Presidents’ Day

This Presidents’ Day, stick to your New Year’s resolution of taking the time to learn something new and take advantage of a visit to one of the presidential libraries and museums in your state.

Discover Vintage America’s coverage area spans multiple states (Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Arkansas), and there exists a network of 13 presidential libraries, all managed by the National Archives. Of those 13 libraries, more than a third are located in one of our coverage states. In this issue, we’ll introduce you to each of them.

Each of these institutions tells the story of a regular man who went on to occupy the highest political office in the country. Each helped to shape the world in which we live today. They made great strides for our country, and despite their flaws, went on to cement their own legacy for generations to come. I encourage you to visit one of these libraries near you and learn the story of your own hometown leader

IOWA’s Presidential Library

Herbert Hoover (1874-1964)
31st President of the United States (Republican, 1929-33) Visit: The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum (West Branch); www.hoover.archives.gov

•  Herbert Hoover, the only U.S. president to hail from Iowa, is perhaps best known for serving as the Commander-in-Chief who became the scapegoat of The Great Depression.
• Historians consistently rank Hoover in the bottom one-third of presidents in terms of popularity. Before his presidency, Hoover was known as “the Great Humanitarian,” who enjoyed a reputation as an eager public servant who served as the head of the Food Administration during World War I.

Highlights of the Hoover Administration:

• The Great Depression – the biggest economic disaster in the country’s history – began in 1929 and lasted for more than a decade.

Highlights of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum:

• Currently, the museum features an online exhibit titled, “A World of Thanks: World War I Belgian Embroidered Flour Sacks.” Learn more about the trend of using flour sacks as a fashion statement in this issue of Discover Vintage America.

KANSAS Presidential Library

Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969) 34th President of the United States (Republican, 1953-61)
Visit: The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home (Abilene); www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov

Dwight D. Eisenhower came to the White House a familiar figure to the American public. As an Army General in 1944, Eisenhower led U.S. forces during the Normandy invasion.

Highlights of the Eisenhower Administration:

• Brought forward the armistice that ended the Korean Conflict in 1953
  Authorized the U.S. Highway system
• Signed into law the 1957 Civil Rights Act
• Saw both Alaska and Hawaii enter into U.S. statehood
• Sent federal troops to enforce court-ordered integration of Little Rock Central High School
• Signed the bill creating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Highlights of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home:

Two of the most fascinating pieces in the permanent collection are an original slice of Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower’s wedding cake (preserved since 1916) and a handwritten recipe for Mamie Eisenhower’s “Million-Dollar Fudge,” a treat for which the First Lady was known.

ARKANSAS Presidential Library

Bill Clinton (1946- ) 42nd President of the United States (Democrat, 1993-2001) Visit: The William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum (Little Rock); www.clintonlibrary.gov

• Clinton served as an Arkansas attorney and the state’s governor before becoming the first Democratic president since Jimmy Carter. Well remembered for his controversial relationship and personal misconduct with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, the Clinton years nevertheless saw the country enjoy a period of economic success and a strong relationship with foreign countries. Clinton left the White House in 2001 with the highest-term end-of-approval rating of a U.S. President since FDR.

Highlights of the Clinton Administration:

• Signed the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993
• Signed the Brady Bill into law; the legislation mandated federal background checks on those who purchase firearms in the U.S.
• Implemented “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which allowed gays and lesbians to serve in the U.S. military provided they kept their sexual orientation under wraps
• Impeached in late 1998 by the House of Representatives for lying and covering up his relationship with Lewinsky

Highlights of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum:

• A permanent exhibit of items gifted to Clinton by world leaders throughout his two terms as president

And an honorable mention goes to:

Gerald R. Ford (1913-2006) 38th President of the United States (Republican, 1974-77) Visit: The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library (Grand Rapids, MI) www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/

• Although this library is located in Michigan, Ford himself was born in Omaha, NE.
• Ford himself became ripe fodder for late-night talk show hosts, portrayed as a bumbling, accident-prone politician, who was seen as a mere placeholder for the office of the presidency.

Highlights of the Ford Administration:

• Ford was administered the oath of office upon the resignation of his predecessor, Richard Nixon, on Aug. 9, 1974. In his first address to the nation, the new president declared, “Our long national nightmare is over,” a reference to the Watergate scandal that plagued Nixon’s second term. Ford offered Nixon a presidential pardon for his role in Watergate.
• U.S. forces withdrew from Vietnam on April 30, 1975, during the Fall of Saigon, marking the official end of the Vietnam War

Highlights of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum:

• A special exhibit, “Women in Uniform,” which documents the history of women serving in the U.S. Navy, will be housed at the library until May 22, 2022.

Source: The National Archives, www.archives.gov