#presidential libraries

[usnatarchives]

Bess Truman, born on February 13, 1885.

The future First Lady loved hats even as a child. According to her best friend, Mary Paxton, Bess “always looked more stylish than anyone else in the crowd…. Bess had more stylish hats than the rest of us did, or she wore them with more style.”

[macaron-n-cheese]

I went to the Nixon and Reagan Presidential Library and Museums today!

I have a migraine from reading in the car so I'm not going to write a lot.

Nixon. I love his signature anime girlie pose :)

WOOF WOOF

THE JASON HEUSER PAINTING IN THE CORNER

I can now say that I am a Richard Nixon fan, he's just silly. The intro video actually called him a loser since he's always lose before he won 😭

Reagan

NOOOO NOT CUSTER 🤢🤮

It's still so cool that Reagan acted and was even President of the Actor's Guild.

President fandom:

MARX 'S THUMBS-UP IS SO FUNNY. Teach your kids about the wonders of communism RIGHT NOW. 👍

Horse :)

the glare is horrendous...BEAN PORTRAIT

*😐 among us WHOHMP tat tat tat* uh....

[deadpresidents]

Are Presidential libraries for all ex presidents mandatory or more customary?

It's not mandatory to build a library, but all Presidents are required to preserve the records of their Administration, and that usually is done by building a library under the auspices of the National Archives. Building a library or museum or foundation is also a way for a former President to shape their legacy and have a base for their post-Presidential activities and activism.

[fdrlibrary]

Visit From Kara Blond

We were delighted to host Kara Blond, Director of Presidential Libraries, for a visit last week. Our staff was excited to meet with her and have the opportunity to show off the FDR Library!

@ourpresidents

[noctomania]

Presidential centers from Hoover to Bush and Obama unite to warn of fragile state of US democracy

The statement released Thursday, the first time the libraries have joined to make such a public declaration, said Americans have a strong interest in supporting democratic movements and human rights around the world because “free societies elsewhere contribute to our own security and prosperity here at home.”

[deadpresidents]

Never mess with an archivist.

[archivyrep]

A post written in April 2019 which talks about Robert Caro's flawed ideas on archival research, archival digitization, and digital archives.

[naracore]

There's something about the liminal academia vibes of government archives and libraries. Like there are distinctly the parts where architectural vision was implemented and then there's the spaces that are just utilitarian.

1. Stacks at Gerald Ford Presidential Library, Ann Arbor, MI (USA) via Wikimedia Commons

2. Stairwell at National Archives College Park, MD (USA)

[cometrose]

trump may be a lying felon and biden a foot away from death but my fellow americans don’t forget to vote for your senators and representatives they’re important!!!

[diemelusine]

Hand-tinted photograph of Alice Roosevelt Longworth (1903) by Frances Benjamin Johnston. Library of Congress.

[fictionadventurer]

I never was able to find out why China has a larger version of this statue of Lincoln, but it's cool that it exists.

[dxmxuse]

What is a book ban and is it going to change? - A brief explanation and non-exhaustive list

For the last several years, the concept of banning books has been a widely debated topic. With some opposed to the ban, citing freedom of speech, others claim that the ban protects school age children from pre-mature exposure to adult concepts and topics. My goal throughout this post is to help clarify what exactly a book ban is (as of 2024) and provide my opinion on the future of book banning. I will also be linking several websites which delve deeper into the topic and provide full lists of banned or challenged books throughout the US. Grab your popcorn kiddos this is going to be a long one.

So, what exactly is a book ban? Well, in the US (again, as of 2024) banning books predominantly means that these titles are no longer available in public school libraries and classrooms. This means that if a student wishes to read a banned title, they must purchase or borrow the book from a non-school facility. This could be Amazon, Barns and Noble, Target, etc. In many cases, students will also be able to access many of these titles in a public library.

Now, public libraries are tricky. In some states, public libraries don't have too much of an issue with banned books. In others however, libraries can face serious backlash for having banned books. Libraries are government funded which means that if a state determines a book is banned, they have the ability to defund a library containing these titles. Many libraries choose to remove these titles in order to protect their jobs and funding. Ultimately, it depends on 2 factors: Is a book banned through the state and is the state strict with the banning laws. I know here in California, many titles have been classified as banned, but are still available through public libraries as it's typically only enforced in public school curriculum.

The criteria to ban a book ranges depending on the state. In most situations, a book could be flagged for containing topics such as non-heteronormative sexuality, critical race theory, anti democratic views, and non-Christian views. Basically if it hurts Christian/republican feelings it gets banned. For the sake of keeping this from getting too long, I wont go into how a book is banned, but it is important to remember what types topics tend to be targeted.

Now, to play devils advocate here I will admit I do believe there are some books that should not be in school libraries. Despite this, I think the term 'banned' is much too harsh a word to use. For instance, A Clockwork Orange is banned in California due to depictions of sexual violence, however, you can still easily find this title in libraries and book stores. The ban extends to public schools meaning that they cannot teach or offer the book to students. A Clockwork Orange is not a book I would consider appropriate to use as teaching material in classrooms when there are other books teachers can use with similar yet less adult themes.

While I fully believe we have the right to choose what books we read, I do think its important to remember that not all books are meant for children. I think it is entirely appropriate for parents and teachers to decide that a book contains themes and topics not appropriate for school age children, and limit overall access to that. It should then be individual families decisions to allow their own children to read a book that might contain sensitive topics.

Ok now to my main point:

With the recent election results, the concept of banning books will come into play a lot more. We have truly no idea what might happen and how the previous explanation of book bans will change. In my opinion, I believe that they will try to prohibit publishers and manufacturers from producing these titles which would mean it would be difficult, if not illegal, to purchase and sell banned books. While I have no idea if it will truly happen, I would like to start preparing for a situation like this. For the record, I do not think this is going to be a Fahrenheit 451 situation so obtaining physical copies of these books is likely our best bet.

If you would like to start purchasing banned books, please keep a few things in mind:

You will need the physical copy. I love my Kindle, but it is all too easy to remove a book from my library and if a strict ban is in place this could happen.

You do not need a copy of every single book. The full list is incredibly long.

Please only purchase one copy of the books you would like. I truly believe there will be a surge in purchases for these books and the point of this is to maintain widespread access to them. Hoarding 10 copies of The Great Gatsby is potentially taking away 9 peoples opportunity to have them as well.

When looking for banned books, I've been using a PDF my state posted on their website (CA Library). If you are not in California, you can find your state library website by typing '[Your state] Library' and it should be one of the first links. Again these are government funded facilities so check and make sure it has a .gov to confirm that it is the official site.

I have also been using Pen.org to identify titles that have been banned in other states, as well as get information regarding book banning.

If you would like to not sift through a long list of books here is a list of 10 books I believe are at a large risk. These are not all of the books I believe are at risk, just enough to get you started.

The Handmaids Tale

To Kill a Mocking Bird

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

All of the Hunger Games books

Brave New World

Fahrenheit 451

All of Toni Morrisons books

Gender Queer: A Memoir

Slaughterhouse 5

Animal Farm

I hate that I had to do this.

As a final note I would just like to say that this post is meant to prepare for worst case scenario. I am NOT saying this is 100% happening. I am a little bookworm with a huge respect for literature and it makes me beyond furious that the US is on the verge of attacking our right to read. I want to have copies of these books because I love them and I want to be able to pass them down to others when needed. I don't want to see them disappear from our society and I hope you don't either.

[deadpresidents]

"You don't need a memorial to me because I'll be cussed and discussed for the next generation anyway. I'm more interested in this project than I am in anything else. Even [more] than I am in throwing bricks at some people."

-- Former President Harry S. Truman, at a fundraiser luncheon for his Presidential Library at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, New York, June 29, 1953.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

What’s that elephant the Danes are wearing?

Tatler’s guide to the emblems and quirks of Denmark’s highest honour, the Order of the Elephant.

A curious little diamond-encrusted elephant, a blue sash, a gold collar – and sometimes a big flaming cape…Tatler looks into the history and tradition of Denmark's most privileged Order.

With Frederik X set to become sovereign of the Order as he becomes King on Sunday, you might see a few of these elephants around Copenhagen's royal palaces

By Isaac Zamet

12 January 2024

When Crown Prince Frederik becomes Frederik X of Denmark on Sunday, he will also replace his mother, Queen Margrethe II, as the sovereign of Denmark’s most ancient and distinguished order of chivalry, the Order of the Elephant.

Though it was officially refounded in 1693, the order dates all the way back to the 1400s, when it was established as a religious confraternity by a group of about fifty Danish knights.

In the 1400s, prior to the Reformation which gripped Europe and divided the church, such religious ‘clubs’ as the Order of the Elephant were common features of aristocratic life.

At the time of the Order of the Elephant's birth, Christian I was King of Denmark – and in fact, Norway and Sweden too, creating a personal union known as the Kalmar Union.

During this period, the emblem of the club was an image of the Virgin Mary holding her Son within a crescent moon.

This was hung from a collar formed of links in the shape of elephants.

The confraternity mutated over the centuries but endured a stifled period after the Reformation in which such clubs became suspect.

In 1580, Frederik II – eight Frederiks prior to our current Frederik – revived the order and replaced the medallion of the mother and child with an elephant (a Reformation-safe, Protestant approach – if a quirky one!).

But it was Christian V, in 1693, who gave the club its official statues and founding order.

At this time, it was scheduled as comprising 30 noble knights and one Grand Master (the King) along with his sons.

It was only in 1958 that the statutes were amended by Royal Ordinance to allow the ennoblement of women as members of the order.

Between 1580 and today, around 890 persons have been bestowed with the Order of the Elephant; with Queen Margrethe adding 68 people during her 40 year reign.

The recipients are almost always royal persons and foreign heads of state – though in a rare exception, the order was given to a commoner in 2000.

This was the deceased shipping magnate, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller, who was recognised for exceptional contribution to Danish economic strength and Danish society.

Those unfamiliar with the man himself will surely recognise his name from the famous shipping containers.

The A.P. Møller – Mærsk group was actually founded in 1904 by his father. It is now worth $81bn dollars.

At the time of Møller’s membership of the order, he was the only non-royal and non-head of state to hold the honour; though it had previously been held by the pioneering nuclear physicist, Niels Bohr.

Membership of the order comes with possession of its rather eye-catching elephantine emblem.

The elephant is made of white-enamelled gold with blue housings and is about 5cm high.

On its back, the elephant bears a tower of pink enamelled masonry (a design originally intended to reflect the howdah compartments of the Indian subcontinent).

A number of large cut diamonds adorn the elephant, along with a crowned monogram of the monarch reigning when it was made.

One wonders, then, when the first Frederikian elephants will be carved.

At the top of the tower on the elephant’s back sits a gold ring, from which the badge can be hung from the collar or tied to a sash.

On the elephant's back sits a turbaned ‘moor mahout.’

It should be noted that some would regard such a depiction as an exoticising caricature.

Others would regard its appearance merely as an expression of an historical perspective.

One striking detail about the circulation of the elephants is that each Order of the Elephant is – in principle – on loan and must be returned to the Chapter of the Royal Orders of Chivalry when a member of the Order has passed away.

This rather quaint custom means that elephants are inherited and used several times by different members of the order, with some dating back hundreds of years.

Interestingly, the done thing is not to disclose to whom an Elephant has previously been given – though there are some traditional lines of inheritance.

For example, the elephant recently bestowed on Prince Christian belonged previously to his grandfather, Prince Henrik.

This handing over was always to be, on the basis of a traditional line of inheritance.

There are two exceptional elephants which have eluded the rule of the ‘loan’ – one remains in the Chancellery Museum at Paris and a second remains on display at the Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library in the US.

Another beautiful quirk of membership of the Order is that a member’s coat of arms is always painted and subsequently hung in the Knight’s Chapel at Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerød.

As to when the elephants come out to play, there are some rather interesting traditions concerning how and when to wear them.

The Order of the Elephant has three festival days: new year’s day, the monarch’s birthday, and the birthday of Valdemar the Victorious, which, if you didn’t know is on June 28.

On these festival days, the Order of the Elephant is worn on the chest on a gold chain link collar, with links shaped as towers and elephants.

The collar sits on each shoulder. On other important occasions, the order is worn on a bright blue sash with a breast star.

The star of the order is an eight-pointed silver star with smooth rays; at its centre sits an enameled red disc with a white cross, surrounded by a laurel wreath in silver.

[thingstrumperssay]

If you're in Houston right now, I'd leave, period.

Apparently this is all the detail that's public on the gas leak:

The same thing happened in my home town. The radius widened within minutes which is why I'm suggesting you leave Houston for a few hours if you can.

The gas leak in my home town resulted in an explosion that killed one person. That's when the radius widened a lot.

My brother witnessed it. He was about a half a mile away and he was in his truck, which lifted off the ground by "what felt like an inch." He'd probably be seriously injured if he wasn't in that truck.

I'm going to be tagging this with tourist attractions in Houston to make sure that as many people as possible sees this.