114. INDEPENDENCE

Independence, Missouri

7/19/2012

We spent the night in a Crossland in Independence, but we didn’t come to Independence for the hotel. The city was the home of Harry Truman, a fact of which every road sign is happy to remind you. In the morning we headed to the Harry Truman Library and Museum – the first presidential library every built.

This is a nice museum that has clearly been maintained and updated over the years. The layout was unconventional, but very effective. The museum starts with exhibits highlighting Truman’s fascinating presidency, and clearly laid out major moments. Truman’s controversial decision to use the atomic bomb at the closing days of World War II is tastefully defended. The rebuilding of Europe through the Marshall Plan, the beginning of the Cold War, the Berlin Airlift, the Korean War, the formation of NATO and the United Nations all happened under Truman’s watch. We found it interesting that Truman’s promise of universal health care never came to fruition, as we debate this topic today. Truman’s controversial support of the budding Civil Rights Movement split the Democratic Party at the time: This is the man who desegregated the armed forces. I’ve always been a big Truman fan, because I’m a history nerd.

A lot of these museums are aimed at people who already worship the ground the famous person walked on, so there’s sometimes little explanation as to why this person was that important at all. I judge this museum well, though, because Laura left feeling she understood why she should care about him. We spent a lot of the car ride discussing Truman’s legacy, which is exactly what a place like this is supposed to do.

Anyway, after his presidential years, the museum then presents Truman’s early life in Independence and his return after his 8 years in the White House. Usually these museums are laid out in straight chronology, but this was way more effective. First, we learned about why we should care about Truman. Then, once we cared about him, we went back in time to his days before his fame. This worked really well, since the context of “small town boy makes it big” had already been set. More “famous guy” museums should follow this unconventional format.

On display is the famous “The Buck Stops Here” paperweight that sat on Truman’s Oval Office desk. I think few people know there’s something written on the back – I sure didn’t. This is the side that would face Truman, the side he would look at. It says, “I’m from Missouri.”

Before we left town we drove by Truman’s home and took a peek. Tours are offered for $4, but the tours were booked for over an hour and we didn’t have that much time to wait. We weren’t too upset. You know how we usually feel about these home tours. Plus, the museum was perfect. Why spoil a good thing?

When we study the Truman years in my classroom I have been told by several students over the years that I look like Harry Truman! You decide.