todaysdocument:

The siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi by Union forces under Major General Ulysses S. Grant began 150 years ago on May 18, 1863.  Confederates forces would surrender the fortress city after 40 days, effectively yielding control of the Mississippi River to the Union.

Map of the Siege of Vicksburg, Miss., By the U. S. Forces Under the Command of Maj. Genl. U. S. Grant, U. S. Vls., Maj. F. E. Prime, Chief Engr. Surveyed and constructed under direction of Capt. C. B. Comstock, U.S. Engrs., and Lt. Col. J. H. Wilson, A. I. Genl. 1st Lt., Engrs….Drawn by Chs. Spangenberg, Asst. Engr., 08/20/1863

lbjlibrary:

April 18, 1967. Jackie Robinson sends this letter to LBJ, thanking him for his work on civil rights but expressing concern about the growing impact of Vietnam.

White House Central File, Name File, “Robinson, Jackie (baseball player),” box 209, LBJ Library.

usnatarchives:

For Teacher Appreciation Week, here’s an article written by Herbert Hoover dedicated to a teacher in Salem, Oregon. Miss Gray helped him develop a love of reading.

Readers Digest asked Herbert Hoover to prepare an article on the best advice he had ever received. “Thank You Miss Gray” was published in July 1959.

(Images: “The best advice I ever had” article by Herbert Hoover, 7/1959. From Hoover’s Articles, Addresses and Public Statements in the Herbert Hoover Papers in the Hoover Presidential Library. More teacher-inspired records are being posted at the National Archives Education page.)

(via coolchicksfromhistory)

americas-royalty:

In the summer of 1961, Jack displays a mystery bandage that created a minor buzz. He claimed he bumped his head picking up his children’s toys, but credible sources said it was a party-related wound.
Photographed by Jacques Lowes

(via retrocampaigns)

retrocampaigns:

On May 12, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt visited San Francisco, a parade captured by cameraman H. J. Miles and later released as The President’s Carriage. In the filmed footage, Roosevelt passes on Market Street.

wrestleforgold:

greenteaandgreatworkouts:

descroissants:

In 1967, Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to run the Boston marathon. After realizing that a woman was running, race organizer Jock Semple went after Switzer shouting, “Get the hell out of my race and give me those numbers.” However, Switzer’s boyfriend and other male runners provided a protective shield during the entire marathon.The photographs taken of the incident made world headlines, and Kathrine later won the NYC marathon with a time of 3:07:29. [Wiki]

Awesome women in history.

ALWAYS REBLOG

I can’t explain how much I love rulebreaking, society changing, progressive women.

(Source: sabino, via jayhawkineer)

todaysdocument:

Happy Birthday to the Man of Steel!

Superman first debuted 75 years ago in Action Comics #1, published April 18, 1938.

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN: STAMP DAY FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN

Copyright by National Comics Publications and Superman Inc. and donated to the Treasury Department as a public service by Superman, Inc.

From the Moving Images files of the Department of The Treasury

H/T to the USPS Stamps Tumblr for the tip!

todaysdocument:

The Jefferson Memorial, as it appeared 40 years ago.  The memorial to the third President was dedicated 70 years ago today, on April 13, 1943.

JEFFERSON MEMORIAL (FOREGROUND) TO CAPITOL, LOOKING EAST, 05/1973

Yoichi R. Okamoto, photographer

From the DOCUMERICA series, a program sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency to photographically document subjects of environmental concern in America during the 1970s.

Find more images from DOCUMERICA at “Searching for the Seventies: The DOCUMERICA Photography Project,” now open at the National Archives in Washington, DC.

todaysdocument:

Seventy years ago today on April 13, 1943, the Jefferson Memorial was dedicated in Washington, DC, on the 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s birth (4/13/1743). 

By far my favorite memorial in DC