In a break with tradition, today's Facial Hair doesn't feature a picture of a beard, but the man whose accomplishments we are featuring did indeed have a luxurious beard. And whether or not whiskers tickle your own chin, you almost certainly have one of his inventions attached to your face at some point during the … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Can you hear me now?
When I voted to approve appropriations for the country’s highways, I didn’t think I’d have to build them!Last's week winning caption goes to Marc, whose plowman did not expect to have quite such an active role in government. If you thought this looked like a victorious pursuit for these two well-dressed gentlemen, you would be correct. … Continue reading Thursday’s Caption Contest
Archivists handle fascinating records, but the people who lived the lives recorded in the documents are even more fascinating. Such was the life of Frank Buckles, who passed away on February 27, aged 110. Buckles's passing means that there are no longer any living American servicemen who fought during World War I. Any memories and experiences from … Continue reading The last doughboy: In memory of Frank Buckles
It was impossible to decide if "Treeus" was funnier than references to Santa or poor drivers, so we asked for assistance from our guest judge Laura Brandt, who manages the Foundation for the National Archives Facebook page. After much agony, she decided that David T's caption held the most humor and historical value. This two … Continue reading Thursday’s Photo Caption Contest
Errol Flynn may not have changed his name to become a famous movie actor, but his declaration of intention (a form that starts the process to being naturalized as a U.S. citizen) is surprisingly complex. In 1938, he listed four countries and two nationalities on one form. Flynn was born in Australia, but on his … Continue reading The silver screen, the stylish paperwork
Today we have a special guest post from Tom Nastick, public programs producer at the National Archives. This week, from February 23 to 27, we’ll be presenting the seventh annual free screenings of Oscar®-nominated documentaries and Short Subjects in the William G. McGowan Theater. Our friends at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences will … Continue reading Roll out the red carpet at the National Archives!
After a brief hiatus, Facial Hair Friday is back with a special Valentine's week post! When Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri wanted to encourage Americans to emigrate to the west as part of the Manifest Destiny movement, he decided that eyewitness descriptions of the landscape were necessary. So in 1842, Benton sent off his son-in-law … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Grow West, young man!
Do you like jelly beans? So did Ronald Reagan—and this month marks his 100th birthday. Even if you didn't share Reagan's political views, you might share his sweet tooth! Tweet your favorite jelly bean flavor using the hashtag #100jellybeans at twitter.com, and on Friday we'll randomly pick a winner to receive a discount at our eStore. … Continue reading Tweet if you like jelly beans!
I was worried I would never find love at the National Archives. When Scribd.com approached my office about promoting Prologue magazine by creating a collection of romantic records for their Valentine's Day "Eat Say Love" event, I was very doubtful. Would I be able to find enough romance in the records to put together a … Continue reading Romance in the Records
Today's post comes from National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications staff writer Rob Crotty. The Civil War was a spy's dream come true. With a porous border between the Union and the Confederacy, and little way to distinguish between friend and foe, spies were everywhere. Both sides used ciphers. Both tapped telegraph wires. Stories … Continue reading Confederate dirty laundry: spies and slaves
