U.S. National Archives and Records Administration’s Post

You're only as good as your worst speech. It takes so many more good appearances to make up for one bad one. The cliche goes: "One cockroach spoils a basket of strawberries. One strawberry does not improve a basket of cockroaches". I'm going to share with you a great speech. It is a speech where the most commonly used word is "Peace". It is a speech that appeals to finding the middle ground between warring factions. It is a speech speaking of an aspirational future and delivered with warmth and optimism. It's a speech delivered in the 1960s. Okay, I've given the game away. It's obviously a speech by Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela or JFK or one of these other great speakers we place on a pedestal. Actually, it's a speech by Richard Nixon. It's a speech you probably haven't seen, because you are only as good as your worst speech. It is Nixon's inauguration speech in 1969, which has been the defining speech for several US Presidents. But it does not define Nixon. That's because his most famous speech is delivered five years later, when he resigns amidst the Watergate Scandal. That is certainly the only speech I had seen of Nixon's, until I sat down to analyse his inauguration speech. In this speech, it was refreshing to see a different side of Nixon, a fresher, more positive version entering the office of President than the one we see leaving it. If you want to learn how to avoid "Speech-gate" and end up being defined by one bad speech you deliver, then watch this analysis to learn how to ensure you can make all of your speeches a high quality. #publicspeaking #speeches #presentationskills

14 President's BEFORE George Washington Before George Washington, there were 14 presidents who served the Continental Congress. These presidents were not presidents of the United States, as the United States Constitution had not yet been ratified. Their roles were more akin to that of a chairman or speaker, presiding over the Congress during the American Revolution. Here is a list of the 14 presidents before George Washington: 1. Peyton Randolph 2. Henry Middleton 3. John Hancock 4. Henry Laurens 5. John Jay 6. Samuel Huntington 7. Thomas McKean 8. John Hanson 9. Elias Boudinot 10. Thomas Mifflin 11. Richard Henry Lee 12. John Hancock (second term) 13. Nathaniel Gorham 14. Arthur St. Clair These men played a crucial role in the formation of the United States, presiding over the Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War and the early years of the nation’s history. However, their roles were distinct from the presidency of the United States, which began with George Washington in 1789.

We're honored to share the following praise from James N. Mattis, 26th U.S. Secretary of Defense, for Emily Davis's paper, "The Incalculable Element." Join us today at 3pm ET for a virtual discussion with Emily and AWMF advisor jesse ausubel. Register here: https://lnkd.in/e3VPk5tZ “In a word, this is wonderful. It is an apt, appropriate use of applied history. In a tumultuous time when journalists seem to be the only voices trying to make sense of our situation, nearly all historians have been unable to give us guideposts or a compass to orient us to solutions. As W. Churchill put it, the more one can look into the past, the further one can look into the future….This paper rates study and application to our own thinking about what we face. Vice dismissing the reasons for the internal disarray, Hermocrates sought to understand them and then to show them why they must mature their thinking. Where in America is such informed leadership today? This is an award-winning paper in the truest sense of the word. This demonstrates why we need historians who can apply history to our current situation. As SecDef I often got my best new ideas from old books/history. This paper is nothing short of exciting in what it unlocks….I’m inspired and humbled by [Emily’s] application of history. Hermocrates ranks with Aurelian guiding Rome out of the crisis of the third century AD or Choiseul’s thoughtful leadership under the Sun King.” Emily is a predoctoral fellow with the America in the World Consortium at the Clements Center for National Security.

Presidents' Day, officially Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is often celebrated to honor all those who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879, has been the federal holiday honoring Founding Father George Washington, who led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War, presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and was the first U.S. president. The day is an official state holiday in most states, with names including Washington's Birthday, Presidents' Day, President's Day, Presidents Day, and Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday. The various states use 15 different names. Depending upon the specific law, the state holiday may officially celebrate Washington alone, Washington and Abraham Lincoln, or some other combination of U.S. presidents (such as Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who was born in April).[source: https://bit.ly/3OHJZ14]

👤 In this edition of The POV, Konrad S. examines the professional history and presidential candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. His politics has continually sparked debate in a deeply polarised American election. Szumiński argues that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emerges as a significant independent candidate due to his illustrious family background and contentious stance on vaccines. Despite his controversial views, Szumiński contends that Kennedy Jr.'s environmental activism and legal work demonstrate a commitment to change despite his polarising opinions, especially on vaccines, have alienated some voters. Yet, Szumiński believes Kennedy Jr. could attract disillusioned voters seeking an alternative to the current political dichotomy, positioning him as a potentially serious contender in the 2024 US election. #robertfkennedy #RFKjr #USA #2024election #uspolitics https://lnkd.in/e9UJMCj9

Presidents' Day, officially Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is often celebrated to honor all those who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879, has been the federal holiday honoring Founding Father George Washington, who led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War, presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and was the first U.S. president. The day is an official state holiday in most states, with names including Washington's Birthday, Presidents' Day, President's Day, Presidents Day, and Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday. The various states use 15 different names. Depending upon the specific law, the state holiday may officially celebrate Washington alone, Washington and Abraham Lincoln, or some other combination of U.S. presidents (such as Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who was born in April).[source: https://bit.ly/3OHJZ14]

Today in Brand History: Washington D.C. On July 16th, 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, authorizing the establishment of a federal district as the permanent seat of the United States government. This decision laid the foundation for the eventual creation of Washington D.C., the iconic capital of the United States. Click on the post below for the rest of the story... #newblogpost #todayinbrandhistory #washingtondc #history

Presidents' Day, officially Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is often celebrated to honor all those who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879, has been the federal holiday honoring Founding Father George Washington, who led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War, presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and was the first U.S. president. The day is an official state holiday in most states, with names including Washington's Birthday, Presidents' Day, President's Day, Presidents Day, and Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday. The various states use 15 different names. Depending upon the specific law, the state holiday may officially celebrate Washington alone, Washington and Abraham Lincoln, or some other combination of U.S. presidents (such as Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who was born in April).[source: https://bit.ly/3OHJZ14]

Presidents' Day, officially Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is often celebrated to honor all those who served as presidents of the United States and, since 1879, has been the federal holiday honoring Founding Father George Washington, who led the Continental Army to victory in the American Revolutionary War, presided at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and was the first U.S. president. The day is an official state holiday in most states, with names including Washington's Birthday, Presidents' Day, President's Day, Presidents Day, and Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday. The various states use 15 different names. Depending upon the specific law, the state holiday may officially celebrate Washington alone, Washington and Abraham Lincoln, or some other combination of U.S. presidents (such as Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who was born in April).[source: https://bit.ly/3OHJZ14]