LibGuides: Virtual Displays: The US Presidential Office

Use this page to find resources related to U.S. Presidential history and the role of the Executive Branch in the American government.

The Best Presidential Writing by Craig Fehrman (Editor)
Call Number: 973.099 B561
ISBN: 9781476788531
Publication Date: 2020-10-20
A sweeping and groundbreaking treasury of the most essential presidential writings, featuring a mix of the beloved and the little-known, from stirring speeches and shrewd remarks to behind-the-scenes drafts and unpublished autobiographies. From the early years of our nation's history, when George Washington wrote his humble yet powerful Farewell Address, to our current age, when Barack Obama delivered his moving speech on the fiftieth anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, America's presidents have upheld a tradition of exceptional writing. Now, for the first time, the greatest presidential writings in history are united in one monumental treasury: the very best campaign orations, early autobiographies, presidential speeches, post presidential reflections, and much more.
The House Tells the Story by Adam Van Doren; David McCullough (Foreword by)
Call Number: 728 V246
ISBN: 9781567925425
Publication Date: 2015-07-04
Pre-eminent historian David McCullough and noted artist Adam Van Doren unite for an excursion to the celebrated homes of fifteen American presidents, past and present. Van Doren invites you on an excursion to the celebrated homes of fifteen American presidents, past and present. Their architecture offers a surprising array of styles and approaches. The sketches and letters that Van Doren recorded when he toured these homes include observations that reveal much about the inhabitants. Through them, the personality of the presidents emerges.
Ideas of Power by Verlan Lewis
Call Number: 329.02 L673
ISBN: 9781108476799
Publication Date: 2019-05-02
This groundbreaking book challenges the dominant view of ideology held by both political scientists and political commentators. Rather than viewing ideological constructs like liberalism and conservatism as static concepts with fixed and enduring content, Professor Verlan Lewis explains how the very meanings of liberalism and conservatism frequently change along with the ideologies of the two major parties in American politics. Testing a new theory to help explain why party ideologies evolve the way that they do, this book traces the history of American political parties from the Hamiltonian Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans of the 1790s to the liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans of today.
Leadership by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Call Number: 973.09 G656
ISBN: 9781476795928
Publication Date: 2018-09-18
Are leaders born or made? Where does ambition come from? How does adversity affect the growth of leadership? Does the leader make the times or do the times make the leader? Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin draws upon the four presidents she has studied most closely -- Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson (in civil rights) -- to show how they recognized leadership qualities within themselves and were recognized as leaders by others. By looking back to their first entries into public life, we encounter them at a time when their paths were filled with confusion, fear, and hope. They all collided with dramatic reversals that disrupted their lives and threatened to shatter forever their ambitions. Nonetheless, they all emerged fitted to confront the contours and dilemmas of their times.
A Monetary and Fiscal History of the United States, 1961-2021 by Alan S. Blinder
Call Number: 338.973 B648m
ISBN: 9780691238388
Publication Date: 2022-10-11
From the New York Times bestselling author, the fascinating story of U.S. economic policy from Kennedy to Biden--filled with lessons for today In this book, Alan Blinder, one of the world's most influential economists and one of the field's best writers, draws on his deep firsthand experience to provide an authoritative account of sixty years of monetary and fiscal policy in the United States. Spanning twelve presidents, from John F. Kennedy to Joe Biden, and eight Federal Reserve chairs, from William McChesney Martin to Jerome Powell, this is an insider's story of macroeconomic policy that hasn't been told before--one that is a pleasure to read, and as interesting as it is important.
Presidents and the American Environment by Otis Graham
Call Number: 363.7056 G738
ISBN: 9780700620982
Publication Date: 2015-06-23
In 1891 Benjamin Harrison, the first president engaged in conservation, had to have this new area of public policy explained to him by members of the Boone and Crockett Club. This didn't take long, as he was only asked to sign a few papers setting aside federal timberland. But from such small moments great social movements grow, and the course of natural resource protection policy through 22 presidents has altered Americans' relationship to the natural world in then almost unimaginable ways. Presidents and the American Environment charts this course.
Presidents of War by Michael Beschloss
Call Number: 973.09 B554p
ISBN: 9780307409607
Publication Date: 2018-10-09
Presidential historian Michael Beschloss uses original letters, diaries, declassified documents, and interviews to bring us into the room and into the minds of a procession of Chief Executives who took the nation into major conflicts, mobilized Americans for victory, and seized greater power for themselves. From James Madison and the War of 1812 to Lyndon Johnson and Vietnam, we see these leaders struggling with Congress, the courts, the press, their own advisers, and antiwar protesters; seeking comfort from their spouses, families, and friends; and dropping to their knees in prayer. We come to understand how these Presidents were able to withstand the pressures of war -- both physically and emotionally -- or were broken by them.

Crucible by Michael Nelson (Editor); Jeffrey L. Chidester (Editor); Stefanie Georgakis Abbott (Editor)
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9780813940977
Publication Date: 2018-01-22
Crucible "addresses core questions of governance facing a new president, from navigating a broken political system to thriving in a changing media envirionent. The project's illustrious particitants ... explore both opportunities and challenges in key policy areas, from national security, race, and immigration to opportunity, mobility, and fiscal policy. Crucible consolidates the most salient lessons that can be drawn from both the best and the worst presidencies in American history, as well as from the many in between, to provide true insight on the most important issues facing any new president in the first year of office
Historian in Chief by Seth Cotlar (Editor); Richard J. Ellis (Editor)
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9780813942520
Publication Date: 2019-04-23
Presidents shape not only the course of history but also how Americans remember and retell that history. From the Oval Office they instruct us what to respect and what to reject in our past. They regale us with stories about who we are as a people, and tell us whom in the pantheon of greats we should revere and whom we should revile. The president of the United States, in short, is not just the nation's chief legislator, the head of a political party, or the commander in chief of the armed forces, but also, crucially, the nation's historian in chief. In this engaging and insightful volume, Seth Cotlar and Richard Ellis bring together top historians and political scientists to explore how eleven American presidents deployed their power to shape the nation's collective memory and its political future.
Photographic Presidents by Cara A. Finnegan
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9780252052699
Publication Date: 2021-05-18
Defining the Chief Executive via flash powder and selfie sticks Lincoln's somber portraits. Lyndon Johnson's swearing in. George W. Bush's reaction to learning about the 9/11 attacks. Photography plays an indelible role in how we remember and define American presidents. Throughout history, presidents have actively participated in all aspects of photography, not only by sitting for photos but by taking and consuming them. Cara A. Finnegan ventures from a newly-discovered daguerreotype of John Quincy Adams to Barack Obama's selfies to tell the stories of how presidents have participated in the medium's transformative moments. As she shows, technological developments not only changed photography, but introduced new visual values that influence how we judge an image. At the same time, presidential photographs--as representations of leaders who symbolized the nation--sparked public debate on these values and their implications. An original journey through political history, Photographic Presidents reveals the intertwined evolution of an American institution and a medium that continues to define it.
Presidents and Parties in the Public Mind by Gary C. Jacobson
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9780226589480
Publication Date: 2019-02-06
How is Donald Trump's presidency likely to affect the reputation and popular standing of the Republican Party? Profoundly, according to Gary C. Jacobson. From Harry S. Truman to Barack Obama, every postwar president has powerfully shaped Americans' feelings, positive or negative, about their party. The effect is pervasive, influencing the parties' reputations for competence, their perceived principles, and their appeal as objects of personal identification. It is also enduring, as presidents' successes and failures continue to influence how we see their parties well beyond their time in office.With Presidents and Parties in the Public Mind, Gary C. Jacobson draws on survey data from the past seven administrations to show that the expansion of the executive branch in the twentieth century that gave presidents a greater role in national government also gave them an enlarged public presence, magnifying their role as the parties' public voice and face
Presidents and Presidencies in American History by Jolyon P. Girard (Editor)
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9781440865916
Publication Date: 2019-10-07
This innovative encyclopedia explores the life and times of America's forty-five presidents--from the first administration to that of Donald Trump. Forty-five men have served as President of the United States since George Washington swore the oath of office in 1789 in New York City. Some have proved exceptional leaders, and others have not. Some have faced serious crises, both foreign and domestic. Franklin Roosevelt was elected to four terms, leading the country through a major economic depression and a world war, while one held the office for only a single month. Each, however, played a key role in the evolution of United States history.
The Presidents and the Constitution by Ken Gormley (Editor)
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9781479839902
Publication Date: 2016-05-10
Shines new light on America's brilliant constitutional and presidential history, from George Washington to Barack Obama. In this sweepingly ambitious volume, the nation's foremost experts on the American presidency and the U.S. Constitution join together to tell the intertwined stories of how each American president has confronted and shaped the Constitution. Each occupant of the office--the first president to the forty-fourth--has contributed to the story of the Constitution through the decisions he made and the actions he took as the nation's chief executive.
The Presidents Encyclopedia by Donna B. McKinney
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9781098275686
Publication Date: 2022-12-15
This encyclopedia offers readers an in-depth look at each US president and how he has shaped history. Alongside text that discusses both successes and struggles of each US president is information about the president's Cabinet members, Supreme Court appointments, and more. In addition, sidebars featuring First Ladies give information about their significant impacts on the country. Features include a glossary, additional resources, and an index.
Untrodden Ground by Harold H. Bruff
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9780226211244
Publication Date: 2015-03-10
The most important individual interpreter of the United States Constitution is the President. Presidents both direct and are directed by the stream of American history. In this book, Harold Bruff shows how Presidents have formed constitutional law by behavior that sets or alters precedents. Although Presidents ordinarily obey both court judgments and explicit statutory commands, presidential interpretations of the Constitution are ultimately independent of the views of the other two branches of government.
Why Presidents Fail and How They Can Succeed Again by Elaine C. Kamarck
Call Number: eBook
ISBN: 9780815727798
Publication Date: 2016-07-26
Failure should not be an option in the presidency, but for too long it has been the norm. From the botched attempt to rescue the U.S. diplomats held hostage by Iran in 1980 under President Jimmy Carter and the missed intelligence on Al Qaeda before 9-11 under George W. Bush to, most recently, the computer meltdown that marked the arrival of health care reform under Barack Obama, the American presidency has been a profile in failure. In Why Presidents Fail and How They Can Succeed Again, Elaine Kamarck surveys these and other recent presidential failures to understand why Americans have lost faith in their leaders--and how they can get it back. Kamarck argues that presidents today spend too much time talking and not enough time governing, and that they have allowed themselves to become more and more distant from the federal bureaucracy that is supposed to implement policy. After decades of "imperial" and "rhetorical" presidencies, we are in need of a "managerial" president. This White House insider and former Harvard academic explains the difficulties of governing in our modern political landscape, and offers examples and recommendations of how our next president can not only recreate faith in leadership but also run a competent, successful administration.

Mandate: The President and the People

This video, narrated by veteran CBS News correspondent Lesley Stahl, examines the long and complex relationship between the presidency and public opinion. Leading historians, political scientists, and public figures offer insight into presidents and the presidency from George Washington through FDR.

Lincoln

A revealing drama that focuses on the 16th president's tumultuous final months in office. In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Lincoln pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country, and abolish slavery. With the moral courage and fierce determination to succeed, his choices during this critical moment will change the fate of generations to come.

John Adams

While our new nation was suffering attacks from both within and without, John Adams had a vision of a nation of liberty and justice for all. He guided his peers--General George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson--in setting the values and agenda for a glorious, free America. Adams and his wife Abigail refined these ambitious democratic ideals, and their partnership became one of the most moving love stories in American history.

The Presidents: Collection

A deft politician and skillful diplomat, TR's magnetic personality and genius for publicity made him a legend in his own time. Through archival footage and interviews with historians, this is an engaging portrait of the private man and the president who created the modern American presidency.

The Presidents: The Lives and Legacies of the 43 Leaders of the United States

The lives and legacies of the 43 leaders of the United States. Based on the book To the Best of My Ability, The Presidents features insight from journalists, scholars, and politicians, as well as rare and unseen photographs and footage.

The American Presidency Project

This site contains documents related to the study of the American Presidency, including public papers, annual messages to Congress, inaugural addresses, radio addresses, acceptance speeches, presidential debates, party platforms, elections data, and an audio/video archive.

Compilation of Presidential Documents (via GovInfo)

The Compilation of Presidential Documents collection consists of the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents and the Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents which are the official publications of materials released by the White House Press Secretary. The GovInfo site contains the Compilation of Presidential Documents from 1993 to the present.

Presidential Libraries and Museums (via the National Archives)

The Presidential Library system is composed of fifteen Presidential Libraries (Herbert Hoover to the present). These facilities are overseen by the Office of Presidential Libraries, in the National Archives and Records Administration. Presidential Libraries are archives and museums, bringing together the documents and artifacts of a President and his administration and presenting them to the public for study and discussion without regard for political considerations or affiliations

Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States (via GovInfo)

The Public Papers of the Presidents is compiled and published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The Public Papers series covers the administrations of Presidents Hoover to the present, except for the papers of President Franklin Roosevelt that were published privately before the commencement of the official Public Papers series.

U.S. Presidents | Miller Center

The Miller Center is a nonpartisan affiliate of the University of Virginia that specializes in presidential scholarship, public policy, and political history. This site contains in-depth information reviewed by prominent scholars on each U.S. President and administration.

The White House: Presidents

The official White House website provides a brief biography of each U.S. president.

The White House Historical Society

The White House Historical Association is a private nonprofit educational organization with a mission to enhance the understanding and appreciation of the Executive Mansion. The site contains biographical information on each president and first lady, as well as information on the architecture, arts, gardens, and grounds of the White House.