Video: 'Reshaping the Supreme Court' (July 20, 1937, at 1:37)
(Tuesday, July 20, 1937, 4:30-5:50 p.m. EDT) — U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Vice President John Garner today what his chances were with Congress regarding his plan to increase the number of Supreme Court justices to obtain favorable rulings regarding New Deal legislation. Continue reading VP Garner tells FDR ‘you’re beat’ on ‘court-packing plan’ 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (July 20 1937)
Video: 'Presidential Succession Act of 1947'
(Friday, July 18, 1947) — U.S. President Harry S. Truman today signed the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, which clarified the order of succession in the event of the death of a sitting president by placing the speaker of the House and the Senate president pro tempore next in the line of succession after the vice president. Continue reading House speaker placed second in line to U.S. presidency 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (July 18 1947)
Video: 'Lady Bird Johnson Dies'
(Wednesday, July 11, 2007, 4:18 p.m. CDT) — Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson, the former first lady (1963–69) who’d championed conservation and worked tenaciously for the political career of her husband, President Lyndon B. Johnson, died this afternoon of natural causes in Austin, Texas, at age 94. Continue reading Former First Lady ‘Lady Bird’ Johnson dies 10 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 11 2007)
Video: 'John Quincy Adams - Mini Biography'
(Friday, July 11, 1767) — John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States (1825-1829), was born today to John Adams, the second President of the United States (1797-1801), and his wife Abigail. second First Lady of the United States (1797-1801), in a part of Braintree, Massachusetts, that is now Quincy. Continue reading U.S. President John Quincy Adams born in Braintree, Massachusetts 250 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 11 1767)
Video: '1987 Iran Contra Hearings 1'
(Tuesday, July 7, 1987, 8:15 a.m. EDT) — After more than seven months of silence, Lieut. Col. Oliver North finally began his long-awaited public testimony at the Iran-Contra hearing today, telling Congress, often in combative tones, that the secret operations he ran out of the White House were conducted only under orders from his superiors. Continue reading Oliver North insists his superiors backed Iran-Contra deals 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 7 1987)
Video: 'Truman Library Dedication 1957/7/8'
(Saturday, July 6, 1957, afternoon CDT) — The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, a presidential library and future resting place of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States (1945–1953), was dedicated today in Independence, Missouri, with former President Herbert Hoover, Chief Justice Earl Warren and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt among those in attendance. Continue reading Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum dedicated 60 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 6 1957)
(Wednesday, July 1, 1987, 9:00 p.m. EDT) — Seven Democratic presidential hopefuls gathered tonight in Houston for their first debate of the 1988 campaign, during which they fired salvo after salvo at Republican term-limited President Ronald Reagan, but hardly a shot at each other.
Video: '7/1/87: Bork Nominated to Supreme Court'
(Wednesday, July 1, 1987, 2:30 p.m. EDT) — President Ronald Reagan nominated federal appeals court judge Robert H. Bork to the U.S. Supreme Court today, setting off a tempestuous confirmation process that ended with Bork’s rejection by the Senate. Continue reading President Reagan nominates Bork to U.S. Supreme Court 30 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jul 1 1987)
Video: 'American Experience Truman 2 of 3' (June 29, 1947, at 38:11)
(Sunday, June 29, 1947, 4:30 p.m. EDT) — President Harry S. Truman became the first President to address the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People today, declaring that the nation has “reached the turning point in the long history of its efforts to guarantee freedom and equality to all our citizens” in a speech at the closing session of the civil rights organization’s 38th annual conference at Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Continue reading Truman becomes first president to address NAACP 70 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 29 1947)
Video: 'American Experience Truman 2 of 3' (June 28, 1947, at 37:56)
(Saturday, June 28, 1947) — President Harry S. Truman wrote his sister a letter today, mentioning his upcoming speech to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People: “I’ve got to make a speech tomorrow to the Society for the Advancement of Colored People and I wish I didn’t have to make it… Mamma won’t like what I say.” Continue reading Truman writes about upcoming historic speech to NAACP 70 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 28 1947)
