On August 4, 2005, the United States Postal Service unveiled a stamp celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Presidential Libraries Act of 1955—a law that forever changed how America preserves the legacy of its commanders-in-chief. The 37-cent “Presidential Libraries” stamp (Scott 3930) is a timeless tribute to the libraries that house presidential documents, artifacts, and history itself.

🏛 Fun Facts About Presidential Libraries

• Signed into law: 1955 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
  
  
• Purpose: To establish a system for privately built, federally maintained libraries for presidents of the United States.
  
  
• Why it mattered: Before this law, presidential papers and memorabilia often ended up scattered—or even lost to private collections.
  
  
• Franklin D. Roosevelt built the first presidential library (opened in 1941).
  
  
• Herbert Hoover’s library was the first to be established under the Presidential Libraries Act of 1955, even though it opened in 1962.
  
  
• There are currently 15 official presidential libraries managed by the National Archives.
  
  
• Barack Obama’s Presidential Center in Chicago is currently in progress, blending the tradition of libraries with a modern museum and public space.
  
  
• The term “library” is a bit misleading—they’re also museums, research centers, and community hubs.