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Collecting American Elections A Smithsonian Affiliations Lecture

  • Historic Annapolis 18 Pinkney Street Annapolis, MD, 21401 United States (map)

There is no bigger moment in the life of the American democracy than when voters head to the polls to exercise their rights as citizens to appoint a new leader. For curators at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, there is no clearer mandate than the presidential elections every four years to collect and document, to record and preserve the objects that capture the times.

Nixon-Kennedy TV Debate Chair / NMAH

Nixon-Kennedy TV Debate Chair / NMAH

Smithsonian Affiliations and the National Museum of American History present a roundtable discussion of scholars discussing the hard choices and years of experience that they bring to collecting objects and documents from presidential campaigns for the nation's collection. Lisa Kathleen Graddy, Jon Grinspan, and Claire Jerry from the Division of Political and Military History will share their favorite campaign artifacts from the Smithsonian’s collection, and will bring a diverse perspective to how Americans elect leaders and what messages the objects of campaigns convey about their times.

Cost: FREE - This is a free lecture offered in partnership with the Smithsonian Affiliations program. Historic Annapolis is a one of only 6 museums in Maryland to be recognized as a Smithsonian Affiliate

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