#carterlibrary

Corned Beef Hash Label 1900, NARA ID 5716501.

A leprechaun interrupts President Reagan’s Cabinet meeting, 3/17/1986, Reagan Library, NARA ID 75854671.

Sláinte! Happy St. Patrick’s Day

and Irish American Heritage Month!

First Lady Rosalynn Carter seems surprised by this GIANT GREEN BAGEL from Rep. Robert Giaimo, Carter Library, NARA ID 844014.

President Reagan enjoys St. Patrick’s Day lunch with a unicorn in Alexandria, VA, 3/17/1985. Reagan Library, NARA ID 75856015.

The Carter Family celebrates St. Patrick’s Day at the White House, 3/17/1980, Carter Library, NARA ID 6783245.

Ireland’s Ambassador to the US gives LBJ with a bowl of shamrocks, 3/17/1965, Johnson Library, NARA ID 6801637. Yes… he was really tall - 6'4"!

Shamrocks from the Irish Ambassador to President and Mrs. Bush, 3/17/2004, Bush (43) Library, NARA ID 117886259.

Do you think they served green beer? Dinner invite, 3/17/2005, President Bush (43), NARA ID 148029117.

Program from the 1921 Battery D Reunion Banquet, Truman Library, NARA ID 7233819.

See also:

Irish American Heritage Month-related resources, National Archives News.

The Forgotten Irish: Irish Emigrant Experiences in America, AOTUS blog.

National Archives Digital Records Help Irish Author Write History Books, National Archives News

Irish American Heroes, Text Message blog

Facial Hair Friday: When Irish mustaches are smiling, Pieces of History blog

St. Patrick’s Day Primary Sources! Education Updates.

Exploring Irish History Through the Famine Files and Other Arrival Records, Pieces of History blog.

Decisions of the Board of Special Inquiry: The Story of Irish Immigrant Bridget Donaghy, the Text Message blog.

Ireland’s Famine Children “Born at Sea”, Prologue Magazine

Stories From Our Holdings: Irish Researchers Study Civil War Records from the NARA/Fold3 Collaboration, NARAtions

“CASSIUS CLAY REFUSES OATH”1967, Universal Pictures.

#OTD 1978: ALI BEATS SPINX! Wins world heavyweight championship

By Miriam Kleiman, Public Affairs

‘’Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on other innocent brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?’’ -Muhammad Ali.

#OTD 1978, boxer Muhammad Ali defeated Leon Spinks at the Louisiana Superdome, winning the world heavyweight boxing title for an unprecedented 3rd time.

Explore our records to discover how Ali fought inside and outside the boxing ring: as a Civil Rights activist, a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War, and a humanitarian; from accused draft dodger -- stripped of his title, banned from boxing and sentenced to prison -- to Presidential Medal of Freedom winner.

Muhammad Ali with President Ford, 12/10/1974. NARA ID 45644181.

Jordan's King Hussein and President Ford greet Ali, 3/30/1976, NARA ID 7840017.

Boxing gloves inscribed to Senator Ed Kennedy from "Your friend Muhammad Ali 7-8-88" online here. Courtesy of Mrs. Edward M. Kennedy, JFK Library and Museum.

President Reagan "Punching" Ali in The Oval Office, 1/24/1983, NARA ID 75852623.

Ali with President Clinton, 10/28/2000, NARA ID 5899875.

Ali received Presidential Medal of Honor from President George W. Bush, 11/9/2005, NARA ID 7431423.

More online:

Mohammad Ali's Fight for Justice 1967, Records of Rights

Tribute to “The Greatest”, Rediscovering Black History

African American History - Muhammad Ali

See State Department reports on the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle Part I & Part II by archivist David Langbart, The Text Message

Ali's Criminal Case Files, 1908-1973, NARA ID 563137.

Related Ali Case Files 1967-1969, NARA ID 22930205.

Ali Draft Evasion Court Case, NARA ID 5604069

ED ASNER IN CIA TRAINING FILM, 1956!

NEWLY DISCOVERED: Suspects and Witnesses, NARA ID 653047. By Miriam Kleiman, Public Affairs

Mary Tyler Moore's Mary Richards shattered TV gender norms. Unapologetically strong, bright, capable, and funny, she was a role model to me and others.

The heart of the show is her often-challenging relationship with grumpy-but-kindhearted boss Lou Grant, played by Ed Asner who died yesterday (whom she called "Mr. Grant" for all 7 seasons).

Asner is well-remembered as an incredible character actor but lesser known as an Army veteran and activist. Searching through our always-interesting holdings, I found this CIA training film of 27 year-old Ed Asner as a brilliantly hostile witness. Recognize these expressions of anger, disgust, and scorn?

See also:

Ed Asner & President Carter, 2/28/1979, NARA ID 183724.

Asked by a reporter about a standout "brush-with-greatness,” Asner recalled this meeting and his longtime regret:

I carry guilt because I didn’t vote for Jimmy Carter in the 2nd election. I voted for John Anderson. I thought it would be a nice break from supporting a Democrat automatically. But I had met Jimmy Carter. I liked what I saw... What he’s done since leaving the office of the presidency has been ideal. He’s acted like a great man. I thought he was a good president. I don’t know why I decided to vote for John Anderson, other than as a way to break my habit. I realized later that the votes Anderson got might have been enough bring Carter on par with Ronald Reagan. I regretted that. That’s why I never went for another 3rd party candidate after that. Ed Asner, Kansas City Star, 2016.

Ed Asner in PSA for HUD, 1978

From Pictorial Parade, online here.

HAMMERIN' HANK BREAKS RUTH'S RECORD #OTD 1974

By Miriam Kleiman, Public Affairs

#OTD in 1974, Hank Aaron (who died in January 2021) hit his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s legendary record before a crowd of 53,775 people, the largest in the history of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. This achievement was bittersweet; at each step of his historic rise, he faced systemic and extreme racism that included hate mail and death threats. He described the effects of this vitriol on his family and his heart:

“It really made me see for the first time a clear picture of what this country is about. My kids had to live like they were in prison because of kidnap threats, and I had to live like a pig in a slaughter camp. I had to duck. I had to go out the back door of the ball parks. I had to have a police escort with me all the time. I was getting threatening letters every single day. All of these things have put a bad taste in my mouth, and it won’t go away. They carved a piece of my heart away.”  NYT interview.

Aaron saved many of those letters and even the death threats.

“To remind myself that we are not that far removed from when I was chasing the record. If you think that, you are fooling yourself. A lot of things have happened in this country, but we have so far to go. There’s not a whole lot that has changed.” USA Today interview.

Such hatred didn’t stop him. Instead, Aaron seized the opportunity for greatness and advancement on the field and beyond (from here): :

“In playing ball, and in life, a person occasionally gets the opportunity to do something great. When that time comes, only two things matter: being prepared to seize the moment and having the courage to take your best swing.” - Hank Aaron

President Carter welcomes Hank Aaron to the White House, 8/15/1978, Carter Library, NARA IDs 180805 and 180806.

“A breaker of records and racial barriers, his remarkable legacy will continue to inspire countless athletes and admirers for generations to come.” –President Carter

President George W. Bush Presents Presidential Medal of Freedom to Hank Aaron, 7/9/2002, George W. Bush Library, NARA ID 6734115.

Related online resources:

Special Topics page: Baseball at the National Archives

eBook: Baseball: The National Pastime in the National Archives

Related Tumblr post: Letter from Jackie Robinson to Nixon Deputy Special Assistant Roland Elliott, 4/20/1972.

Teaching with Documents, Jackie Robinson, Civil Rights Advocate

Prologue Magazine story: Jim Crow, Meet Lieutenant Robinson

Pieces of History blog post: Jackie Robinson’s 100th

Teaching Activities on DocsTeach: Analyzing Jackie Robinson’s White House Letter, Analyzing a Photograph of Jackie Robinson, Analyzing a Letter from Jackie Robinson: “Fair Play and Justice”

Online Exhibit: Letter from Jackie Robinson to IKE about the Little Rock 9

First Lady Rosalynn Carter seems surprised by this GIANT GREEN BAGEL from Rep. Robert Giaimo, Carter Library, NARA ID 844014.

A leprechaun interrupts President Reagan's Cabinet meeting, 3/17/1986, Reagan Library, NARA ID 75854671.

President Reagan enjoys St. Patrick's Day lunch with a unicorn in Alexandria, VA, 3/17/1985. Reagan Library, NARA ID 75856015.

The Carter Family celebrates St. Patrick's Day at the White House, 3/17/1980, Carter Library, NARA ID 6783245.

Ireland's Ambassador to the US presents LBJ with a bowl of shamrocks, 3/17/1965, Johnson Library, NARA ID 6801637. Yes... he was really tall - 6'4"!

Shamrocks from the Irish Ambassador to President and Mrs. Bush, 3/17/2004, Bush (43) Library, NARA ID 117886259.

Do you think they served green beer? Dinner invite, 3/17/2005, President Bush (43), NARA ID 148029117.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Presidents love to celebrate too!

WWI "March Seventeenth" political cartoon by Clifford Berryman shows Uncle Sam preparing to use a club to deal with the many German propagandist snakes slithering in the grass around him, 3/17/18. NARA ID 6011367.

In this "St. Patrick" political cartoon by Clifford Berryman, evil snakes represent problems posed by Prohibition, 3/17/1922, NARA ID 6011716.

Program from the 1921 Battery D Reunion Banquet, Truman Library, NARA ID 7233819.

See also:

National Archives Irish American Heritage Month-related resources.

Facial Hair Friday: When Irish mustaches are smiling, Pieces of History blog

St. Patrick’s Day Primary Sources! Education Updates.

Nancy Reagan greets Cicely Tyson as President Ronald Reagan greets Miles Davis, White House reception for Kennedy Center Honorees/guests, 12/7/1986, Reagan Presidential Library, NARA ID 75855191.

President Jimmy Carter greets Cicely Tyson at State dinner honoring Alhaji Shehu Shagari, the President of Nigeria, Carter Presidential Library, NARA ID 847603.

President and Nancy Reagan with Harlem-born Cicely Tyson and Dance Theater of Harlem founder/director Arthur Mitchell, at the Kennedy Center,  2/10/1981, Reagan Library, NARA ID 75856659.

President Reagan greets Cicely Tyson and Miles Davis, Washington Charities Dinner, 6/15/1984, Reagan Library, NARA ID 75853451.

We Remember Cicely Tyson

“My art had to both mirror the times and propel them forward. I was determined to do all I could to alter the narrative about Black people — to change the way Black women in particular were perceived, by reflecting our dignity.” 

“I was on the stage. Every play I did had to do with the civil rights movement. Every single piece addressed it.” 

--Cicely Tyson, from here and here. 

See related:

Ancestors from the West Indies: A Historical and Genealogical Overview, Prologue story by archivist Damani Davis.

Excerpt: [E]xamples can be used to illustrate the diverse experiences of individuals and families who emigrated from the Caribbean to the United States. Actress Cicely Tyson’s father, William Tyson, is documented arriving at the Port of New York from Nevis. 

Ansel Adams and Jimmy Carter:  Environmentalist Photographer Meets — and Lobbies — Conservation President!

Legendary photographer Ansel Adams is known for his incredible landscapes of the American West (including 226 photos of National Parks that are NARA records). Carter Library archivist Daria Labinsky shares a lesser-known chapter of his past, that of a Carter White House portrait photographer!  

Read her incredible “behind the scenes” account of the photo shoot. 

Learn how Adams used this opportunity to lobby President Carter to support preservation of California’s Big Sur Coast and land in Alaska!

Discover who said to Adams: “I guess this is a big enough camera to capture the egos in this town.”

Find out what Smithsonian Museum has these portraits today.