Today’s post comes from Thomas Richardson, an archives technician at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger launched from the Kennedy Space Center on an abnormally cold morning. Temperatures dipped below freezing, evidenced by the formation of icicles on the launch pad. Weather conditions had … Continue reading ‘Roger, go at throttle up’: The 35th Anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster
Today’s post comes from Michael J. Hancock, an archives technician at the National Archives at College Park, MD. There was a time when the greatest threat during the Cold War was a nuclear strike by the Soviet Union. But for a moment during those tension-filled years, the United States almost nuked itself. The U.S. narrowly … Continue reading Brush with Catastrophe: The Day the U.S. Almost Nuked Itself
January 20 is Inauguration Day. Visit the National Archives website for more information on Presidential elections and inaugurations. At noon on January 20, 2021, President-elect Joe Biden will recite the oath of office in accordance with Article II, Section I of the U.S. Constitution: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the … Continue reading A Promise to Faithfully Execute the Office: Presidential Inaugurations
Today’s post comes from Patrick Connelly, supervisory archivist at the National Archives at Philadelphia. The National Park Service (NPS) is well known for its robust efforts in the area of environmental and wildlife management. In 1959, the two clashed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, forcing park officials to delicately weigh their solution. Great Smoky … Continue reading Russian Wild Boars at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
In a city park overlooking Lake Bemidji in northern Minnesota sit two larger-than-life statues depicting fictional lumberjack Paul Bunyan and his reliable companion, Babe the Blue Ox. The roadside attraction, created in 1937, is still very popular with tourists to this day. Statue of Paul Bunyan in Bemidji, Minnesota, 1947. (National Archives Identifier 2129751) The … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Paul Bunyan
As we put 2020 into the past, we’re taking a look back on the most popular posts published this year. Thank you to the National Archives staff who helped us share our love of history. 10. The fourth installment of a series about unratified constitutional amendments, Unratified Amendments: Regulating Child Labor, explored an amendment proposed … Continue reading Top 10 of 2020
