Archives Experience Newsletter
The Unconventional Journey to the 27th Amendment
The 27th Amendment exemplifies the intricate (sometimes centuries-long) process of constitutional change in American history. When one imagines “recent” constitutional amendments, topics like the Equal Rights Amendment or voting age may come to mind. However, the 27th Amendment is unique in that it is both the most recent and one of the oldest amendments in America’s Constitution.
Soaring: Pioneers of American Aerospace
62 years ago this May, U.S. Astronaut Alan Shepard set an historic era of American aerospace into motion with his journey aboard the Mercury capsule Freedom 7. Launch into his legacy and the iconic Americans who eventually brought us into the space age…
Trailblazers in the Archives: Celebrating AANHPI Heritage
May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, a moment to reflect on and honor the role these Americans have played in our national story.
From famed actor Anna May Wong and Olympian Duke Kahanamoku, to astronaut Ellison Onizuka and famous “Trekkie” George Takei, records found at the National Archives tell us more about the lives of AANHPI individuals who have made notable contributions to American film, sports, science, and more.
From famed actors Bruce Lee and Anna May Wong, to astronaut Ellison Onizuka and famous Trekkie George Takei, to Olympian Duke Kahanamoku, records held at the National Archives tell us more about the lives of AANHPI individuals who have made notable contributions to American film, science, sports, and more.
From “Separate but Equal” to “With All Deliberate Speed”
The Supreme Court’s May 1896 decision in Plessy v. Ferguson cemented the Jim Crow social order in its declaration that separate spaces for Black and white Americans were “equal.” It was not until Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 that the era of legalized racial segregation began to chip away…