Library & Archives
Research
The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library houses a unique collection of materials by and about Wilson, his life, his times, and his legacy. Research at the Library is by appointment only to ensure a valuable and productive experience. Hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00 – 5:00. Please contact Peggy Dillard, Director of the Library and Archives, at pdillard@woodrowwilson.org.
Archives
The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library archive houses a variety of collections covering Woodrow Wilson's life and times, his political career and family life including letters, diaries, scrapbooks, speeches, newspaper clippings, and articles by Wilson himself and those who knew him. In addition, the Library archives contain over 2400 photographs, which depict Woodrow Wilson, his family, political campaigns, officials in his two presidential administrations, and events in his life and times. The main collection of Wilson's papers are held by the Library of Congress
Library
The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library contains important primary and secondary source reference materials, such as the 69-volume documentary edition of the Papers of Woodrow Wilson edited by Arthur S. Link. Other sources include works by those who knew Wilson best such as Edith Bolling Wilson, John Randolph Bolling, Stockton Axson, and Wilson's daughter Eleanor, to name but a few. The Library collection also contains memoirs of those who worked with Wilson in an official capacity and houses an array of official and non-official governmental volumes concerning the two Wilson administrations and World War I.
eLibrary
The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library has undertaken to obtain digitized copies of most of the writings of Woodrow Wilson and make them available in a searchable database. In partnership with other select repositories holding Woodrow Wilson documents, our goal is to make Wilson's papers available to scholars, citizens, and students of all ages. Use the links on the sidebar menu to enter and explore the eLibrary.
Online Resources
The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library has joined Flickr Commons to increase public access to our photograph collection. Flickr Commons makes it possible for the public to contribute their own knowledge and participate in the process of making the images even more available by tagging and commenting on them. To access our Flickr Commons page, click here.
All images that are uploaded to The Commons are marked as having "no known copyright restrictions," indicating that the images are in "the public domain" either because the copyright has expired or because no evidence has been found that copyright restrictions apply.
Our images are meant for personal enjoyment, educational and research purposes. For questions regarding high quality reproduction or fees related to commercial use, please contact Peggy Dillard at pdillard@woodrowwilson.org
Helpful Links
Library & Archive Links
did you know?
Wilson was president throughout World
War I. He attempted to keep America out of the war and even won reelection with
the slogan "He kept us out of war." Nonetheless, after the sinking of the Lusitania,
continued run-ins with German submarines, and the release of the Zimmerman Telegram,
America became involved. with the Lusitania, the continued harassment of American
ships by German submarines, and the release of the Zimmerman Telegram meant that
America joined the allies in April, 1917.
Woodrow Wilson was President when
the 19th amendment was ratified in 1920 giving women the right to vote.
Wilson piloted the ship that brought
America onto the world stage. He made the first steps of leading us out of isolationism,
violating Washington's tenet of avoiding foreign entanglements.
He led America during World War I.
His fervent hope was for the US to join a League of Nations, the precursor to the
United Nations.
A Woodrow Wilson Quote: "Life does
not consist in thinking, it consists in acting."
A Woodrow Wilson Quote: "The Constitution
was not made to fit us like a straitjacket. In its elasticity lies its chief greatness."
A Woodrow Wilson Quote: "I believe in democracy because it releases the energies
of every human being."
The Seventeenth Amendment was formally
adopted on May 31, 1913. Wilson had been president for almost three months at the
time. The amendment provided for the direct election of senators. Prior to its adoption,
Senators were chosen by state legislatures.
Wilson was the first president to
receive a PhD which he got in Political Science from Johns Hopkins University. He
had received his undergraduate degree from the College of New Jersey, renamed Princeton
University in 1896.
Woodrow Wilson could not read during
the first decade of his life. Though undiagnosed, he may have suffered from a learning
disability
Woodrow Wilson was known as "Tommy"
until his college years.
Woodrow Wilson during his boyhood,
helped establish the "Lightfoot Baseball Club" with his friends. Wilson played second
base and was an avid sport fan throughout his adult life.
Woodrow Wilson was the first president to attend the Major League Baseball Fall
Classic. He saw the debut of a young 20 year old pitcher by the name of George Herman
"Babe" Ruth.
Woodrow Wilson was a graduate of Princeton
University and Johns Hopkins University and the only president to hold an earned
doctoral degree.
Woodrow Wilson image is on the $100,000
bill although it is no longer in circulation
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