The Boss's Boss has passed...

Another link to our American past has gone. Margaret Truman has died. Given the nickname The Boss's Boss by her father, President Harry Truman, she was well known performer as well as author of a very popular series of detective novels based in Washington DC. Her singing and performing career was not without some controversy. Following her performance at Constitution Hall in 1950, said one reviewer:

"...Yet Miss Truman cannot sing very well. She is flat a good deal of the time -- more so last night than at any time we have heard her in past years..."

Said her dad in response:

"...I've just read your lousy review of Margaret's concert. It seems to me that you are a frustrated old man who wishes he could have been successful. When you write such poppycock . . . it shows conclusively that you're off the beam. . . . Some day I hope to meet you. When that happens you'll need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes, and perhaps a supporter below...."

Source: Washington Post


I did a quick check of NARA and found quite a few digital images concerning her as well as travels with her father and mother. Here is one:

Title:

Photograph of President Truman, with Mrs. Truman and Margaret Truman at Washington National Airport, preparing to leave for a vacation in Florida., 11/28/1949 Source: NARA

More Links:

NY Times Obit

Boss's Boss Nickname

Wikipedia entry: Includes Time cover from 1951

I'm all shook up! That "Sexhibitionist"* Elvis Presley and NARA?

My detective work in NARA continues! Today I have stumbled across a most amazing find. I never dreamed that these things would show up in the official archives, but in a sense I'm glad they do, only because as a historical sleuth, this gives additional insight into American society.

As you know, unlike many of today's figures in popular music, Elvis Presley was drafted into the army and indeed, willingly went. While we can only suppose the impact he truly felt, we can know for certain the impact felt by many who admired him, his work and songs. Truly, it was the teenager who probably felt this most.

Here you will see a letter written to then President Eisenhower by three of Elvis's fans begging Ike to release Elvis from his duties:



To find a readable copy of this letter, hit the ARC search engine. Keyword Elvis followed by a revised search for digital items. There are lots more goodies here, especially if you are a Elvis and Nixon fan.

ARC Search Link: http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/

Wikipedia Search Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley

*Note the "Sexhibitionist Elvis Presley" part of the title I came across by searching the Time archive around the time Elvis was drafted...searching for popular reaction. A quick search showed some articles but not too many other than the wacky title above. Maybe I just need to dig more.....here's the link if you have time:

Warning! Many ads!
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,824916,00.html

The Judy Garland Telegrams!

I've entitled this post "The Judy Garland Telegrams" in reference to an amazing find while searching NARA tonight. I've just barely scratched the surface here, but evidently 1964 was a pretty traumatic year for Judy Garland as evidenced by this quote from Wikipedia:

"...was largely disastrous. Garland's first concert in Sydney, held in Sydney Stadium because no concert hall could accommodate the crowds who wanted to see her, went well and received positive reviews. Her second performance, in Melbourne, started an hour late. The crowd of 70,000, angered by her tardiness and believing her to be drunk, booed and heckled. Finally Garland fled the stage after just 45 minutes....She would later characterize the Melbourne crowd as 'brutish.'..."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Garland

With the year in mind, the following telegrams seem to indicate that she was feeling better at some point and felt encouraged by the support from Robert Kennedy and his wife.

Here's the source article from NARA:

http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/

Search for "Judy Garland Robert Kennedy"

You cannot bookmark the results, but by searching the phrase above, should pull the record down ok. Here's a small picture of one of the telegrams:


























Source link: http://media.nara.gov/media/images/40/13/40-1287t.gif

Try hitting the main search page and doing the search. You should be able to pull the small link as well as temporary links for the big pictures. A facinating glimpse both of NARA as well as Judy Garland and Robert Kennedy and their families.