JFK 50 Years: Celebrate the past to awaken the future. The John Adams Library at the Boston Public Library : Free Books : Free Texts. Books from the John Adams Library at the Boston Public Library.
Deposited with the Boston Public Library in 1894, the John Adams Library includes over 2,700 volumes collected by the second president during his lifetime (1735-1826) as well as hundreds of additional books later donated by his family members. One of the greatest private collections of its day, the Adams Library remains one of the largest original early American libraries still intact. This remarkable collection of 3,510 books spans the fields of classics, literature, history, politics, government, philosophy, religion, law, science, mathematics, medicine, agriculture, language and linguistics, economics, and travel. The collection is of particular interest to scholars and historians because Adams recorded thousands of interpretive and critical manuscript annotations in the margins of his books. Reading About the "Hindoos" with John Adams. Paul Schmitz: Reading Through the Presidents.
Happy Presidents' Day.
While I usually write about bottom-up leadership, I also have long been fascinated by the presidents. Several years ago, on a conference call, I heard an older colleague talk about how he had been reading all the presidents' authoritative biographies in chronological order. At the time, I had been reading about the founding fathers and decided, "Why not keep going? " It took me six years (I read other books among these), but it proved to be one of the most fascinating ways to learn our nation's history. I experienced our evolution, contradictions, compromises, shifts, victories and defeats in ways that were illuminating and often surprising. It is also true that many more presidents than I had thought came from very humble beginnings. 10 Presidential Sites to See This Election Year.
By Kenneth C.
Davis "How do I get my kids interested in history? " As the author of a series of books for adults and children intended to make history less "BOR-ING," I get that question a lot. Whether it's a parent asking for their children, or a teacher inquiring about their classroom charges, one of my answers is: "Field trips! " Before you run for the exits at the thought of yellow buses and brown-bag lunches, let me explain. Growing up in Mount Vernon, New York—a city named for George Washington's beloved Virginia estate—is not what got me interested in the American presidents. That's how I learned that history doesn't happen in books.
This presidential campaign season is the perfect time to give these historic field trips a theme—Presidential sites. American Politics. American Politics 2008 US Presidential Election Result 2008 American Election 2008 Democrat Party Primaries 2008 Republican Party Primaries Super Duper Tuesday 2008 2008 State of the Union speech 2006 Midterm Elections 2006 Midterm Results 2006 Midterms Analysis Congress after the Midterms 2006 Nancy Pelosi Congress January 2007 Drive to 2008 Election Why America is a two-party system The 2004 National Election USA 2000 election.
From Martha to Michelle: The changing faces (and fashions) of America's 43 First Ladies. By Louise Boyle Published: 03:21 GMT, 25 June 2012 | Updated: 23:26 GMT, 25 June 2012 From shy and retiring homemakers to sophisticated party throwers and those whose political opinions mattered deeply to their presidential husbands, these are the 43 women who share the title of First Lady of the United States.
Each has taken a unique approach to a role that is left much for the woman herself to define. While current First Lady Michelle Obama and predecessors such as Jacqueline Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt have taken on roles very much in the public domain, others have shied away. Abigail Fillmore, wife of President Millard spent her days hidden away in the White House Library arranging the collection while President John Tyler's wife Letitia was so shy she spent her time focused on domestic duties.
Martha Washington: She was widowed for her first husband at 25 and left to raise four children. Dolley Madison: She was notable for her social gifts and helped define the role of First Lady. Dealey Plaza and the Grassy Knoll. Dealey Plaza Step into Dealey Plaza, and you feel you are on sacred ground.
No, it doesn't matter that you may be a hard-bitten believer in Oswald's sole guilt. It does not matter that you believe that the assassination was an historical fluke, with no particular larger significance. This is The Place where all assassination buffs, conspiratorialists and lone-nutters alike, have to go. This is the necessary pilgrimage. Dealey Plaza has changed a bit since 1963. Who Invented the Term "Grassy Knoll?" By Gary Mack, CuratorThe Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza Thirty-five years after the Kennedy assassination and speculation about a conspiracy, "grassy knoll" has become a generic term connoting hidden plots and subterfuge.
But who coined the phrase? Until now the answer has remained elusive, yet newly-discovered information identifies the source as a member of the news media. Here's how it happened. The Kennedy motorcade from Love Field through Dallas included a news "pool car" loaned by the telephone company. Quick Takes and Popular Postings about America's Past.