworn in as a representative for Montana on April 2, 1917. She served …

The 50th Anniversary of Title IX Past Exhibit … Sex discrimination in education put Patsy Mink on a path to becoming a legislator. Title IX —an act barring sex discrimination in education— was to be her signature legislative achievement.   Denied entry to medical school because of her sex, Patsy Mink entered law school instead. She went on to become the first Asian American and first woman of color elected to Congress. The educational discrimination Mink faced as a young woman fueled her desire to secure …

The Maker of Pilots Willa B Brown Past Exhibit … Aviator Willa Beatrice Brown (1906–92) achieved numerous “firsts” in her lifetime, many of them earned through her tireless advocacy to integrate aviation programs. Brown began taking flying lessons in 1934, and over the next four years she earned an MBA at Northwestern University, her Master Mechanic Certificate, and her pilot’s license, making her the first Black woman to receive a license in the United States. Determined to give aspiring pilots …

Diseños An Impact of Mexican Cession Past Exhibit … At the end of the Mexican-American War, the United States annexed more than half of Mexico’s territory under the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Under its terms, the U.S. promised to protect the property rights of Mexican citizens who had received land grants (ranchos) in the territory from Mexico or Spain. In 1851, Congress passed a law that required Mexican landowners in California to confirm their titles with the federal government. It was a lengthy …

Summer of 1948 A Step Forward for Equality for all in the US Armed Forces Past Exhibit … In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt upheld segregation in the Armed Forces, believing integration would threaten military efficiency and increase racial tension. President Harry S. Truman eventually organized a Presidential committee and based part of his 1948 campaign on civil rights. After winning that election, Truman was stymied by congressional inaction and called for a special session of Congress.  On July …

200th Anniversary of the Monroe Document Past Exhibit … Buried in a routine annual message to Congress, President James Monroe articulated the landmark foreign policy statement known today as the Monroe Doctrine. President Monroe’s 1823 message–a precursor to the State of the Union address–warned that the United States would not tolerate further colonization of the Western Hemisphere by European governments. Though crafted in response to concerns of the time, the doctrine ultimately became a cornerstone of …

A President Resigns 50 Years Later Past Exhibit … Richard Nixon’s letter resigning the Presidency, August 9, 1974.   National Archives, General Records of the Department of State View in the National Archives Catalog Richard Nixon’s letter resigning the Presidency, August 9, 1974.   National Archives, General Records of the Department of State View in the National Archives Catalog Nixon's farewell to his cabinet and members of the White House staff, August 9, 1974.  Richard Nixon Presidential Library and …

DC Emancipation Act Past Exhibit … On April 16, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill ending slavery in the District of Columbia . African Americans in the District greeted emancipation with great jubilation and continue to celebrate Emancipation Day with parades and festivals. The original first and signature pages will be on display. An Act of April 16, 1862 [For the Release of Certain Persons Held to Service or Labor in the District of Columbia] (DC Emancipation Act). National Archives, General …

Write to Mom Thats an order Past Exhibit … This World War I–era telegram relays the Secretary of War’s desire that all commanding  officers and soldiers write a letter home for Mother’s Day. By the date of this communication, May 6, 1919, those moms had been waiting almost six months for their children to come home. Although the Armistice was announced in November 1918, it took over a year to transport the millions of American troops stationed overseas back to the United States. Mother's Day Telegram, May …