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 …