It’s why I do what I do

Today's blog post in honor of Memorial Day comes from Michael Pierce, preservation technician at the National Archives at Saint Louis. It’s called “the Forgotten War.” But like any conflict, the Korean War is always remembered by the men and women who fought in it, and by their families. The Preservation Lab at St. Louis … Continue reading It’s why I do what I do

Archives Spotlight: National Personnel Records Center

If you have served in the military or worked for the Federal Government, your personnel file is held at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri. More than 34 million files  are held in this facility, filling 2.3 million cubic feet of records on 385,000 shelves. There are 6.2 billion feet of … Continue reading Archives Spotlight: National Personnel Records Center

Facial Hair Friday: Presley, Presley is our cry!

Do sideburns set your heart aflutter? It's been 35 years since Elvis Presley died, but judging from the media coverage and chatter on Twitter with #ElvisWeek, his fan base is still enthusiastic. But the some of the most passionate fan letters about the bewhiskered singer can be found in the National Archives. In 1958, Linda … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Presley, Presley is our cry!

Take me out to the ballgame (and then to court)

Today's post is written by Kimberlee Ried, public programs specialist at the National Archives in Kansas City. "Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd . . ."  These words, written by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer in 1908, are still heard every night at  baseball parks across America, … Continue reading Take me out to the ballgame (and then to court)

Hit the Road, Jack!

Today's post is by Miriam Kleiman, public relations specialist at the National Archives. Jack Kerouac—American counterculture hero, king of the Beats, and author of On the Road—was a Navy military recruit who failed boot camp. Navy doctors found Kerouac delusional, grandiose, and promiscuous, and questioned his strange writing obsession. I learned this in 2005, right … Continue reading Hit the Road, Jack!