(future) 26th U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)
Henry Ford (the founder of Ford Motor Co.), Thomas Edison (inventor of the phonograph, motion picture camera and the practical light bulb), Warren G. Harding (29th president of USA) and Harvey Samuel Firestone (founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Co.) lounging together.
October 31, 1964. Today LBJ’s campaign goes through Dover, Wilmington, and Farmingdale, Long Island. The President ends the day of campaigning with a rally at Madison Square Gardens with Luci, Lynda, Mrs. Johnson, and Mrs. and Mrs. Robert Kennedy. RFK is running for Senate.
Follow the campaign route here.
LBJ Library photos 435-95-WH64, 435-131-WH64, and 433-105-WH64; images are in the public domain.
November 3, 1964. It’s election day! President Johnson spends most of the day resting at the LBJ Ranch before he heads to Austin to watch the election returns at the Driskill Hotel.
LBJ Library Photos 436-107-WH64, 436-230-WH64, 436-390-WH64, 436-157-WH64, 436-176-WH64, 436-140-WH64, 436-68-WH64, 436-258-WH64, 436-344-WH64; images are in the public domain.
The War on Poverty
On this day in 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared a war on poverty. In his Annual Message to Congress on the State of the Union, January 8, 1964, LBJ outlined his plan to alleviate poverty in America.
LBJ believed that the most effective way to “win the war on poverty” was to introduce legislation, programs, and tax cuts that would result in a Great Society, giving all Americans — not just the poor and underprivileged — a better quality of life.
Watch LBJ deliver his history speech, and see photos of his Poverty Tour of Appalachia here.
Photo: President Lyndon B. Johnson visits Tom Fletcher residence during Poverty Tour of Appalachia. 4/24/64.
On January 8, 1790 President George Washington delivered his first annual message to Congress. This was the shortest annual message ever delivered to Congress. Since 1934, the President’s annual message has commonly been referred to as the State of the Union address.
President George Washington’s First Annual Message to Congress, 1/8/1790, SEN 1A-E1, Records of the U.S. Senate
The final page of President George Washington’s first annual message to Congress (from the Journal of the House of Representatives) is on exhibit in the East Rotunda Gallery of the National Archives through February 4, 2015.
"…The enemy having concentered his forces may again attempt to drive me from my position by storm; whenever he does, I have no doubt my men will act with their usual firmness, & sustain a character, now become dear to them."
Report of Andrew Jackson on the Battle of New Orleans. 9th Jan. 1815.
Letters Rec’d, J214, Box 97. Record Group 107: Records of the Office of the Secretary of War.
The Battle of New Orleans. January 1815. Copy of engraving by H. B. Hall after W. Momberger.
Teddy Roosevelt in Philadelphia - November 22nd, 1902
President Roosevelt was in Philadelphia on November 22nd to attend the dedication of the Central High School for Boys during the day and at night, he went to the celebratory banquet of Founders’ Day at the Union League. The party went quite late and Roosevelt boarded his train home at the Pennsylvania Railroad station.
Today is the final day of the ‘Making Their Mark’ Exhibit. For the past several months we have been sharing records showing how Americans have made their mark throughout history. We thank you for taking this journey with us, and we hope that you feel inspired to make your own mark on history.