First Family Stories

By Clifton Truman Daniel

“Truman Defeats Dewey”

THE FIRST STORY my mother told me about the 1948 presidential campaign had nothing to do with tactics, crowds, or the upset victory.

The Ferdinand Magellan presidential railcar was outfitted with a speedometer connected to the engine, so folks in back could see how fast they were going. Mom and Grandpa were in the lounge one afternoon, reading, when Mom noticed Grandpa glancing up repeatedly at the speedometer, which was climbing. 80. 82. 85 . . .  Finally, he said to an aide, “Tell the engineer to slow down.”

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First Family Stories

By Clifton Truman Daniel

Seventy-five years ago today, on May 14, 1948, President Harry S. Truman made one of the most momentous decisions of his presidency: recognizing the new state of Israel just minutes after its founding. My grandfather is justly celebrated for providing the legitimacy this nascent democracy required to survive, but his WWI buddy and former business partner, Eddie Jacobson, deserves credit, as well. This installment of  “First Family Stories” is dedicated to a friendship that changed the world.

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February 2, 1948  |  Special Message to Congress on Civil Rights

On February 2, 1948, Harry S. Truman delivered a “Special Message to Congress on Civil Rights.” In the 3,095-word address, President Truman called for anti-lynching legislation, fair housing oversight, greater protection of the right to vote, an end to discrimination in the federal workforce, and the abolition of Jim Crow practices in the U.S. Armed Forces.

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Annual Message to the Congress on the State of the Union

January 7, 1948

Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, and Members of the 80th Congress:

We are here today to consider the state of the Union.

On this occasion, above all others, the Congress and the President should concentrate their attention, not upon party but upon the country; not upon things which divide us but upon those which bind us together–the enduring principles of our American system, and our common aspirations for the future welfare and security of the people of the United States.
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Truman’s Death

By Brian Burnes

Harry Truman died at 7:50 a.m. Tuesday, December 26, 1972. Within hours, Independence police officers placed barricades on North Delaware Street outside the Truman residence. The news apparently compelled many visitors to leave their homes and drive by the familiar white Victorian home that, since 1953, had housed the Kansas City area’s most prominent resident.

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Truman’s Funeral

By Brian Burnes

On the afternoon of Thursday, December 28, 1972, Bess Truman – hatless, wearing a black coat and using a cane – walked out of her home at 219 North Delaware in Independence, Missouri through its back door and entered a waiting limousine.

There were five limousines in all. The first carried Mrs. Truman and their daughter, Margaret. Other cars held Margaret’s husband, Clifton Daniel, their fours sons, and members of the Truman household staff. Their destination was the Truman Library in Independence, the site of the main memorial service for Harry Truman, who had died two days before.

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75th Anniversary of the Marshall Plan

June 5, 2022 marked the anniversary of a speech that altered world history. Secretary of State George C. Marshall, who had been a five-star general in World War II, was at Harvard to receive an honorary degree and deliver the commencement address. In unadorned remarks – and with little fanfare – he laid out a plan that would redefine U.S. foreign policy and transform the modern world. To mark the 75^th anniversary of the Marshall Plan and share the rich historical resources archived at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, the Truman Library Institute has partnered with the German Marshall Fund of the United States to highlight the achievements of one of the most important American diplomatic initiatives of the 20^th century. Commemorative exhibits are on display at GMF’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., highlighting the post-war crisis, President Truman’s recovery program, and the beginning of a new epoch in western Europe. Read More

#OTD February 22, 1946  |  The Long Telegram

76 years ago, George Kennan, an American diplomat living in Moscow, sent an 8,000-word telegram to President Truman’s State Department. Today, “The Long Telegram” is regarded as a foundational U.S. document, right up there with the Declaration of Independence, The Federalist Papers and George Washington’s Farewell Address. As a sign of its enduring significance, the telegram’s 75th anniversary appears on top-ten lists of historic moments to note in 2021. Read More

TRU History – Truman Signs Directive 225

We recently heard a remarkable story from an unexpected caller, and we wanted to share it today, in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The caller was a gentleman from Florida. He introduced himself as “Harry” and said that he wanted to make a donation to the STAY TRU Capital Campaign.

“You see, I’m named for Harry Truman,” he told us. “During World War II, my parents were sent to concentrations camps – Auschwitz and Dachau.” Against all odds, they found each other after the camps were liberated, then were moved – along with millions of refugees – into a displaced persons camp. The situation wasn’t hopeful. In Germany alone, there were 7 million refugees with no home to return to. Read More

Inaugural Address

On this day in 1949, Harry S. Truman delivered his Inaugural Address on the U.S. Capitol’s East Portico. More than 100,000 people were gathered in the Capitol Plaza when he began his 2,272-word address with these words… Read More