Presidents and First Ladies
Use these links to find information about presidential documents, the U.S. Presidents, and Presidential Libraries.
General
- American Presidents: Life Portraits
- This site was created to complement C-SPAN's television series of the same name. It is searchable by president's name.
- Colonial Hall: A Look at America's Founders
- Includes biographies of 103 founding fathers, as well as a "Featured
Founder" and trivia.
- A Guide to Web Resources for the Study of the History of the Modern Presidency
- This site is designed and maintained by Professor Robert Griff for an undergraduate
history class at American University. It has an extensive list of links about
the presidency and selected presidents.
- The American Presidency Project
- A study of the American Presidency established in 1999 at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
- POTUS: Presidents of the United States
- Background information, election results, cabinet members, notable events,
and points of interest for each president. Includes links to useful sites.
- President
- Sponsored by the Leadership Information Archives, this site is designed
to improve access to the presidential libraries.
- The President as Commander-in-Chief
- By Kahlil Chism, this Calendar of Events feature article
highlights the documents of Presidents "who have had to exercise their powers as
Commander-in-Chief at the outbreak of war."
- The Presidential Appointee Initiative
- The Presidential Appointee Initiative, a Brookings Institute site, features
the handbook, A Survivor's Guide for Presidential Nominees.
- Presidential Speech Archive
- From the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, this site offers
recordings of famous speeches from many presidents.
- Presidents of the United States: Trivia
- The Internet Public Library (IPL) collects Frequently Asked Questions to post to this interesting site.
- Standing in for the President
- This article, published in the Summer 1999 issue of Prologue, looks
at the role of the Presidents' press secretary.
- With Easter Monday You Get Egg Roll at the White House
- This article by C.L. Arbelbide was published in the Spring 2000 issue of Prologue.
- Barack Obama's Inaugural Address
- The full text of President Obama's January, 2009 Inaugural Address.
- Inauguration Firsts
- Some precedents and notable events during presidential inaugurations.
- The Fifty-Third Inauguration: Clinton's Second Term Begins
- Photographs and reports from the second inauguration of Bill Clinton. Of interest is the "First-time Events at Presidential Inaugurations" page.
- "I Do Solemnly Swear...": Presidential Inaugurations
- This Library of Congress American Memory site is a collection of approximately 2000 digital files from all of the 55 inaugurations from George Washington's in 1791 to Barack Obama's in 2009.
- Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the U.S.
- Lists the presidents in chronological order, and a link tells the story of the presidents who were not inaugurated.
- Inaugural Quiz
- A National Archives site. Entertaining quiz to test your knowledge of inaugural trivia.
- Presidential Inaugurals: Historical Perspective
- A transcript of the PBS show in which the NewsHour's historians Michael Beschloss, Haynes Johnson, Steven Ambrose, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Roger Wilkins talk to Margaret Warner about the history of inaugurations.
- The Presidential Inaugural
- This Smithsonian web site features photographs of Reagan, Bush, and Clinton Inaugurations.
- Presidential Inaugurations Quiz
- Test your knowledge about past Presidential inaugurations in this activity, designed by the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library.
- Records of Presidential Inaugural Committees
- Record Group 274, 1933-1989. Held at the National Archives.
From the first inauguration through the most recent, follow the history of the nation's highest office. - Who's Who and What's What: See what you know about Presidential Inaugurations.
- This inauguration quiz is presented by the Washington Post "and compiled by Tammy Kennon with contributions from Ben Abramson" Ray Hamel and Dave Schreiner.
- Abrupt Transition
- This article, published in the Winter 2000 issue of Prologue, discusses the change in inauguration fanfare when a Vice-President must quickly been sworn into office.
- Amendment XXV
- This site includes the actual wording of the amendment.
- Capitol Questions
- This particular question deals with the order of succession as covered in the 25th Amendment. The answer gives a short summary of the concerns precipitating the passage of the amendment.
- Ford talks on presidential disability
- Former President Gerald Ford gave the keynote address on presidential disability to a Wake Forest symposium in 1995 where the Working Group on Presidential Disability convened.
- Presidential Illness and the 25th Amendment
- The National Institutes of Health web site includes scanned copies of the original print version of this article. It is full of historical facts.
- The White House Guide to U.S. Presidents
- George Washington
- George Washington Papers
- This Library of Congress web site maintains the complete collection of George Washington papers, consisting of 65,000 documents.
- Introduction to the Diaries of George Washington
- This introduction to the nature and history of George Washington's diaries is featured as part of the Library of Congress web site.
- The Surprising George Washington
- An article by Richard Norton Smith from the National Archives publication Prologue, Spring 1994, vol. 26, no. 1. This article looks at the sides of the first President's life that we do not often see.
- Third release of the George Washington Papers
- Includes incoming correspondence, military reports and records, letters of reference for applicants for federal office, military commissions and honorary degrees received by Washington, and notes he wrote between 1760-1799.
- Thomas Jefferson
- Thomas Jefferson and the Patent Act of 1793
- From Essays in History published by the Corcoran Department of History at the University of Virginia. Volume 40, 1998.
- Thomas Jefferson
- An exhibit at the Library of Congress examines Jefferson's intellectual development using his own writings and other items from the Library's collections.
- Thomas Jefferson Digital Archives
- The University of Virginia's Electronic Text Center sponsors this web site featuring over 1700 electronic texts by or to Thomas Jefferson. Also featured are a biography, quotations of Jefferson, bibliographies, and scholarship on this illustrious early American.
- James Madison
- Madison's Treasures
- The documents in this collection at the Library of Congress are the largest single collection of original Madison documents in existence.
- Andrew Jackson
- President, General, Old Hickory, Hero
- 'The Hermitage' was Jackson's plantation for over 40 years. Site encompasses his evolution from penniless orphan to national leader.
- William Henry Harrison
- William Henry Harrison: 9th President 1841
- A short biography of the president, as well as a link to his inaugural address.
- Abraham Lincoln
- Abraham Lincoln Association
- Organized in 1908 as the Lincoln Centennial Association, this organization is dedicated to furthering the study and research of this President.
- Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress
- Organized into three "General Correspondence" series, this site includes approximately 20,000 documents.
- Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
- This unique institution and its web site is devoted to telling the entire life story of the nation's 16th president.
- Chesterwood: The Workshop of an American Sculptor
- This National Park Service site deals with the workshop and life of Daniel Chester French, the noted American sculptor best known for his sculpture of Abraham Lincoln that graces the Lincoln Monument.
- The Abraham Lincoln Institute
- The latest in Lincoln scholarship.
- Lincoln/Net
- Primary source materials from Lincoln's Illinois years through his presidency, in a social and political context.
- Mr. Lincoln's Virtual Library
- This site offers selections from two collections at the Library of Congress that illuminate the life of Abraham Lincoln.
- New Lincoln Discoveries at the National Archives
- A report in the National Archives publication The Record reports nearly 600 previously unknown Lincoln documents which were discovered in the Civil War Court Martial files in the custody of the National Archives.
- The Search for Lincoln's Legal Papers
- A report in the National Archives publication The Record states that nearly 90,000 documents associated with Lincoln's legal practice have been discovered across the country and accessioned into the collection of the Lincoln Legal Papers project.
- The Lincoln Legal Papers
- Sponsored by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and co-sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Association and the University of Illinois Springfield Center for State Policy and Leadership, this site outlines the legal career of Abraham Lincoln, 1836-61.
- Andrew Johnson
- Finding Precedent: The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
- This site was created by HarpWeek in response to the interest generated by the impeachment of President
Clinton. It includes materials from Harper's Weekly relating to the impeachment and trial of President
Andrew Johnson in 1868.
- Ulysses S. Grant
- Grant, Babcock, and the Whiskey Ring
- This Prologue article, published in Fall 2000, discusses Grant's term as President.
- Rutherford B. Hayes
- Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center
- This web site is dedicated to the study of the Hayes presidency.
- William McKinley
- Selected Bibliography of William McKinley
- A bibliography provided by the Library of Congress.
- Theodore Roosevelt
- "I am entitled to the Medal of Honor and I want it": Theodore Roosevelt and His Quest for Glory
- This article by Mitchell Yockelson appeared in the Spring 1998 edition of the National Archives publication, Prologue.
- Theodore Roosevelt: His Life and Times on Film
- Produced by the National Digital Library and the Motion Picture, Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division of the Library of Congress, this site features 104 films from the LOC's holdings which document Teddy Roosevelt's life from 1898 to 1919.
- Theodore Roosevelt
- This site provides information about and links to Roosevelt's publications and autobiography.
- Warren G. Harding
- American Leaders Speak: Recordings from World War I and the 1920 Election
- This Library of Congress site collects sound recordings of speeches by American leaders at the turn of the century. Includes speeches by Franklin Roosevelt, Warren Harding, and Calvin Coolidge.
- Calvin Coolidge
- American Leaders Speak: Recordings from World War I and the 1920 Election
- This Library of Congress site collects sound recordings of speeches by American leaders at the turn of the century. Includes recordings from Franklin Roosevelt, Warren Harding, and Calvin Coolidge.
- Calvin Coolidge: 30th President of the United States
- This site, sponsored by the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation, is intended "to serve as the primary resource for information about our 30th president."
- Herbert Hoover
- Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
- Preserves the records of the 31st President of the United States and the only president from Iowa.
- Hoover & Truman: A presidential friendship
- A joint project of the Truman and Hoover Presidential Libraries, this site highlights the friendship between the two men. Much of the material was collected in a book, "Herbert Hoover and Harry S. Truman: A Documentary History", edited by
Timothy Walch and Dwight M. Miller, copyright 1992 by the Herbert Hoover Presidential
Library Association, Inc.; the book is available electronically on the site.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- American Leaders Speak: Recordings from World War I and the 1920 Election
- This Library of Congress site collects sound recordings of speeches by American leaders at the turn of the century. Includes speeches from FDR, Coolidge, and Harding.
- FDR's Day in Infamy Speech: Crafting a Call to Arms
- An article from Prologue, Winter 2001.
- Fireside Chats of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- Transcripts of the Fireside Chats from March 1933 to June 1944.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- From an essay by Doris Kearns Goodwin for the PBS program "Character Above All," on the role of character in presidential leadership.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Digital Archives
- FDR Presidential Library's release of 10,000 digitized documents includes material on Roosevelt's relationship with Winston Churchill, German Diplomatic Files, and Vatican Files.
- Grace Tully Archives
- Newly acquired papers kept by FDR's last personal secretary.
- A Notable Passage to China: Myth and Memory in FDR's Family History
- This article on Roosevelt family history, by R. J. C. Butow, appeared in the Fall 1999 edition of the National Archives publication, Prologue.
- Roosevelt and His Library
- A Summer 2001 Prologue article written about the dedication of the Roosevelt library in Hyde Park in 1941.
- Harry S. Truman
- Abrupt Transition
- C.L. Arbelbide's article about Truman's transition to the presidency was published in the Winter 2000 (32:4) issue of Prologue.
- Continuing the Fight: Harry S. Truman and World War II
- At the Truman Library web site, this site contains a "collection of documents, photographs, and eyewitness accounts concerning the latter stages of World War II."
- Dedication of the Harry S. Truman Building
- Press releases and official statements by President Clinton and Madeline Albright regarding the June 20, 2000 legislation to name the State Department headquarters in President Truman's Honor can be found here.
- Harry S. Truman
- From an essay by David McCullough for the PBS program "Character Above All," on the role of character in presidential leadership.
- Harry Truman, Poker Player
- Raymond H. Geselbracht's article about Truman's love of poker appeared in the Spring 2003 (35:1) issue of Prologue
- Hoover & Truman: A presidential friendship
- A joint project of the Truman and Hoover Presidential Libraries, this site highlights the friendship between the two men. Much of the material was collected in a book, "Herbert Hoover and Harry S. Truman: A Documentary History", edited by Timothy Walch and Dwight M. Miller, copyright 1992 by the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association, Inc.; the book is available electronically on the site.
- Mutual Admiration and a Few Jokes: The Correspondence of Harry Truman with Groucho and Harpo Marx
- Highlights of Truman's history of correspondence with the Marx Brothers.
- Speeches of Harry S. Truman
- Twelve of Truman's speeches. (RealAudio)
- Updating Harry Truman's Library
- This Spring 2002 (34:1) article in Prologue describes renovations to the Truman Library including interactive features that enliven new exhibits.
- Updating Harry Truman's Library
- Part 2 of the Spring 2002 (34:1) article in Prologue describing renovations to the Truman Library.
- Dwight Eisenhower
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- From an essay by Stephen Ambrose for the PBS program "Character Above All," on the role of character in presidential leadership.
- Eisenhower and the Red Menace
- This article, written by Michael J. Birkner for the Fall 2001 issue of Prologue, discusses Eisenhower in the age of Senator Joseph McCarthy's crusade against Communism.
- The Unknown Eisenhower
- The National Archives publication The Record tells of a new documentary from the Eisenhower Library that tells the story of "Ike's Preformative Years."
- Great Warrior Leaders/Thinkers: Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Compiled by Bibliography Branch, Muir S. Fairchild Research Information Center, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, links to internet resources, books, documents, periodicals, and videos relating to Eisenhower.
- Speeches of Dwight Eisenhower
- This site includes most of the Presidential Addresses released by the White House from January 1953 to January 1961. Includes audio tape recordings by the United States Army Signal Corps from 1953-1958 and the complete text to the addresses for the years 1953-1955.
- Bibliographies
- From the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, Kansas.
- John F. Kennedy
- The Hours Before Dallas
- This article was written by Jeb Byrne for the National Archives Prologue, Summer 2000 issue.
- John F. Kennedy
- From an essay by Richard Reeves for the PBS program "Character Above All," on the role of character in presidential leadership.
- The Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board: Final Report
- The Organization of American Historians maintains this site, which is available in both PDF and ASCII format.
- The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection
- The National Archives Assassination Records Collection contains more than 4 and a half million pages of assassination-related records, photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings, and artifacts.
- Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
- Links to the report chapters.
- Sixty Years Later, the Story of PT-109 Still Captivates
- This article, written by Stephen Plotkin for the Summer 2003 issue of Prologue, describes the sinking of the young Lieutenant Kennedy's Patrol Torpedo boat in the South Pacific during World War II.
- Speeches of John Kennedy
- Text and audio for speeches of the three political Kennedy brothers. From the Kennedy Presidential Library.
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- LBJ Fights the White Backlash: The Racial Politics of the 1964 Presidential Campaign
- This article by Jeremy D. Mayer appeared in the Spring 2001 issue of Prologue.
- LBJ White House Tapes
- C-SPAN's searchable database of President Johnson's telephone conversations is searchable by keyword, conversation participant, category, and month.
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- From an essay by Robert Dallek for the PBS program "Character Above All," on the role of character in presidential leadership.
- Richard M. Nixon
- The latest news from the Nixon Foundation
- News releases from the Nixon Foundation.
- National Archives prepares to return private portions of Nixon tapes
- This news bulletin in the National Archives publication, The Record, tells of the tapes which were to be returned to the Nixon family because of their private nature.
- National Archives Releases 240 Hours of Additional Nixon White House Tape Recorded Conversations
- This National Archives press release explains that The National Archives and Records Administration was opening approximately 240 hours of White House tape recordings from the Nixon Presidency from July 1972 through October 1972. Topics of interest include the 1972 presidential campaign, the Vietnam War and Paris peace talks, U.S.-Soviet relations, foreign relations, domestic issues, and Watergate.
- The Nixon "Shocks" and U.S.-Japan Strategic Relations, 1969-1974
- Paper prepared by Michael Schaller at the University of Arizona.
- Nixon Watergate Tapes (History and Politics Out Loud)
- HPOL is a searchable archive of "politically significant materials." This site includes 12 and a half hours of audio and transcripts requested in the Watergate trial of Nixon aides. Browse the database by speaker and select Richard M. Nixon.
- Photographing History: Fred J. Maroon and the Nixon Years, 1970-1974
- This site gives one photographer's account of President Nixon's years in office.
- Record of historic Richard Nixon-Zhou Enlai Talks in February 1972
- The National Security Archive has secured the declassification and release of the documents related to President Nixon's visit to China in February 1972.
- Richard M. Nixon
- From an essay by Tom Wicker for the PBS program "Character Above All," on the role of character in presidential leadership.
- Watergate 25
- Posted by Washingtonpost.com, this site commemorates the 25th anniversary of the Watergate burglary.
- Gerald Ford
- Gerald R. Ford
- From an essay by James Cannon for the PBS program "Character Above All," on the role of character in presidential leadership.
- Gerald R. Ford: A selected bibliography
- A bibliography established and recommended by the Ford Presidential Library. Includes a link to the Ford Library's home page.
- Speeches of Gerald Ford
- Text of selected speeches of Ford from his administration and beyond. Some of the speeches have audio recordings.
- Jimmy Carter
- American Experience: Jimmy Carter
- This site includes the background information on Jimmy Carter used to make a documentary film on his life. Includes a time line, a photo gallery, and highlights people and events featured in the film.
- Carter Library material added to the National Archives web site
- Descriptions of the holdings of the Jimmy Carter Library are available through the National Archives web site.
- Jimmy Carter
- From an essay by Hendrick Hertzberg for the PBS program "Character Above All," on the role of character in presidential leadership.
- Speeches of Jimmy Carter
- Inaugural Address, State of the Union Addresses from his years in office, and his Farewell Address.
- Ronald Reagan
- Ronald Reagan
- From an essay by Peggy Noonan for the PBS program "Character Above All," on the role of character in presidential leadership.
- Ronald Reagan and the President's Daily Brief
-
An article from the Studies in Intelligence online magazine which looks at many aspects of intelligence. The article gives a first-hand account of the CIA responsibility for giving the President his daily briefing.
- George Bush
- George Bush
- From an essay by Michael R. Beschloss for the PBS program "Character Above All," on the role of character in presidential leadership.
- George Bush Presidential Library and Museum opens
- In November 1997, Archivist of the U.S. John Carlin formally accepted the responsibility for the operation of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
- Papers of George Bush
- Organized by year, these papers are also searchable by topic.
- Bill Clinton
- Biography of William Jefferson Clinton
- Provides a succinct description of the life and accomplishments of William Clinton.
- Impeachment of President William Jefferson Clinton
- An extremely thorough site, this page brings together all of the testimonies, reports, background, etc. relating to the impeachment of President Clinton.
- Papers of William Clinton
- Search through the National Archives holdings of the Clinton papers.
- George W. Bush
- Biography of George W. Bush
- Summary of the life and accomplishments of the 43d President of the United States from the White House web page.
- Public Papers
- Search the papers of George W. Bush made available by GPO Access.
- Barack H. Obama
- Biography of Barack H. Obama
- Summary of the life and accomplishments of the 44th and current President of the United States from the White House web page.
- First Ladies of the United States
- This site links to First Lady biographies and a First Ladies bibliography.
- The First Ladies of the U.S.A.
- Links to biographical information about each First Lady, including portraits. Published by the White House Historical Association.
- National First Ladies' Library
- The web site for the first and only facility of its kind, its purpose is to educate the world about the contributions of the First Ladies and other important women in history.
- Office of the First Lady of the U.S.A.
- The home page for First Lady Michelle Obama includes a biography and a photo of the First Lady.
- Office of Mrs. Biden
- The home page for the Wife of the Vice President, Dr. Jill Biden. Includes a photo and a biography relating to Mrs. Biden's work as an educator and speaker.
- Portraits of the Presidents and First Ladies
- Formal and informal portraits of the First Families from the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress. Includes at least one likeness of the forty-one Presidents and most of the First Ladies.
- The Dolley Madison Project
- A complete on-line edition of her existing letters as a fully searchable digital archive. Dolley Madison was the first First Lady to serve in Washington, D.C.
Portraits and Photographs of Presidents and First Ladies
- By Popular Demand: Portraits of the Presidents and First Ladies
- The Library of Congress has compiled this reference aid of formal and informal pictures.
- Portraits of the Presidents from the National Portrait Gallery
- This new online exhibit features 61 paintings, sculptures, photographs, and other likenesses of the Presidents.
- Presidential Portraits by Chas Fagan
- This site complements C-SPAN's television series, "American Presidents: Life Portraits."
Salaries and Retirement Benefits of U.S. Presidents
- Salaries and Retirement Benefits of U.S. Presidents and other Federal Government Employees
- This Internet Public Library web site features salary information for current and past Presidents, Vice-Presidents, and government officials.
- Presidential Salaries Exclusive of Prerequisites
- Historical data of presidential salaries.
Presidential Documents on National Archives Web Sites
- Presidential Documents on National Archives Web Sites
- This National Archives web site has links to Executive Orders, Proclamations, and other Presidential documents.
- GPO Access (Government Printing Office)
- Provides access to official text of various government documents.
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