Armistice Day

In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a treaty was signed to end World War I, know as "The Great War" and as "the war to end all wars." On the one year anniversary of the treaty, November 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the day as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.

On June 4, 1926, Congress passed a concurrent resolution, recognized this date as a day to be remembered annually. It became a legal holiday on May 13, 1938 with the passing of the Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a). This day was set aside as a day to honor the veterans who fought in World War I. After World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd Congress (with the encouragment of veterans service organizations) amended the Act by replacing Armistice with the word Veterans. It was approved on June 1, 1954, and November 11th became Veterans Day.

On October 8, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first "Veterans Day Proclamation" (19 Fed. Reg. 6545 (October 12, 1954).

For more information on this important day, visit the Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs' History of Veterans Day site.

Sonnet Erin Brown
Head of Federal Documents
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research, Political Science
Earth & Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Urban Studies

President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Birthday

Today marks the 119th birthday of our 34th president, Dwight David Eisenhower. President Eisenhower served from 1953 to 1961 and was known as “Ike.” He was the commanding general of the forces in Europe during World War II. As president, he ordered the desegregation of the Armed Forces, stating that "there must be no second class citizens in this country." To learn more, click on these links:

White House: Biography of Dwight D. Eisenhower


American President: Dwight David Eisenhower


The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum






Sonnet Erin Brown
Head of Federal Documents
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research, Political Science
Earth & Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Urban Studies

50th Anniversary of Hawaii Statehood

On August 21, 1959, Hawaii was finally admitted to the Union.  It is the only state made up entirely of islands.  

In promotion of our new database, American History in Video, I'm including a link to a Universal Newsreels clip from August 24, 1959.  This clip includes shots of President Eisenhower welcoming Hawaii as the 50th state.

Universal Newsreels, Release 68, August 24, 1959

Sonnet Erin Brown
Head of Federal Documents
Reference & Instruction Librarian
Subject Specialist: Legal Research, Political Science
Earth & Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Urban Studies