This post is also featured on our Rediscovering Black History blog. By David Langbart. At the outbreak of World War I, William H. Hunt was serving as the U.S. Consul in St. Etienne, France. In addition to his official duties, Hunt was also a true American pioneer. In 1914, he was one of the very … Continue reading William H. Hunt, American Pioneer
By David Langbart. In January 15, 1958, Willard S. Irle, a member of the New York Stock Exchange sent President Dwight Eisenhower a letter with ideas about the preservation of world peace. Irle suggested a “three-pronged program” consisting of the establishment of (1) a universal language, (2) a universal monetary system, and (3) a universal … Continue reading John Foster Dulles Mocks Himself
By David Langbart. Noted broadcast journalist Richard C. Hottelet died on December 17, 2014. He was a great journalist and notable presence on television. I am old enough to remember reports ending with “Richard C. Hottelet, CBS News.” The obituaries published in the wake of his death have focused on his journalistic career, and rightfully … Continue reading Richard C. Hottelet, Government Employee
By David Langbart. It might surprise some to learn that government bureaucrats have a sense of humor and that it occasionally appears among the records preserved in the National Archives. One such instance was recently located in the files of the World War II-era Office of War Information (OWI). That agency was responsible for formulating … Continue reading Holiday Humor in Wartime: 1942
By David Langbart. In recent years, we have seen a spate of memoirs by high government officials, many of them controversial. Among those publications are books by former Secretaries of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Colin Powell, George Shultz, Henry Kissinger, and Dean Rusk. Perhaps the model for all of them is Cordell Hull, at least … Continue reading Memoirs of a Secretary of State: Cordell Hull
By David Langbart. Scholars are increasingly writing about the physical destruction visited upon friendly European countries during World War II’s campaign to free Western Europe from Nazi domination. Recent books such as Keith Lowe’s SAVAGE CONTINENT, Antony Beevor’s D-DAY, Max Hastings’s ARMAGEDDON, and Rick Atkinson’s THE GUNS AT LAST LIGHT (all quite excellent and worth … Continue reading Rebuilding After World War II: The Experience of Saint-Lo, France
By David Langbart. Working in a large bureaucracy, such as the U.S. Government, one’s accomplishments are often overlooked by the most senior leadership. On occasion, however, the big boss notices and recognizes the work being done. In some cases, the biggest boss in the bureaucracy – the President – notices. One such instance occurred in … Continue reading The President Says Thank You, 1963: U.S. Policy Regarding The Congo
By David Langbart One never knows what will be found in the files. While undertaking holdings maintenance on some records, the document described here appeared. In September 1945, just after the formal end of World War II, the British embassy in Washington sent a diplomatic note to the Department of State requesting some information. In … Continue reading Married Women in the U.S. Government, c. 1945
By David Langbart “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” is considered one of the great motion pictures produced by the American movie industry. In 1989, the Library of Congress added this masterpiece to the United States National Film Registry as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The movie, starring James Stewart as Jefferson Smith (the “Mr. … Continue reading “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”: Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy as Movie Critic
By David Langbart This is the fourth post in a four-part series about conducting research in the records of agencies specifically responsible for U.S. foreign relations. It is derived from information on the NARA web pages devoted to that topic. Please visit Part I, Part II, and Part III. To assist with preparing for a … Continue reading Researching Foreign Affairs Records, Part IV: The Foreign Affairs Records Web Pages
