Truman Library Institute

09/03/2026

🇺🇸 Democracy has never been a solo act.

Join us at the Truman Library for "Founding Friends, Founding Foes," a panel conversation exploring how the American Revolution and early United States were built through disagreement, coalition-building, and a shared commitment to democratic ideals — even when the people building it didn't always get along.

Case in point: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Our second and third presidents were founding-era allies who became bitter partisan rivals — and their complicated relationship still has plenty to teach us about the hard, human work of self-government.

We're honored to welcome two special guests for this conversation:
🎙️ Dr. Kurt Graham, inaugural President of the Adams Presidential Center and former Director of the Truman Library
🎙️ Steve Light, VP for Education and Guest Experience at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

📅 5:30 p.m. Wine Reception | 6:00–7:15 p.m. Panel Discussion & Q&A
📍 Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum, 500 West U.S. Highway 24, Independence, MO 64050

This program is free and open to the public, but advance registration is recommended — seating is limited!

🎟️ Register today: https://ow.ly/PTM550ZIq20

09/02/2026

At 9:04 a.m. on September 2, 1945, aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, representatives of Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender before officials from nine Allied nations. The document, prepared by the War Department and approved by President Truman, set out Japan's complete capitulation in eight short paragraphs, bringing the hostilities of World War II to a close. These images capture that historic moment.

📸 Credit: Harry S. Truman Library & Museum

Picture 1: A Japanese delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu, arrive at the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay to sign the surrender of Japan.
Picture 2: Japanese representative General Yoshijiro signs the instrument of unconditional surrender on the U.S.S. Missouri, as General Douglas MacArthur watches.
Picture 3: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz (seated) is signing the Allied Surrender Terms agreement which finalized the unconditional surrender of the Japanese and the end of the war with Japan. Behind Admiral Nimitz are (left to right) General Douglas MacArthur, Admiral William F. Halsey and Rear Admiral Forrest Sherman.
Picture 4: Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signs surrender terms while General Richard K. Sutherland looks on.
Picture 5: Supreme Commander MacArthur seals Japanese defeat as Generals Jonathan Wainwright and Percival of Singapore stand by.

09/02/2026

Eighty-one years ago, President Truman spoke to the nation from the White House just hours after the Instrument of Surrender was signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

In his radio address, he proclaimed September 2, 1945, as V-J Day — the formal end of Japan's role in World War II. He struck a tone of solemn remembrance rather than celebration, linking the moment back to Pearl Harbor, "the day of infamy," even as he looked ahead to "a new era of security at home" and a "new and better world of cooperation."

Explore photos from this pivotal moment at https://ow.ly/Uhzt50ZIpH2

08/31/2026

On this day in 1944, Harry Truman stood in his birthplace of Lamar, Missouri, and accepted the Democratic Party's nomination for Vice President — a role he never sought and, by his own admission, never wanted.

His humility in his acceptance speech set the tone for everything that followed:

"I am deeply honored to have been named as the Democratic party's candidate for the Vice-Presidency and accept with humility and a prayer for guidance that I may perform honorably and well whatever tasks are laid before me."

Eight months later, he would be President of the United States. 🇺🇸

Learn more about Truman's path to the presidency: https://ow.ly/jh7k50ZHrUA



Image Credit: Harry S. Truman Library & Museum

08/28/2026

Happy National Bow Tie Day from our favorite bow tie wearer!

Before he was President, Harry Truman was a haberdasher — he co-owned a Kansas City menswear store selling shirts, ties, and gentlemen's furnishings. So it's no surprise he knew how to dress sharp, often seen sporting this underrated fashion accessory!

📸 Courtesy of Harry S. Truman Library & Museum

08/26/2026

No funds? No problem! 🚌

The Truman Library Institute's Bus Stops Here Field Trip Grant Program is here to make sure cost never keeps a classroom from visiting us. Funds are available to help cover guided museum tour fees, White House Decision Center fees, bus transportation, and substitute teacher costs — so more students can experience hands-on history and civic learning.

Teachers, it's simple: just check a box when you book your field trip, and we'll take care of the rest.

📚 Book a guided tour: https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/education/tours
🏛️ Book your White House Decision Center Experience: https://www.trumanlibraryinstitute.org/education/the-white-house-decision-center/student-program/

Know a teacher planning a trip this year? Tag them below and help us get more classrooms through our doors. 🚍

The Truman Library Institute is the nonprofit partner of the Truman Presidential Library, connecting our community to world-class exhibitions, civics education, public programs and Truman’s enduring legacy.

08/25/2026

It's ! 🌟

Harry Truman believed history isn't something that just happens to us — it's shaped by people willing to act. This week's quote is a reminder that progress isn't passive; it takes leaders bold enough to step up when the moment calls for it.

Who's a leader — past or present — who's inspired you to seize an opportunity for change? Tell us in the comments. 👇

08/20/2026

The Truman Library Institute is now accepting applications for our annual research grants program — supporting scholarly work on the Truman presidency and its global impact.

Since the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum opened its Research Room in 1959, nearly 15,000 historians, writers, and scholars from more than 40 nations have used its archives. Along the way, the Institute has provided more than $3.5 million in grants-in-aid to make that research possible.

This year, as much as $100,000 will be awarded in research grants and dissertation year fellowships to emerging scholars whose work illuminates the critical issues of Truman's presidency and legacy.

Visit our website for full criteria, deadlines, and applications: https://www.trumanlibraryinstitute.org/research-grants/

08/18/2026

It's back to school season! ✏️📚 As students head back to the classroom, we're reflecting on one of Harry S. Truman's favorite pieces of wisdom about lifelong learning. Truman never stopped being a student himself — he read voraciously throughout his life and believed education didn't end with a diploma. Whether you're a student, a parent, or just someone who loves picking up something new, we hope this one resonates today. What's something you learned "after you knew it all"? Tell us in the comments. 👇

08/17/2026

Today we are stepping into the archives.

Did you know the White House underwent a major renovation during the Truman Presidency?

When President and Mrs. Truman returned to the White House on March 27, 1952, after more than three years at Blair House, the interiors had been completely rebuilt from the studs out. The New York firm B. Altman & Co. was brought in to plan and furnish every room — and before a single piece of furniture was placed, their designers painted detailed renderings so the Trumans and the Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion could see exactly what each space would look like.

These sketches — including a rendering of the President's private bedroom — are part of that planning process, a rare look at how a presidential home gets rebuilt with both history and modern livability in mind (the finished house included the White House's first central air conditioning).

Truman himself put it simply: he wanted the interior "exactly the way it was before" — just safer, and better built to last.