A Cornerstone of our Democracy

By Paul M. Sparrow, Director, FDR Library. On November 19, 1939, the cornerstone for the Franklin Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum was laid in a very public ceremony. In front of an audience of nearly 1,000 people Roosevelt spoke about his personal connection to the land on which the library was built. He described his vision … Continue reading A Cornerstone of our Democracy

“I Have Returned!” – General MacArthur and FDR

By Paul M. Sparrow, Director, FDR Library. On Oct. 20, 1944 Gen. Douglas MacArthur waded ashore on Leyte Island in the Philippines and fulfilled his promise to return. The charismatic and dashing General was one of the most famous American military leaders in the world and his dramatic return to his beloved Philippines was a … Continue reading “I Have Returned!” – General MacArthur and FDR

August 14: A Day of Two Anniversaries

By Paul M. Sparrow, Director, FDR Library. August 14th is a very significant day in the legacy of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Two of the most important and lasting achievements of his presidency occurred on this day - ten years apart. The Social Security Act was enacted on August 14th, 1935, and the official end of World … Continue reading August 14: A Day of Two Anniversaries

Around the World in 80 Days with the Roosevelts

The Roosevelt Library plans quite a trip for Summer 2014! Join us as we journey to seven continents and 95 countries for Around the World in 80 Days with the Roosevelts. Look for hundreds of internationally themed photographs, museum objects, and historic documents on the Library's Tumblr -- fdrlibrary.tumblr.com – and other social media accounts beginning Memorial Day weekend and culminating with the August … Continue reading Around the World in 80 Days with the Roosevelts

The Roosevelts and the Kennedys

The ties between the Roosevelt and Kennedy families go back to World War I when Franklin D. Roosevelt was Assistant Secretary of the Navy.  In November 1917, Joseph P. Kennedy was the Assistant General Manager of the Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation in Quincy, Massachusetts, when a labor strike threatened the company’s contribution to the Navy’s … Continue reading The Roosevelts and the Kennedys

The 150th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: FDR’s View

Today, one hundred-fifty years later, we pause to remember one of the greatest speeches ever made by a US President: Abraham Lincoln’s poetically beautiful Gettysburg Address, given November 19, 1863, upon the dedication of the National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. On July 3, 1938, speaking on the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, President … Continue reading The 150th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: FDR’s View

Clinton on Roosevelt

by Lynn Bassanese, FDR Library Director  Putting together a brand new 12,000 square foot museum exhibit has been quite an adventure.  There are countless components that go into the design and fabrication of an exhibit.  Currently, we are working with a design company, an interactive contractor, a fabrication company and an audiovisual production company. One … Continue reading Clinton on Roosevelt

From the Museum

80th Anniversary – Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1933 Presidential Inauguration Eighty years ago, on March 4, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated as President of the United States for the first time. As he approached the rostrum to take the oath of office at the Capitol, he braced himself on his son James’s arm. Breaking precedent, … Continue reading From the Museum