Reflections
Discover fascinating stories behind Library & Archives artifacts as Hoover experts present insights into their impact on our modern world.
Video Series
Delve into the rich history and significance of select artifacts from the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in this video series. Hoover’s expert curators, fellows, and other scholars will share remarkable stories and insights behind the artifacts, the context of their creation, and how the Library & Archives preserves access to this incredible wealth of material.
Episodes will explore various topics, including: Did the creator of the New Deal believe in its promise? How did the August 1953 coup in Iran come to fruition? And what records remain from the Japanese military’s plan for the bombing of Pearl Harbor? The primary sources featured in Reflections reveal the answers to these and other momentous historical questions. Join in on the discovery of these untold stories hidden in Hoover’s collections.
Introducing Reflections
Join us for a new video series that brings some of the remarkable stories behind the artifacts to a broad audience through video reflections by Hoover’s expert curators, fellows, and scholars.
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The Fate of the Romanovs
Anatol Shmelev, the Robert Conquest Curator for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia at the Hoover Institution Library & Archives, recounts the tragic end of the Romanov family—Nicholas and Alexandra and their five children—after the tsar abdicated the throne in 1917. Shmelev describes the family’s final months before their brutal murder as documented in letters the grand duchesses sent to a childhood friend.
June 25, 2024
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The Soviet Microfilm Project
Charles Palm, Deputy Director Emeritus of the Hoover Institution, recalls the ambitious effort he spearheaded to microfilm the newly opened Soviet archives after the collapse of the USSR in 1991. The landmark project made available a "massive trove of Soviet government and Communist Party records" to researchers everywhere.
June 6, 2024
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What Caused The Great Depression?
Hoover Research Fellow Jennifer Burns reveals insights from Milton Friedman’s papers into what caused the Great Depression, including how Friedman’s quest to find the answer led him to a remarkable collaboration with economist Anna Schwartz. Their study, "A Monetary History of the United States," became the playbook for policymakers in times of economic crisis.
May 16, 2024
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The August 1953 Coup in Iran
Why was August 1953 a pivotal moment in US-Iran relations? Abbas Milani explores this topic through collections at the Library & Archives and reveals why scholars have spent decades trying to figure out what exactly happened.
May 3, 2024
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Raymond Moley’s New Deal
Was the New Deal good for America? Hoover’s North American curator Jean Cannon reflects on the document that first coined the term “New Deal”—written by Raymond Moley. As one of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s most trusted advisors and speech writers, Moley was a pivotal figure in the development of the program and yet this document provides insight into how his opinion about it shifted over time.
January 10, 2024
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Captain Fuchida & the Bombing of Pearl Harbor
Curator Kaoru "Kay" Ueda reflects on the importance of the Mitsuo Fuchida papers. Historians increasingly recognize the need to study materials from all sides of World War II and the Fuchida papers show a Japanese perspective. Fuchida's personal account has contributed significantly to how we remember Pearl Harbor today and provides an insider’s view of the Japanese naval operations.
