"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me."
130 years ago today, the Statue of Liberty came to America.
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The Fifteenth Amendment, Ratified February 3, 1870:
"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude…"
Joint Resolution Proposing the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, 02/26/1869
From the series: Enrolled Acts and Resolutions of Congress, 1789 - 2011
Passed by Congress February 26, 1869, and ratified one hundred and forty-five years ago on February 3, 1870, the 15th amendment granted African American men the right to vote.
To former abolitionists and to the Radical Republicans in Congress who fashioned Reconstruction after the Civil War, the 15th amendment, enacted in 1870, appeared to signify the fulfillment of all promises to African Americans. Set free by the 13th amendment, with citizenship guaranteed by the 14th amendment, black males were given the vote by the 15th amendment. From that point on, the freedmen were generally expected to fend for themselves.
Following a century of discriminatory voting practices, President Lyndon B. Johnson, urged Congress on March 15, 1965, to pass legislation “which will make it impossible to thwart the 15th amendment.” He reminded Congress that “we cannot have government for all the people until we first make certain it is government of and by all the people.” The Voting Rights Act of 1965, extended in 1970, 1975, and 1982, abolished all remaining deterrents to exercising the franchise and authorized Federal supervision of voter registration where necessary.
via OurDocuments
Source: catalog.archives.gov
They broke the sound barrier and gender barriers along the way. Hear the untold stories of women in STEM.
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On the 50th anniversary of his passing, we honor the legacy of President John F. Kennedy. We trace our roots and mission to 1960, when then-Senator Kennedy challenged students at the University of Michigan to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries. His inspiration led to the establishment of this agency in 1961 with a mission to promote world peace and friendship.
Today, we are more vital than ever, working in collaboration with public and private partners in emerging and essential areas such as education, information technology, agriculture and environment, and business development in countries around the world. The Peace Corps is committed to giving all Americans who want to serve the opportunity to make a difference and bring their experience back home to enrich their communities here in the United States.
Since 1961, more than 215,000 Americans of all ages and backgrounds have responded to Kennedy’s enduring challenge, demonstrating how the power of an idea can capture the imagination of an entire nation.
Source: 1.usa.gov
"50 years later, John F. Kennedy stands for posterity as he did in life -- young, and bold, and daring. And he stays with us in our imagination not because he left us too soon, but because he embodied the character of the people he led." --President Obama on the legacy of President Kennedy
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President and Mrs. Kennedy arrive at Dallas. President Kennedy, Mrs. Kennedy, others. Dallas, TX, Love Field., 11/22/1963
Fifty years ago today, on November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy arrives in Dallas, only a short time before he was assassinated.
Source: research.archives.gov
President Obama, President Clinton, and President Carter will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington tomorrow.
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"On July 4th, 1776, a small band of patriots declared that we were a people created equal – free to think and worship and live as we please. It was a declaration heard around the world – that we were no longer colonists, we were Americans, and our destiny would not be determined for us; it would be determined by us." —President Obama in his Weekly Address
Source: research.archives.gov
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Founders Online
This afternoon, the National Archives launched Founders Online—a tool for seamless searching across the Papers of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Alexander Hamilton.
Through Founders Online you can now trace the shaping of the nation, the extraordinary clash of ideas, the debates and discussions carried out through drafts and final versions of public documents as well as the evolving thoughts and principles shared in personal correspondence, diaries, and journals. This beta version of Founders Online was funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) and contains over 119,000 documents. New documents will be added to the site on a continual basis.
An incredible new resource from the National Archives (with 42 mentions of "Tumbl[e]r" all before 1836!). Check it out.
Good news: The Senate finally confirmed Sri Srinivasan to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit — but there’s more to do.
Some of our favorite behind-the-scenes shots of POTUS and FLOTUS from April. Check out the full collection.