The Miller Center of Public Affairs launched the Presidential Classroom this week, a website offering teachers, students and the general public free online resources about U.S. history and the presidency.
The site includes live demonstrations, videos and lesson plans detailing significant aspects of U.S. history, Miller Center library specialist Sheila Blackford said.
The classroom currently focuses on recordings from Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, Blackford said, but it will eventually feature other presidents and types of information.
The online Presidential Classroom aims to provide primary source materials, such as White House speaker reports and governmental meetings. The Miller Center hopes to collaborate with teachers to improve the resources which are currently available.
"We have hours of videos and conferences ... there is too much material," Blackford said. "With teachers' help, we can cut [the material] into excerpts and make it accessible to everyone."
Blackford said the original Presidential Classroom started in 1968 as a program which brought students to Washington, D.C. to foster an interest in U.S. history. The program expanded from the 1960s to 2011 to include new programs which focus on science and technology.
The travel aspect of the program, however, caused financial strain, so in 2011 the program moved online to be managed by the Miller Center, according to the Presidential Classroom website.
Blackford said digital presentation helps preserve the testimonies while expanding the public's access to them.\n"We still have a lot of work to do, but our goal is to make it accessible for the general public," Blackford said. "Anyone who is passionate about a subject should have access to it."
-compiled by Liz Heifetz
Read More
University advances sustainability goals outlined in 2030 Plan
By Vyshnavi Tatta | YesterdayAs part of the 2030 Plan’s goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2030 and fossil fuel-free operations by 2050, the University has prioritized environmental resilience and sustainability.
U.Va. researchers identify that HIV drugs can protect against Alzheimer’s disease
By Lauren Seeliger | 5 days agoDoctor Jayakrishna Ambati and his research team have begun work on a new drug called K9 which could treat and prevent Alzheimer’s.
Graduating students share their future plans as they enter the job market
By Nina Broderick | May 21, 2025Many students find the Career Center to be a valuable tool during the job search and application process.
