Press Releases

THE ENEMY WITHIN: Terror in America – 1776 to Today Exhibit Fact Sheet

Overview
THE ENEMY WITHIN: Terror in America – 1776 to Today is a special exhibit on display at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, February 19 – August 6, 2006. Making its first stop on a national tour, the exhibit uncovers the forgotten stories of domestic terrorists and foreign agents, militant radicals and saboteurs who have threatened America’s sense of security over the past 230 years.

Exhibit Details
Through interactive exhibits, thought-provoking films, and visitor polling, THE ENEMY WITHIN explores nine major events and periods in U.S. History when America felt threatened by enemies within its borders. With each major event, visitors track the terror as it happened, witness how the government and public responded, and examine the challenge of securing the nation without compromising the civil liberties upon which it was founded.
• The city of Washington captured and the White House burned – August, 24 1814
During the War of 1812, Washington D.C. was captured and the White House, Capitol, and other major public buildings were torched by British troops—aided by information provided by a few Americans.
• Manhattan hit by massive explosions in New York Harbor – July 30, 1916
German secret agents, aided by American collaborators, bombed a munitions depot in New York Harbor, showering Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty with shrapnel and debris. Acts of German sabotage on America soil like this contributed to America’s entry into World War I, inspired the passage of the 1917 Espionage Act and the 1918 Sedition Act, and the led to the growth of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
• Anarchist bombs target American leaders – June 2, 1919
When the home of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer was bombed by an anarchist and plots for more bombings were revealed, both the public and the government clamored for tighter law enforcement and more restrictive legislation for immigrants, resulting in the roundups, deportations, and public outrage associated with the now infamous “Palmer Raids.”
• 30,000 Ku Klux Klan members parade down Pennsylvania Avenue – August 8, 1925
The nation’s oldest hate group, Ku Klux Klan, has risen three times in the nation’s history. Each time, the group changed, evolving from small vigilante groups inflicting terror on former slaves after the Civil War; to a politically powerful organization of four-million members in the 1920s expanding its targets to include immigrants, Jews and Catholics; to the violent groups of the1960s attacking African Americans and civil rights workers. Today, a diminished Klan is one among many white supremacist groups.
• American helps Japanese pilot terrorize Hawaiian island after Pearl Harbor attack – December 7, 1941
A Japanese pilot returning from the Pearl Harbor attack, crash-landed on the Hawaiian Island of Nihau, and with the support of a Japanese American, took hostages and terrorized the community. This incident perpetuated unfounded fears about the loyalty of Japanese Americans—fears that ultimately led to the unprecedented incarceration of thousands.
• Kremlin launches one of the first Cold War attacks against the U.S. – April 1945
Near the end of WWII, the Kremlin harshly condemned American Communists for softening their commitment to a worldwide communist revolution. The Communist Party of the United States snapped to action, ousting its moderate leader and reestablishing itself as a highly militant and subversive organization—and fueling America’s fears that American Communists would become Stalin’s tool for the overthrow of the U.S. government.
• Radical group explodes bomb in the U.S. Capitol – March 1, 1971
Protests over the war in Vietnam War and civil rights turned violent during the “days of rage,” and extremist groups, such as the Weather Underground and the Black Liberation Army, took action.
•Massive bomb destroys the Federal Building in Oklahoma City – April 19, 1995
The Oklahoma City bombing, the deadliest act of terrorism on U.S. soil in the 20th century, awakened Americans to the threats posed by domestic extremists—especially the virulently anti-government right-wing groups.
• Beyond September 11th – Terrorism Today
In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, initiatives by the U.S. government to root out terrorists elements in the country have irrevocably changed the lives of Americans.

Educational Programs
The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum offers a wide range of educational programs for students, adults, and families including an essay contest, Teacher Fellowship program, curriculum, scholarly lectures; student, adult and senior group tour packages; temporary exhibits; and other special events throughout the year.

Location
The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is located at 620 N Harvey in downtown Oklahoma City, near the historic Bricktown entertainment district and within walking distance of downtown hotel and convention meeting space.

Memorial Museum Hours
Monday – Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, 1-6 p.m.
Ticket sales end daily at 5 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Days
The Outdoor Symbolic Memorial is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Admission
Admission to the Memorial Museum:
$8, Adults
$7, Seniors (62+)
$6, Students (6-17, plus college with valid ID)
(Prices include admission to THE ENEMY WITHIN)
Children five and under are admitted free of charge.
The Outdoor Symbolic Memorial is free of charge.

About The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum was created to honor “those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever” by the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The Memorial and Museum are dedicated to educating visitors about the impact of violence, informing about events surrounding the bombing, and inspiring hope and healing through lessons learned by those affected.

The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is commemorating the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Memorial Museum by hosting THE ENEMY WITHIN. It is the first in a series of three national exhibits the Museum will display in the coming months.
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