by Kevin Thomas, Special Events Coordinator Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers his Christmas message on the radio from his study in the FDR Library in Hyde Park, New York, December 24, 1943. NPx 61-71. Lend-Lease is one of Franklin Roosevelt's most remarkable and vital achievements in the formation of the anti-Hitler alliance- Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, … Continue reading Turning the Tide: FDR and the Battle of the Atlantic, March 18, 1943
by William A. Harris, Deputy Director FDR on television accepting the Democratic Presidential nomination, July 19, 1940. This photo was taken by a viewer while watching the broadcast and sent to the President. (FDR Library, President's Official File-Television) This year marks a major turning point in Presidential nominating conventions with the impact of the COVID-19 … Continue reading Television, FDR and the 1940 Presidential Conventions
by William A. Harris, Deputy Director For the car and truck enthusiasts, as well as those fascinated by the operation of Federal agency motor vehicle fleets during World War II (and really, who isn't?), we provide a glimpse into the operational world of the FDR Library in the early to mid-1940s, including the paperwork nightmare of a pre-computer … Continue reading Keep on Trucking: Esoterica from the FDR Library Files
Great Depression: Run on the Banks. NPx 74-20(1007) by Kevin Thomas, Special Events Coordinator The Great Depression left many Americans without jobs and subsequently, without identity. For artists, this was especially serious. In response to this, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) established Federal Project Number One, to help provide public employment for artists who had … Continue reading The Federal Writers’ Project
by Kevin Thomas, Special Events Coordinator Franklin D. Roosevelt and James Cox in Dayton, Ohio campaigning for Vice-President and President respectively. August 9, 1920. The lawn of Springwood was choked by the crowd. Nearly five thousand had gathered to witness the moment – when the young Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, addressed … Continue reading The Good Luck Charm: Franklin D. Roosevelt and the 1920 Democratic National Convention
By Paul Sparrow, Director FDR Library As a young boy Franklin Roosevelt would explore the thousand acres of forest along the Hudson River that was his backyard. He loved to collect birds and he learned taxidermy so he could preserve his specimens using a form of arsenic soap. His work was good enough for the … Continue reading Hidden Treasures: FDR’s Rare Bird Books
By Herman Eberhardt, Supervisory Museum Curator One of the most unusual items in the Roosevelt Library's Museum collection also happens to be one of my favorites. The object is a sculpture. Of course, that isn’t an unusual thing to find in a museum collection. However, this particular sculpture, which stands over 8 feet high, isn’t … Continue reading Artifact Highlight: The Sphinx
By Herman Eberhardt, Supervisory Museum Curator Visitors to the Roosevelt Library often ask me what I think is the most important artifact in the Museum. Since the Museum collection includes over 34,000 objects, that would seem to be a difficult question to answer. The collection covers a broad spectrum of artifacts, ranging from clothing, personal … Continue reading Artifact Highlight: FDR’s Oval Office Desk
Augustus Julius "Gus" Siko, 1921-1943 by William A. Harris, deputy director On this Memorial Day weekend, we'll again honor the service of Augustus Julius "Gus" Siko, one of the original FDR Library staff members and one of only four National Archives employees to die on active duty during World War II. His patriotism and sense … Continue reading Remembering Gus Siko: The FDR Library’s Gold Star Staff Member
by William A. Harris, Deputy Director A smiling Alma Van Curan, 1941. As archivists and historians know all too well, the most surprising documents are often the least obviously important ones. They lurk in plain sight, but they lack that "oh wow" brilliance of a "Day of Infamy" speech draft. The import of these less … Continue reading Unpretentious History: Alma Van Curan and the FDR Library Logbooks
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