Building Liberty ships in Baltimore during World War II era

Jon Sham 0 Comment Maryland, The Baltimore Sun Baltimore, Baltimore shipbuilding, Emergency Shipbuilding Program, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Great Depression, Liberty ships, World War II

71 Photos

In January 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created an emergency shipbuilding program, and Baltimore was one of many places that expanded its shipyards for this $350 million project. Construction in Baltimore yielded more of these “Liberty” ships than any other American shipyard, according to a 2001 Sun article. The images in this gallery were taken by photographer Alfred T. Palmer, mostly in 1941.

This post is part of The Darkroom’s ongoing look at Baltimore during and shortly after the end of the Great Depression (thanks to Yale’s Photogrammar site). All captions are the original text provided with that image.

70th anniversary of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death

Apr 12, 2015

70th anniversary of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death

Quinn Kelley 0 Comment From the Vault, The Baltimore Sun FDR, Franklin D. Roosevelt, president

11 Photos

On April 12, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 63, died unexpectedly of a cerebral hemorrhage. Vice President Harry S. Truman took the oath of office as President two hours and 34 minutes later.

According to a Baltimore Sun story at the time, Roosevelt’s last words were, “I have a terrific headache.”

Archival photos depict a grieving nation at the loss of the president, serving his fourth term, who died at the “little White House” in Warm Springs, Georgia. More →