Thursday Caption Contest

Congratulations to LisaLou! Your caption tugged the entrepreneurial heartstrings of guest judge Suzanne Isaacs, who makes sure all the great images we use are available to the public in ARC. Check your e-mail for 15% off in the eStore! This photo was suggested to us by Laura of the Foundation for the National Archives. She thought … Continue reading Thursday Caption Contest

The Queen’s Scones for a Wedding Breakfast

Welcome to our first "What's Cooking Wednesday" here at Pieces of History! We're excited to make this first post in a series celebrating our new exhibit "What's Cooking, Uncle Sam?" which looks at the role that the Federal Government has taken in Americans’ lives regarding food production, safety, advertising, and nutrition. It opens June 10, … Continue reading The Queen’s Scones for a Wedding Breakfast

Pennsylvania Avenue Hotline

Today's guest post comes from David Coleman,  associate professor at the University of Virginia and Chair of the Presidential Recordings Program at the Miller Center of Public Affairs. On April 28, W.W. Norton will publish volumes 7 and 8 in the Miller Center's Presidential Recordings of Lyndon B. Johnson series. (The original tapes are in … Continue reading Pennsylvania Avenue Hotline

An Egg-centric White House Tradition

Today's an eggs-ellent day in Washington, DC, for young people! It's the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, where hundreds of children gather to roll eggs and play games on the South Lawn of the President's House. But the tradition did not start at the White House. It began on the lawns and terraces of the … Continue reading An Egg-centric White House Tradition

Facial Hair Friday: Shiloh and Sideburns

There's something appealing about this pensive photograph of Ulysses S. Grant, from his somber clothes to his wistful gaze. He doesn't seem like someone who saw  some of the bloodiest fighting at Shiloh. Unlike many of our other featured Facial Hairs of the Civil War era, Grant's beard is not a runaway avalanche of hair, nor is it … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Shiloh and Sideburns

Thursday Photo Caption Contest

Although we were greatly amused by the suggestions of dam building, weather predictions, and rodent chili recipes, we eventually decided on Amy's caption, which  combined the history of the Cilivian Conservation Corps with the Depression and managed to be funny! Amy, check your email for your code for 15% off in our eStore! So...are these … Continue reading Thursday Photo Caption Contest

JFK’s Cold War Calculations

On April 20, 1961, exactly three months after his inauguration, President John F. Kennedy addressed the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) regarding the Bay of Pigs invasion. In his speech, Kennedy addressed one of the most crucial decisions of his presidency—his choice not to provide air cover for the 1,400 men of the Cuban … Continue reading JFK’s Cold War Calculations

“Panda”monium at the National Zoo

Springtime in Washington, DC, makes people think of cherry blossoms—and pandas. While keepers and panda fans anxiously wait for signs that the National Zoo's Mei Xiang may be expecting a cub, we remember the first pandas to live at the zoo. President Richard Nixon's historic trip to China in February 1972 opened diplomatic and trade … Continue reading “Panda”monium at the National Zoo

Emancipation for DC

Today is Emancipation Day for the District of Columbia. Some of you might immediately wonder if this is related to DC's current efforts to win representation and a vote, but it is a celebration for a different kind of freedom for the residents of DC. Eight and a half months before he signed the Emancipation … Continue reading Emancipation for DC