Hoover Headlines

Herbert and Lou Hoover were prolific mining engineers with a global impact. This program will explore the early lives of the Hoovers that led them to mining, their careers as miners, and an explanation of what made Hoover a remarkable mining engineer.  Join us to learn about the National Mining Hall of Fame's 11th and 60th inductees- Herbert and Lou Hoover. About the Speaker: Elizabeth Dinschel is the director of the National Mining Hall of Fame in Colorado. She was previously the education archivist at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum and has vast knowledge on both subjects.  

In celebration of both Abraham Lincoln's birthday and Presidents Day, this talk will examine the lives of Abraham Lincoln and Herbert Hoover highlighting the profound influence that the Sixteenth President had upon the thinking of the Thirty-First President.  About the Speaker: Dr. Thomas Schwartz is the director of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. Prior to coming to the Hoover Presidential Library, Schwartz was director of the Lincoln Library and will share his vast knowledge of both presidents.

Third Thursday program, Jan. 19, 2023 Sometimes called “the worst hard time,” the Great Depression touched every American community and citizen. This talk focuses on how Iowans experienced the 1930s. The presentation will discuss the ways that Iowans survived hard times, and how some residents turned to radical action in response to the ordeal.About the Speaker: Park Ranger Peter Hoehnle is a National Park Service guide at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and holds a doctorate in history. He enjoys doing historical research and has been widely published on American communal societies, including volumes on Amana and the Shakers.

 The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum's entire collection of decorated Belgian Relief flour sacks from World War I was subjected to a close examination in June 2022. Annelien van Kempen, visiting researcher from The Netherlands, and Marcus Eckhardt, Hoover Presidential Museum curator, studied every detail and counted 360 items in this unique survey of war-time American and Canadian flour sacks, decorated by Belgian schoolgirls, women and artists, mainly in 1915. 

Gary Dolphin interviews Hoover Presidential Foundation president & CEO Jerry Fleagle about the Timeless Values | Modern Experience campaign for the  renovation of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum.

Christmas was very important to Herbert Hoover, and he celebrated the holiday many ways during his long life. Join us for a ranger talk about Hoover and Christmas, from the simple holiday celebrations of his Quaker youth to his globetrotting years as a mining engineer in many lands, to his years in the White House and a memorable Christmas Eve fire in 1929. In the last 20 years of his life, Hoover celebrated Christmas with elaborate decorations, gatherings, and gift giving from his suite in the Waldorf Towers. Based on the recollections of family and friends, and Hoover's own writings, this talk will open a window into the private life of a president and his family, as they celebrated a favorite holiday.About the Speaker: Park Ranger Peter Hoehnle is a National Park Service guide at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and holds a doctorate in history. He enjoys doing historical research and has been widely published on American communal societies, including volumes on Amana and the Shakers.

This Third Thursday at Hoover's program aired Oct. 20, 2022.This presentation highlights the "homecoming" visit that Mr. and Mrs. Hoover and their two sons made to Iowa during the summer of 1928 after his nomination as the Republican nominee for the presidency. Although there was no official album, Juhl has arranged these seldom seen photographs to represent what could have been a family album.About the Speaker: Paul Juhl, of Iowa City, has been writing about Iowa history for the past twenty years. Originally from Webster City, Juhl holds degrees from the University of Iowa in history, and the University of Northern Iowa in College Student Personnel Services. He is also an expert on photography in the late nineteenth century and often includes many images from all times periods in his books.Prior to retirement, Juhl served several Iowa high schools, and also a school in Switzerland, as the school counselor and teacher.The topics for his spiral bound books are diverse and include Grant Wood, Pulitzer Prize recipient, MacKinlay Kantor, Herbert Hoover and Abraham Lincoln's grandchildren.

This talk begins with an overview of the Hard Winter of 1880-81 as found in the newspaper record, followed by an exploration of some of Wilder's struggles to convert her family's experiences into her nearly perfect novel, “The Long Winter.”  About the Speaker: Cindy Wilson is passionate about history and enchanted by the prairie landscape. Her award-winning book, “The Beautiful Snow: The Ingalls Family, the Railroads, and the Hard Winter of 1880-81” can be purchased through her website TheBeautifulSnow.com or at various online and museum retailers.

Lou Henry Hoover and 17 other first ladies who, at one point in their lives knitted, crocheted, embroidered, quilted, cross-stitched, or sewed, are the focus of a new book, “Ladies, First: Common Threads,” by Debra Scala Giokas. Debra will discuss the research and stories that went into that work. About the Speaker: Debra Scala Giokas is a professional member of the Crochet Guild of America. She earned her B.A. in English from Stony Brook University and began a career in marketing communications where she writes every day. She has been working in that field ever since. Debra enjoys learning and writing about women in American History. She taught a marketing course at a local college as an Adjunct Assistant Professor for 6 years, and still mentors students at her alma mater. Originally from Astoria, Queens, New York, Debra lives on Long Island with her husband George and their dog, Zoe Ana, a Maltese.

Hoover Presidential Foundation president & CEO Jerry Fleagle, Kat Reinbold, Creative Producer and Matt Solari, VP & creative director for BRC Imagination Arts, a premiere builder of exhibit spaces, look at the possibilities that lie ahead for the new exhibit renovation.

This program highlights the role Lou Henry Hoover played in the early stages of the Girls Scouts and it continuing mission. About the Speaker: Ann Robertson is the volunteer historian for the Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital and founder of the Girl Scout History Project blog and digital museum. She earned a PhD in political science from George Washington University and edited the journal 'Problems of Post-Communism' for nearly two decades. She is a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts and earned the Gold Award and the Thanks Badge.

When Lou Henry Hoover moved into the White House on March 4, 1929, she looked forward to using her influence to strengthen the areas that were near and dear to her heart: women's opportunities; the arts; and private philanthropy. Lou was the first president's wife to address the nation by radio. She continued the work of updating the White House to accurately reflect its history and documented that work. Lou's private philanthropy led to the building of a school for children in a remote area of rural Virginia, and she sought out and supported local artisans for a number of special projects. Annette Dunlap, author of the soon-to-be-released biography of Lou Henry Hoover, will share stories from Lou's White House years in a Third Thursday presentation on May 19, 2022.

Herbert Hoover's last 50 years was spent largely on humanitarian efforts. This program will detail the programs and people Hoover set up to feed millions. About the Speaker: Branden Little is a professor of history at Weber State University in Utah. And he has recently finished a big biography of Herbert Hoover and his humanitarian deputies that traces their influential roles in shaping American foreign policy in the twentieth century and beyond. 

Herbert Hoover spent the first decade of his long and eventful life in the prairie village of West Branch, Iowa, a market, and railroad town that was just coming into its own during the years of his boyhood. Join us for a presentation about Hoover's hometown filled with historic images of the people and places that Hoover knew. The presentation will place West Branch into the larger context of midwestern communities in the late 19th century and will touch on the social and economic life of West Branch during Hoover's childhood. Presented by NPS Park Ranger Peter Hoehnle 

Today's National Park system consists of 423 different sites, covers more than 85 million acres, and welcomes more than 300 million annual visitors. Join us as we take a look at some of the most significant milestones in the history of the National Park Service, and how a handful of individuals (including Herbert Hoover) have impacted the development of what many consider to be “America's Best Idea.” About the Speaker: Park Ranger Jenny Cripe Davis has worked for the National Park Service since 2016. She joined the staff at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in September 2021. 

This program will discuss how the Brussels Lace Committee, the Hoovers, and the two major relief organizations came together to support the lacemakers of Belgium during WWI. About the Speaker: Evelyn McMillan's lifelong interest in the textile arts led to her research and writing about Belgian war lace. She does volunteer work for The Lace Museum of Sunnyvale, California and recently retired from Stanford University.

Hoover Presidential Library archivist Matthew Schaefer shares “A Few of My Favorite Things” he has discovered in his career as a Hoover archivist.“Some are treasures and others are just fascinating pieces of history most people never knew existed,” Schaefer said. Be sure to join us online for this special ‘behind the scenes' look at the Hoover archives!

“A Tale of two Famines” explores the role Herbert Hoover played during the Russian famines of 1921 to 23 and 1932 to 33 from the perspective of the speaker's grandparents who experienced it and were fed by Hoover. Presented by Robert Zapesochny

Hoover archivist Lynn Smith takes us through Herbert Hoover's funeral and burial in West Branch, 57 years ago, Oct. 25, 1964. Audio and video clips and photos from the day enhance the presentation.

Have you ever found yourself wondering what Laura Ingalls Wilder actually wore during her time on the prairie? If you imagine a parade of calico dresses capped with a pink sunbonnet over braided pigtails cascading down her back, you might want to rethink that. Don't fret, though – this program is here to help! This illustrated lecture dives into the historic terms of clothing, how Mrs. Wilder used them (correctly or incorrectly) when writing books in the 1930s and 1940s, and some detailed photos of original items. Presented by Laura Keyes.

Jesse was an inventive and talented young entrepreneur, a self-taught blacksmith, inventor, pump manufacturer, community leader, pioneer West Branch businessman, and husband…as well as the father of the thirty-first President of the United States. This is his story.

A century ago 38 Americans from every walk of life volunteered to fly in the First World War. It was their own idea—to fight in the skies to aid our oldest ally, France, long before the United States entered the war. They were willing to pay the ultimate price. They helped move their reluctant nation to ultimately join the Allies and enter the fight. They were the Lafayette Escadrille. We'll hear from the film's director, Darroch Greer along with Paul Glenshaw.Please watch this 20-minute version of ‘The Lafayette Escadrille' in preparation for the Third Thursday program. WATCH THE PREVIEWAbout the Speakers: Darroch Greer is a documentary filmmaker and historical researcher. He's written and produced documentaries on the Civil War, Native America, and popular culture for Discovery, the History Channel, PBS and VH1.Paul Glenshaw is a co-director and co-writer of The Lafayette Escadrille. He is a lecturer and instructor on art and history for the Smithsonian Associates, and a regular contributor to the Smithsonian's Air & Space magazine. His career includes numerous projects for art and aviation museums across the country. 

This presentation explores the impact that reduced food supplies due the First World War and Franco-British blockade had on the health of civilians in Vienna, as well as the nutritional impact on the city once the blockade was lifted and international food aid arrived. Philanthropic donations played a huge role in alleviating children's suffering and reducing nutritional inequality.About the Speaker: Dr. Mary E. Cox received a PhD from the University of Oxford and is an Assistant Professor of International Relations at Central European University in Austria. She will be making this presentation live from Vienna, Austria.

This is the June 17 Third Thursday at Hoover's virtual program recording.Radio as we know it today emerged at the dawn of the 20th Century–first popular with amateur operators then becoming commercially viable in the 1920s.Growth was so rapid that some control was necessary to make room on limited spectrum as radio enthusiasts were going “on the air” on any frequency, at any time and with any power.Professor Stephen Coon will discuss this history and also look at how regulatory decisions made by Herbert Hoover and others still affect today's industry including social media.

Dr. Coon will present: Clearing the Static: Herbert Hoover and Early Radio Regulation on the next Third Thursday at Hoover's virtual program, June 17 at 6 p.m. Radio as we know it today emerged at the dawn of the 20th Century--first popular with amateur operators then becoming commercially viable in the 1920s. Growth was so rapid that some control was necessary to make room on limited spectrum as radio enthusiasts were going “on the air” on any frequency, at any time and with any power. Professor Stephen Coon will discuss this history and also look at how regulatory decisions made by Herbert Hoover and others still affect today's industry including social media.

This program discusses the different attempts by Iowans to create their own form of utopia. Featuring the Iowa Pioneer Phalanx, Salburia, the Amana Colonies, the Icarian Communities, the Clydesdale Colony, Communia and many more, this talk will provide some details about specific communal groups, and a general overview of different communal movements in American history and how they influenced community builders on the Iowa frontier, and beyond.About the Speaker: Peter Hoehnle is an Amana native who received his graduate degrees from Iowa State University. He has published widely on American communal societies, including volumes on Amana and the Shakers, served as President of the Communal Studies Association and as a past editor of the journal Communal Societies.

Every American President becomes a subject of mythology, both positive and negative. Dr. Nash's lecture will explore how President Hoover's reputation was affected by this process, in ways that confounded his contemporaries and obscured his place in history for many years.About the Speaker: Dr. George H. Nash is an American historian and interpreter of American conservatism. He is a biographer of Herbert Hoover. He is best known for The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945, which first appeared in 1976 and has been twice revised and expanded.

As the nation's first lady, Lou worked privately to find employment opportunities for individuals and hurting communities, while at the same time raising Americans' awareness of the historical value of the White House and the importance of the arts. In her post-White House years, Lou continued to use her organizational and philanthropic skills to create new educational opportunities for students and cultural opportunities for her beloved Stanford community. Come learn about about the achievements of a first lady whose legacy has been largely forgotten, but whose impact can still be felt today.

Presented on  First Lady Lou Henry Hoover's birthday, March 29 at noon CDT. Leslie Hoover-Lauble, President Hoover's great-granddaughter, and Hoover Library Archives Technician Spencer Howard share stories and photos illustrating the amazing life of Lou Henry Hoover from an independent girl, to scientist and world traveler, to First Lady.

Herbert Hoover's great-grandson, Allan, discusses future plans for the Presidential Library and Museum. It was originally dedicated in 1962. The Library & Museum has been expanded three times since then – the last in 1992 when Ronald Reagan came and rededicated the Library & Museum.It is still the smallest (by far) of the 13 NARA Presidential Libraries and Museums. But as Herbert Hoover said, if his library is anything like the federal government, it will grow larger over time.It did grow during its first 30 years of existence. In 1992 the library was transformed and visitation reached record levels. Many Iowans and Americans learned and were inspired by the Hoover story in a modern way. Since then, the methods for presenting a captivating, immersive visitor experience have changed dramatically.Moderated by Brad Reiners, Communications Dir., Hoover Presidential Foundation

Join Margaret Hoover, host of the PBS series, Firing Line with Margaret Hoover, for an insiders perspective at this unique program of guests that engage in a contest of ideas about important issues confronting our nation.Margaret will be joined by Iowa Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, who is also a member of the Hoover Presidential Foundation board of directors. Gregg will act as host and moderator for the program.

This program will examine Lincoln's statesmanship in the context of longstanding and widespread racial bigotry against black Americans. It will explore how Lincoln attempted to inform public opinion regarding the natural rights of black Americans by reclaiming the central idea of the American regime—namely, human equality. 

Margaret will discuss the history behind the first 100 days and transition period for President Hoover and what we can expect this year. Joining Margaret will be senior political analyst and anchor at CNN, John Avlon, and Hoover biographer and historian, Dr. George H. Nash.

Learn about the Christmas Eve fire at the Hoover White House that destroyed  the newly elected president's office. Presented by Hoover Presidential Library archivist Craig Wright.

This free virtual program outlines how planned giving can benefit you and your loved ones and causes you care about. The program will be presented by Robert Downer of Meardon, Sueppel & Downer.Mr. Downer is co-chair of the Probate, Property and Trust Law Committee of the Iowa State Bar Association and a Fellow, American College of Trust & Estate Counsel since 1993, and Iowa Chair 2000-2005. He is also a Fellow, Iowa Academy of Trust and Estate Counsel since its creation, and listed in Best Lawyers in America for Estate and Trust Law and Estate and Trust Litigation since 1995.

This episode contains elements from a 2019 gravesite speech before an audience of elementary students from West Branch.

Among the innovative methods to publicize the work of the Commission for Relief in Belgium, and the American Relief Administration, were two documentary film efforts, both which are lost to history. 

Presented by historian and author Jeffrey B. Miller. Miller has written extensively on the WWI Commission for Relief in Belgium (CRB) and will share his insights into Herbert Hoover's humanitarian efforts, delivering compelling portraits of young idealists who interrupted their lives to serve the CRB for no pay.To succeed, Hoover and his band knew they had to be on the right side of worldwide public opinion: “Hoover's understanding of this concept,and of the way the world's news media worked, would serve him and hiscause extremely well from the very beginning,” Miller writes.

While Lou Henry Hoover did not campaign for suffrage, she did actively support the League of Women Voters once women gained suffrage.  

For many Americans, 1930 was a year of struggle as the national economy sank into what became the Great Depression. The stock market and urban unemployment often took center stage, leaving aside the hardships of rural America. None-the-less, a new threat emerged in 1930: drought.

As President, Herbert Hoover had the opportunity to nominate three justices to the Supreme Court. The last one, in his re-election year. Sound familiar?

Hoover, an avid fisherman, found a guide in the Florida keys who would become a long-time friend over their 13-year run as fishing buddies.

Here is the audio portion of the September 2020 3rd Thursday program about the suffrage movement. This year, 2020, marks the Centennial of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which enfranchised 27 million  American women. This program will discuss the history of the suffrage movement, including its controversies, Iowans' roles, and its impact. 

One of the most requested Hoover photographs shows President Hoover with King Tut, the family German shepherd. The Hoovers were great dog lovers. King Tut was a particular favorite of Mr. Hoover. This is Tut's story.

Presented by Allan Hoover III, President Hoover's great-grandson. Even though this is a celebration of life for Hoover, we are also celebrating the lives of those involved with these great humanitarian efforts as well as those that were saved by them – including tens of thousands of Polish children, members and leaders of the CRB, ARA (and other relief efforts) as well as a story of a man saved by the ARA during/after the Bolshevik Revolution.

During his lifetime, Herbert Hoover earned a Bachelors degree in geology from Stanford University and was awarded more than 80 honorary degrees from Universities around the world for his many humanitarian efforts.  One distinction he never earned, however, was a high school diploma.

A 1930 biography, Our President, Herbert Clark Hoover, written by a ten-year-old boy, William J. Marsh, Jr. and his younger brother Charles, offers a unique insight into why Hoover appealed to children.

On August 11, 1928, Herbert Hoover formally launched his campaign for the November presidential election that year. That's right, the campaign kicked off less than three months before Election Day.  At that time in history, Presidential candidates were expected to modestly pretend they weren't running until after the party conventions.  

Our August 3rd Thursday program, Dr. Laurence Cook presented “An Evening with the Presidents” featuring rare and interesting memorabilia pertaining to each President along with little-known facts and stories about each man and highlighting the friendship between Dr. Cook and President Carter. The Presidents covered in this presentation are: James Buchanan, Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, and Jimmy Carter. A video of this program is available here: https://youtu.be/7OM2ZSc-XFA

By the time it was officially dedicated in 1935, the colossal dam project on the Colorado River had been called by several different names. In the exploratory stages, back in 1922, the project was referred to as the Boulder Canyon Project. Boulder Canyon was replaced by Black Canyon, when it was discovered to be a more suitable spot to place the dam. It's name will change again.... and again...

It's safe to say Herbert Hoover's favorite steam sport was baseball. He got his first taste of playing sandlot baseball in West Branch, Iowa, and made the team at Stanford University for a bit, but after honestly assessing his baseball skills, he confessed, “I was not good.” But it would always be a part of his life. Originally aired on Aug. 6, 2020.