A Veterans Day Salute from the Harris County Law Library

Click the photo to see a copy of the law that established Armistice Day (1938) as it appears on the Harris County Law Library shelves in the original 1921 U.S. Statutes at Large from the U.S. Government Publishing Office.

Click the photo to see a copy of the amended law (1954) that changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Also from the original 1921 U.S. Statutes at Large at Harris County Law Library, from the U.S. Government Publishing Office.

On this Veterans Day, with gratitude, the Harris County Law Library salutes all who have served.

In 1938, Congress passed a law, 52 Stat. 351 (pictured above), which established Armistice Day as a legal holiday. Congress amended the law in 1954 following World War II and the Korean War to honor all veterans, “striking out the word ‘Armistice’ and inserting in lieu thereof the word ‘Veterans’.” Later that year, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy’s delivered remarks at the Armistice Day wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

Further reading on the History of Armistice/Veterans Day:

The Law of Impeachment - a digital exhibit from the Harris County Law Library

The legal history of impeachment is on display at the Harris County Law Library and online as a digital exhibit. Learn about the sources of law useful for researching the impeachment process, and historical cases of impeachment under both the U.S. and Texas Constitutions. The exhibit features works from the Law Library’s historical collection, including an original 1868 printing by the U.S. Government Publishing Office of the record of proceedings in the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson. You can also find a copy of Record of Proceedings of the High Court of Impeachment on the Trial of Hon. James Ferguson, Governor, which has been a part of the Law Library’s collection for over 100 years and chronicles the only case of impeachment against a sitting governor of Texas.

Plan your visit to see “The Law of Impeachment” exhibit at our downtown Houston location or visit our website to view the digital exhibit today!

Remembering 9/11: National Archives 9/11 Commission Records

Today, we remember the tragedy of the terror attacks that fell the World Trade Center Towers in New York City on September 11, 2001. As nearly two decades have passed, the details of the day may have faded from memory even as the pain suffered by those who lost loved ones as the towers fell stings just as sharply. Preservation of the details to remind us of this pivotal event in American history is, therefore, important.

The job of investigating the details was originally assigned by Congress (see Pub. L. 107-306) to the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, which became known as the 9/11 Commission. The records generated by the investigation are now entrusted to the National Archives, which makes the details of the day forever committed to our nation’s memory.

Find more information about the 9/11 Commission Records at https://www.archives.gov/research/9-11.

Happy Women's Equality Day!

Today, August 26, is Women's Equality Day. The date commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees women the right to vote. It states that "the right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

Women’s Equality Day was established at the behest of Congressional Representative, Bella Abzug (D-NY), to observe women’s suffrage and to recognize the contributions of women throughout history. This day of recognition also celebrates women’s accomplishments in public and private spheres.

For resources on Women's Equality Day, visit the National Women's History Museum online.