Inside the Vault

Inside the Vault

Inside the Vault is a monthly online program that highlights unique primary sources from the Gilder Lehrman Collection. Curators and scholars discuss historical documents from iconic treasures, such as the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Emancipation Proclamation, to personal letters that reveal the contributions of ordinary Americans.

 

*Please note that each program is recorded and sent via email the following day to all registered participants.*

 

 

Image: Abraham Lincoln, Emancipation Proclamation, General Orders No. 1, 1863 (The Gilder Lehrman Institute, GLC00460)

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Detail from Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation with focus on text "By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation"

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Upcoming Program

Inside the Vault: Continental Army Soldiers' Experiences at Valley Forge and Beyond

Date: January 8, 2025
Time: 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT)
Guest Historian: Rick Atkinson, winner of the 2020 George Washington Prize
Featured Document: George Washington to the State of New Hampshire, December 29, 1777, asking for supplies and reporting the poor state of the army

During the brutal winter 1777–1778 encampment at Valley Forge, Washington’s army struggled to survive amid harsh weather and poor camp hygiene that bred disease and misery. With supplies dwindling and proper shelter scarce, desertion became a constant threat as hungry, frostbitten soldiers questioned whether they could continue. For Washington, the challenges extended beyond the elements, as he was tasked with holding together an army drawn from thirteen disparate states, composed of many men who had never had formal military training. Join us on January 8, 2026, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT), when our curators will discuss the living conditions and daily experiences of Continental Army soldiers with Pulitzer Prize–winning author Rick Atkinson.

Submit questions for Rick Atkinson

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Letter from George Washington about the state of the Continental Army

Related Resources for the Upcoming Program

Historical Documents

Spotlights on Primary Sources

Each Spotlight on a document from the Gilder Lehrman Collection provides explanatory text, a transcript, and an image of the featured document.

Essays

Gilder Lehrman Essays

Online Exhibitions

Online Exhibitions

The Gilder Lehrman Institute has more than eighty online exhibitions that cover American history from the colonial era to the present day.

Videos

Book Breaks

Book Breaks is a free weekly public program where hosts interview scholars about their new books.

Inside the Vault

Inside the Vault highlights unique primary sources from the Gilder Lehrman Collection each month.

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Future Programs

James Forten's "Letters From A Man Of Colour," on a late bill before the Senate of Pennsylvania.

James Forten’s “Letters from a Man of Colour”

Our curators will discuss “Letters from a Man of Colour” by James Forten with Dr. Julie Winch, historian and author of A Gentleman of Color: The Life of James Forten.

  • February 5, 2026
  • 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT)
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"Another Declaration of Independence​": The 1848 Seneca Falls Convention and the Declaration of Sentiments

“Another Declaration of Independence”: The 1848 Seneca Falls Convention and the Declaration of Sentiments

Our curators will discuss the Seneca Falls Convention and the Declaration of Sentiments with Dr. Judith Wellman, Professor Emerita from the State University of New York at Oswego and Director of Historical New York Research Associates.

  • March 5, 2026
  • 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT)
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Program Archive

View the complete archive of Inside the Vault recordings, presentation slides, and related resources. Our past programs have featured documents from throughout American history and guest presentations by historians, teachers, curators, and Hamilton cast members.

View the Program Archive