Ms. Y

congressarchives: With the country continually expanding and...

Thu, 10 May 2012 14:02:06 -0400

With the country continually expanding and growing, Congress passed the Pacific Railroad Acts in 1862, authorizing two companies, the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific, to construct a transcontinental railroad. Work began the next year, and eventually over 18,000 Chinese, German, Irish, and Italian immigrants worked on the project. The last spike was driven on May 10, 1869, in a ceremony at Promontory, Utah.

Memorial and Joint Resolution relative to a grant of Lands, 2/11/1858, Records of the U.S. House of Representatives

Letter from Secretary of the Interior, 1/14/1869, Records of the U.S. Senate

pbsthisdayinhistory: May 10, 1994: Nelson Mandela Becomes...

Thu, 10 May 2012 14:00:57 -0400

pbsthisdayinhistory:

May 10, 1994: Nelson Mandela Becomes President of South Africa

On this day in 1994, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s first black president. Mandela had spent 27 years imprisoned for working in the anti-apartheid movement.

FRONTLINE’s “The Long Walk of Nelson Mandela” site takes an inside look at his childhood, revolutionary years, imprisonment, and personal life.

Florin, California. Two of the nine American soldiers of...

Thu, 10 May 2012 14:00:09 -0400

Florin, California. Two of the nine American soldiers of Japanese ancestry who have returned to their home town on furloughs that were granted to them in order that they could assist their families prepare for evacuation of all persons of Japanese ancestry from their west coast homes. This community is depending on their returned service men for many errands, shopping, banking, etc., because the soldiers are permitted to travel into town, nine miles away, while others cannot because of military restrictions. 05/10/1942

Dorothea Lange, Photographer. From the Central Photographic File of the War Relocation Authority

Future U.S. History Students: "It's Pretty Embarrassing How Long You Guys Took To Legalize Gay Marriage"

Wed, 09 May 2012 18:42:00 -0400

Future U.S. History Students: "It's Pretty Embarrassing How Long You Guys Took To Legalize Gay Marriage":

Ha!

nypl: Happy Mustache Monday! This is Charlie Gould, who played...

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:57:15 -0400

nypl:

Happy Mustache Monday!

This is Charlie Gould, who played ball for the Cincinnati Red Stockings, among other teams. According to Harry Ellard’s book Baseball in Cincinnati: A History, he was one of the more affable players in the league and his fielding prowess was so well known that fellows called him “the bushel-basket.”

We have a photo of his wife Laura, as well, so she joins him as a special, non-mustached Mustache Monday guest.

ourpresidents: The Unconditional Surrender of Germany On May 7,...

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:54:32 -0400

ourpresidents:

The Unconditional Surrender of Germany

On May 7, 1945, the European conflict of World War II ended when Germany signed an unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters in Rheims, France.

In this photo, Colonel General Gustaf Jodl, German Chief of Staff signs the documents of unconditional surrender, under which all remaining forces of German Army are bound to lay down their arms.

On Jodl’s left is General Admiral Von Friedeburg of the German Navy, on his right is Major Wilhelm Oxenius of the German General Staff.

-from the FDR Library

theeconomist: Daily chart: the world’s most expensive art. When...

Thu, 03 May 2012 13:40:19 -0400

theeconomist:

Daily chart: the world’s most expensive art. When Edvard Munch painted “The Scream” he did not have enough money to buy canvas, so the painting that sold on May 2nd at Sotheby’s for $120m is on cardboard. Yet the sale is only a record in nominal terms: adjusted for inflation, several more expensive paintings have been sold.

ourpresidents: The U-2 Mission and the Cold War The U-2 spy...

Thu, 03 May 2012 08:11:23 -0400

CIA U-2 Flight Map, 1960

Lockheed U-2, 1965

ourpresidents:

The U-2 Mission and the Cold War

The U-2 spy plane was designed as a high altitude, single-pilot, single-engine aircraft. It was lightweight, but able to carry a variety of equipment such as multi-sensor cameras, and electro-optic, infrared and radar imagery machines.

Although the plane’s design broke ground in many ways, its main drawback was sluggish flight control due to its landing gear requirements. In case of an emergency ejection, the pilot seat was equipped with a hunting knife, a .22 caliber pistol, a parachute, and a survival pack. An explosive mechanism was installed that would blow up the plane after the pilot ejected.

On May 1, 1960, Captain Francis Gary Powers’ CIA mission was to perform secret aerial reconnaissance by flying over the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact territory. While in flight, a missile hit his plane and Powers was unable to follow the self-destruct protocols. The Soviet Union quickly recovered the wreckage and captured the pilot.

President Eisenhower learned of the missing U-2 plane on May 2. Believing that there was no possibility that Powers could survive a high-altitude missile strike, President Eisenhower gave the order to proceed with releasing a cover story.

More - Letters to the President about the U-2 Incident

-from the Eisenhower Library

todaysdocument: The atomic cloud formed by the detonation...

Tue, 01 May 2012 12:33:03 -0400

todaysdocument:

The atomic cloud formed by the detonation seems close enough to touch, and tension gone, Poth and Wilson do a little clowning for the camera, 05/01/1952

Note - The Today’s Document staff does not encourage clowning around with atomic clouds…

newyorker: Slide Show: Presidential First Pitches The...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:12:58 -0400

newyorker:

Slide Show: Presidential First Pitches

The general-election campaign is under way, and so is the baseball season. Over at Daily Comment, Steve Coll asks how those two could be joined—and maybe, just maybe, whether a World Series run by the Washington Nationals might play a decisive role in the Presidential race. Presidents have been throwing out pitches at Washington baseball games, and at other stadiums around the country, for a century. You can see some of the best moments—from William Howard Taft, who tossed the ball to Walter Johnson, to Barack Obama, in the following slide show: http://nyr.kr/J08ZI1 (Also see: Presidents and their dogs.)

nypl: Happy Mustache Monday! Unidentified man in a portrait by...

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:10:39 -0400

nypl:

Happy Mustache Monday!

Unidentified man in a portrait by Noah Gifford, 54 Purchase Street (corner of William), New Bedford, Mass.

Check out my prediction for the 2012 election...

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:10:00 -0400

Check out my prediction for the 2012 election...:

You can make yours at 270towin.com.

theatlantic: This is the Memo That Killed Osama Bin Laden If...

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:13:58 -0400

theatlantic:

This is the Memo That Killed Osama Bin Laden

If you can manage to decipher Leon Panetta’s chicken scratch, you too can read the final memo that launched the raid that killed America’s most hated enemy. The memo is part of Peter Bergen’s Time cover story on Osama bin Laden’s last days and Obama’s call to go ahead, despite Joe Biden and Robert Gates’ disapproval, with the Navy SEAL raid on bin Laden’s Abottabad complex. Here’s the transcription:

Received phone call from Tom Donilon who stated that the President made a decision with regard to AC1 [Abbottabad Compound 1]. The decision is to proceed with the assault. The timing, operational decision making and control are in Admiral McRaven’s hands. The approval is provided on the risk profile presented to the President. Any additional risks are to be brought back to the President for his consideration. The direction is to go in and get bin Laden and if he is not there, to get out. Those instructions were conveyed to Admiral McRaven at approximately 10:45 am.

Read more at The Atlantic Wire.

todaysdocument: John Wilkes Booth, wanted for the assassination...

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:12:54 -0400

todaysdocument:

John Wilkes Booth, wanted for the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, was found hiding in a barn near Bowling Green, Virginia, by a platoon of New York Cavalry and shot on April 26, 1865.

How much does the president matter? What do you think?

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:03:21 -0400

How much does the president matter?

What do you think?

nypl: Re-blogging our friends at the Smithsonian for today’s...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:09:45 -0400

nypl:

Re-blogging our friends at the Smithsonian for today’s Mustache Monday. Besides his full mustache, we also enjoy this fellow’s dapper suit and way with a silky tie.

smithsonianlibraries:

Cartes de visite of French artist Charles Herrmann-Leon (1838 - 1908) (also known as Leon-Charles Herrmann) painter of dogs, and gentleman who could wear a mustache with the proper attitude.

ourpresidents: Which Presidential Inaugural Address was...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:09:20 -0400

ourpresidents:

Which Presidential Inaugural Address was Best?

This question just came in from a fan of the National Archives:

“Is there a consensus as to which presidential inaugural address was the best? I recognize that in this case “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and it may be more accurate to think of the top five rather than single one out. Any advice would be appreciated.”

Photo of President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivering his fourth Inaugural Address, 1/20/45.

Help a fellow out. Which Presidential inaugural addresses are at the top of your list?

todaysdocument: Boston’s venerable Fenway Park hosted its first...

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:04:28 -0400

todaysdocument:

Boston’s venerable Fenway Park hosted its first professional game 100 years ago today when the Red Sox defeated the New York Highlanders (aka Yankees) on April 20, 1912.

ourpresidents:

It’s the 100th opening day at Fenway Park.

Here, John F. Kennedy meets with Ted Williams and Eddie Pellagrini of the Boston Red Sox, and Hank Greenberg of the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park, Boston, April 1946.

-from the Kennedy Library

Go Sox!

congressarchives: The April 18, 1906 San Francisco Earthquake,...

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:12:00 -0400

congressarchives:

The April 18, 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, estimated at 7.9 magnitude, was one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, claiming more than 3,000 lives. Congress responded to the disaster in several ways. The House and the Senate Appropriations Committees enacted emergency appropriations. Other congressional action included the House Claims Committee handling claims from owners seeking reimbursement for destroyed property. The Senate also passed a resolution asking the Secretary of War to furnish the Senate with a copy of a report on the earthquake and fire. The report on the relief efforts and accompanying captioned photographs, prepared by the U.S. Army, are now housed with the records of the Senate Committee on Printing and include the above photos.

Visit our featured document article for more information on this tragic event and the congressional response.

Photograph of Union Street Car Line After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127302)

Photograph of the Effect of Earthquake on Houses Built on Loose or Made Ground After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127357)

Photograph of Souvenir Hunters After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127316)

Photograph of St. Francis Hotel Showing the Clean Sweep of Fire in the Business Section of All Except Class A Steel Frame Buildings After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127289)

Photograph of a Military Camp on the Fourth Day After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 2127305)

Photograph of a Typical Bread Line in the Early Stages of Relief Distribution After the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Records of the U.S. Senate (ARC 306190)

todaysdocument: On April 9, 1865, Generals Ulysses S. Grant and...

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:47:56 -0400

todaysdocument:

On April 9, 1865, Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee met in the parlor of a house in Appomattox Court House, VA, to discuss this surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, which would end the Civil War. According to the terms, the men of Lee’s army could return home in safety if they pledged to end the fighting and deliver their arms to the Union Army.

via Our Documents »