For those of you who live in the DC area, or plan to travel there, you should consider visiting the National Archives. Among all of the magnificent sites in Washington, the Archives is a sleeper. Not only can you see the original Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, but you can arrange for access to an extraordinary range of historical documents.
And, amazingly, even documents that have only personally "historic" meaning.
I visited the Archives a few weeks ago on July 22nd shortly after leaving a meeting with President Obama. The Archivist had on display in his office copies of a few letters he had sent to various presidents when he was a kid. They keep literally every document that is sent to the President (among other officials). I mentioned that this reminded me that I had written to President Kennedy when I was in high school complaining about the lack of adequate support for scientific research, and observed that even then I was a pain in the butt. We laughed.
Two days later, on July 24, much to my surprise I received an e-mail from the Archivist with an attached copy of that very same letter. I kid you not. The letter was addressed to President Kennedy and was dated July 18, 1962. I was totally blown away by this. When I typed the letter on July 18, 1962 the last thing on my mind was the possibility that 51 years and 4 days later I would be in Washington, DC, meeting with a future President of the United States for 45 minutes to discuss a topic of concern to both of us. I have not changed -- I remain a pain in the butt.
When we were in high school many of us suffered tremendous anxiety whenever a teacher would warn us that if we did not shape up a record would be put into our "permanent file." Years later, I wondered where exactly was my permanent file. I guess at least part of it is in dusty warehouse somewhere under the watchful eye of the National Archives.
So, go to the Archives, and if you ever wrote a letter to any President tell them you want a copy for your own "permanent file".
And while you are in DC visit the Martin Luther King Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial. You will be profoundly moved.
Chuck
|
Author
Washington, DC