Processing the National Korean War Museum Collection

Natalie Walker is Museum / Archives Technician at the Truman Library Institute and is currently finishing a Master’s in Public History at Colorado State University.

Natalie wrote the following blog post telling the behind-the-scenes story of processing a new collection of Korean War items acquired when the National Korean War Museum closed its doors.

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100 years ago, as Captain Harry S. Truman and the rest of the 129^th Artillery were preparing to ship off to fight in the Western Front and face combat in World War I, the wives and sweethearts of the Battery D men were taking on a project of their own. These women banded together to create a quilt that was eventually raffled off to raise money to buy wool yarn, which would in turn be used to knit socks for the troops. This year only, this special quilt is on display in the Truman Library’s special exhibition, “Heroes or Corpses”: Captain Truman in World War I.

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The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum is commemorating the 100th anniversary of Truman entering combat during World War I this year through a new temporary exhibition, ‘Heroes or Corpses’: Captain Truman in World War I. We went behind the scenes and spoke with Curator Clay Bauske about this new exhibition.

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Hundreds of Truman fans celebrated Presidents’ Day with a full day of activities at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum. Not only that, but Harry Truman made headlines across the country on what turned out to be a very exciting day for Truman! And, according to the Kansas City Star, 2018 is “the year of Truman.” Read More

Harry S. Truman passed away on this day in 1972. The former president was 88 years old.

The following week, on January 3 and 4, 1973, 47 Congressmen and 70 Senators offered memorial tributes eulogizing the 33^rd President of the United States on the floors of House of Representatives and the Senate, including Senators Robert Dole, Barry Goldwater, Edward Kennedy, George McGovern, Walter Mondale, Stuart Symington, Adlai Stevenson and Strom Thurmond. Republicans and Democrats alike joined together to praise Truman, his decisiveness, his humility and, above all, his service to the American people. Read More

Harry S. Truman once said, “There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know.” Luckily for Hannah Scott and Erin Lowe, there’s a lot of history they know. Armed with their knowledge of history, these two local students recently came home with gold medals from the National History Day competition in Washington, D.C. Read More

Get Up Close and Personal with Special Artifacts

Get up close and personal with some of the most unique artifacts at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum every Wednesday this summer during White Glove Wednesdays, when an archivist, curator or technician selects a special item not generally on display in the museum. Wednesdays at 11 a.m., museum visitors have the chance to view the items up close, hear more from the experts and ask any questions they may have about the artifacts. Read More

Get Up Close and Personal with Truman Library Artifacts

Pull back the curtains on some of the most interesting objects at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum this summer with special events showing off rare objects not usually on display. Join us every Wednesday for White Glove Wednesdays at 11 a.m. and the first Friday of each month for Talkin’ Truman discussions focusing on specific themes.

Check out what is scheduled this next month at the Truman Library and make your plans to visit:

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Proclamation 2824—National Freedom Day

February 1st is National Freedom Day, a time to celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s signing of the resolution that became known as the 13th Amendment. Truman built on Lincoln’s civil rights efforts, commissioning the Committee on Civil Rights, being the first president to address the NAACP, calling for civil rights legislation, desegregating the U.S. Armed Forces and U.S. federal hiring, hosting the first openly integrated inaugural gala, and issuing the following proclamation honoring national freedom day in 1949. 
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Truman’s Inaugural Address to the Nation

On January 20, 1949, Chief Justice of the United States Fred Vinson (one of Truman’s four appointees to the Supreme Court) administered the oath of office to Harry S. Truman. At 12:35 p.m., President Truman delivered his inaugural address to the nation. The address totaled 2,264 words. Read President Truman’s Inaugural Address in its entirety below.
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