Truman Library Institute

05/28/2026

“Separate but equal.” Two words that shaped American life for 58 years. ⚖️

The story of Plessy v. Ferguson begins with Reconstruction — and a deliberate test case designed to challenge racial segregation on Louisiana’s railroads.
In 1892, a group of young Black men, with the railroads on their side, seated Homer Plessy — a man of mixed race — in a white railcar. He was arrested. His lawyer argued the law was unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court disagreed. The “separate but equal” doctrine stood until 1954, when Brown v. Board of Education finally overturned it.

History didn’t happen by accident. Watch the full reel.

05/27/2026

The physical exhibit may have closed its doors, but the vault is still open.

Opening the Vault: The Story of US drew historic crowds to the Truman Library this spring — and now you can explore the same landmark documents from home. Rare materials on loan from the National Archives, many never previously viewed outside Washington, D.C., trace 250 years of American ideals tested, challenged, and expanded.

America's story is still being written. Explore the digital vault: https://www.trumanlibraryinstitute.org/the-story-of-us-250/

05/26/2026

Think big. Then bigger. 💭 This week's reminds us that real vision isn't just about what you want to accomplish — it's about having the courage to think as big as possible and dedicating yourself to seeing it through. A fitting call to action from the 33rd President, whose own ambitious plans helped shape the modern world.

05/25/2026

On this Memorial Day, the Truman Library Institute pauses to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to this country.

Harry S. Truman — a combat veteran of World War I — understood sacrifice firsthand. Just days after assuming the presidency, he addressed the armed forces with words that still resonate today:

"Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices."
— Harry S. Truman, Address Broadcast to the Armed Forces, April 17, 1945

Today, we carry that gratitude forward — through education, preservation, and a commitment to the ideals these heroes defended.

05/22/2026

History doesn't just live in textbooks — it lives in the decisions that shaped the world we inhabit today. The American Alliance of Museums spotlighted the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum in their new video, The History That Shapes Us, and we think you'll want to watch the whole thing.

From the White House Decision Center to the stories we help bring to life, this is what it looks like when history stays relevant. As President Truman said: "The only thing new in the world is the history you do not know."

Watch the full video — https://youtu.be/I9UCN-W8Sg0.

05/21/2026

Five cases. One ruling. A legacy that changed America. ⚖️

Brown v. Board of Education wasn’t just one case — it was five, from Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, and D.C., argued collectively before the Supreme Court by Thurgood Marshall, who would later become the first Black Supreme Court justice.
The 1954 decision overturned Plessy v. Ferguson’s “”separate but equal”” doctrine, ruling that school segregation violated the equal protection guaranteed by the 14th Amendment.

And there’s a Truman connection: before deciding, the Court reviewed a briefing on the successful integration of military units under Truman’s Executive Order — evidence that integration worked.

TrumanLegacy CivilRights TrumanLibraryInstitute

05/20/2026

Independence wasn’t just declared. It was agreed to. See the Treaty of Paris that made it official at the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum during the America250 Exhibit. Stand inches from the document that ended a war and confirmed a nation.

One place. Limited time. See it before the exhibit closes this coming Monday, May 25. As a reminder, museum admission is free Friday, May 22 through Monday, May 25, all thanks to The Kansas City Royals Foundation.

05/19/2026

History doesn't get more real than this.

This Memorial Day Weekend, Friday, May 22 through Monday, May 25, admission to the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum is FREE, thanks to the generous support of the Kansas City Royals Foundation. 🎉⚾

And this is your last chance to see Opening the Vault: The Story of US before it closes. On loan from the National Archives, this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition brings together nearly two dozen of the most consequential documents in American history — the original design of the Great Seal, the Treaty of Paris broadside, the Bill of Rights Senate revisions, Executive Order 9981, Brown v. Board of Education, and more. Many of these records have never been displayed outside Washington, D.C.

America turns 250 this year. There's no better way to mark it than standing in front of the documents that made us.

Plan your visit → https://conta.cc/4nOo60p

05/17/2026

Harry Truman's eldest grandson, Clifton Truman Daniel, has a story about pulling his grandfather's Civil War books off the shelf as a 12-year-old — and how that same sense of wonder is exactly what's waiting for you inside "Opening the Vault: The Story of US."

In a new op-ed in The Kansas City Star, Clifton writes about the 21 original documents on display at the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum through Memorial Day, from the Great Seal of the United States to Executive Order 9981, the order his grandfather signed to desegregate the U.S. armed forces. These aren't pages in a history book. They're the real thing.

Read Clifton's full piece, then come see the documents for yourself before the exhibit closes.
🔗 https://ow.ly/joCn50Z0SpH

The documents on display in “Opening the Vault: The Story of US” prove that America is not just pages in a history book. | Opinion

05/15/2026

Graduation season is here — and it has us thinking about one of Truman's most cherished honors: the honorary degrees he received from universities across the country. For a president who never earned a college degree himself, these recognitions meant something deeply personal.

As he told an audience at Princeton on June 17, 1947, "Free and inquiring minds, with unlimited access to the sources of knowledge, can be the architects of a peaceful and prosperous world." A reminder that the pursuit of knowledge — and what we do with it — is always worth celebrating.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026. 🎓