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Although the National Archives Building was nearly completed in 1935, the Rotunda sat empty. Then, on December 13, 1952, an armored Marine Corps personnel carrier made its way down Constitution Avenue, accompanied by two light tanks, four servicemen carrying submachine guns, and a motorcycle escort. A color guard, ceremonial troops, the Army Band, and the Air Force Drum … Continue reading A homecoming for six pages of parchment
Only 43 men in the history of the United States have held the title of President. That's a fairly small group , smaller than your average NFL team. But smaller still is the group of professionals who have held the title as the President's chief photographer. To date, only nine men have served as the official White … Continue reading Say cheese, Mr. President: White House photographers at the Truman Library
In the "What's Cooking, Uncle Sam?" exhibit, curator Alice Kamps notes that American citizens have demanded that food be safe, cheap, and abundant. From the records in the exhibit, you can see how the Federal Government has responded to these needs over the past decades. But food isn't just a historic record. We continue to talk about food … Continue reading Food Day Open House
Did you miss us? We were on a brief hiatus, but we're back with more bizarre and baffling photographs from our holdings, ready for your cleverest captions! So who won the winning caption for our last photo? We turned to the newest member of our team, writer Victoria Yue (you may remember her post about … Continue reading Thursday Photo Caption Contest
Are you thinking of starting to research your family tree? Or maybe you're wondering how to use bounty land warrants to find your ancestors? Or do you're confused on how to search immigration records? The National Archives has programs and resources for beginning and expert genealogists. And one way to use these resources, regardless of where you are … Continue reading Social Media for Genealogists
This Sunday is the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. To commemorate the event, the National Archives is displaying a program from the march in the East Rotunda Gallery and screening The March on August 27 and 28. But if you are not in Washington, DC, you can still watch the entire film on our YouTube … Continue reading From Our Film Archives: “The March”
Today's post comes from Gregory Marose, an intern in the National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications. Americans often associate the month of August with family vacations and the summer heat, but that was not the case in 1961. Fifty years ago this month, a Cold War chill filled the air as construction began on … Continue reading The Berlin Wall, now a vital piece of history
Today's post comes from Gregory Marose, an intern in the National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications. On June 21 in New York City, the United Nations General Assembly reappointed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to a second consecutive five-year term. As he took the oath of office, his left hand was placed on the cover of … Continue reading Special Delivery to UN General Assembly
Did you know that the 13 Presidential libraries are part of the National Archives? The National Archives is a nonpartisan agency, and we care for all the paper and digital records—as well as Presidential gifts and other items—that are part of the President's legacy. These documents are preserved and made accessible at the 13 Presidential … Continue reading The Presidents are expecting you!
Americans are used to waiting in line for things they really want: tickets to a rock concert, a World Series game or a controversial new movie, for example. At the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, this week some people waited all night for a brief look at one of the nation's most historic documents --- the … Continue reading Waiting All Night for a Look at History
