Strange-but-true stories surrounding the Cold War-era
Famous for his long and bushy beard he grew during his time as a guerrilla rebel fighter, Fidel Castro’s beard became a badge of honor and later a symbol of the triumph of the revolution. Today’s post comes from Callie Belback from the National Archives History Office. Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and Cuban Prime Minister … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Fidel Castro
For International Peace Month, we’re looking at significant turning points toward a more peaceful world highlighted by the records of the National Archives. Today’s post comes from Thomas Richardson, an expert archives technician at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri. “It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in … Continue reading Making Tomorrow Better: International Peace Month
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
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of Project Blue Book, there is a special featured document display in the East Rotunda Gallery of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, from December 5, 2019, through January 20, 2020. Today’s post comes from Michael Steffen from the National Archives History Office. The idea of … Continue reading Saucers Over Washington: the History of Project Blue Book
Shooting for the stars for the past 60 years, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. Better known as NASA, this independent agency has been overseeing the civilian space program and conducting research in aeronautics and aerospace since 1958. Use #ArchivesInSpace to be part of the NASA and the National Archives … Continue reading Celebrating NASA’s 60th Anniversary
Today’s post comes from Madie Ward in the National Archives History Office. The XXIII Winter Olympics are here! They are being held in PyeongChang, Republic of Korea, from February 9 to 25. With a total of 102 medal events, this year’s Olympics is the first to surpass 100. The games feature fifteen disciplines: alpine skiing, … Continue reading Are You Watching the XXIII Winter Olympics?
Today's post come from Erik Moshe from the National Archives Public Media and Communications Office. You can read the entire article online on the National Archives website. Just months after President Ronald Reagan’s "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" speech in West Berlin in 1987, two men arrived in Russia. Their destination: the Soviet Archival Research Center. … Continue reading Reflections of Two American Archivists on the Soviet Union’s Archives
October is American Archives Month! We’re celebrating the work of archivists and the importance of archives with a series of blog posts highlighting our “Archives Across America.” Today’s post comes from staff at the Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California. On July 20, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans … Continue reading Moon Landings at the Nixon Library
Today’s post comes from Garet Anderson-Lind from the National Archives History Office. Fifty years ago, one of the greatest enterprises in human history began: the Apollo Space Program. Through the collective effort of a nation, it was going to put a man on the Moon. While many here in the United States are aware of … Continue reading One Giant Leap: The Apollo Space Program at 50
Today’s post comes from Sanjana Barr from the National Archives History Office. In 1959, the U.S. State Department received a curious memo from the new U.S. Embassy in Nepal concerning the regulations for Yeti hunting. The Himalayan Yeti, a mythological creature often compared to Bigfoot, achieved international infamy in the 1950s. Western climbers ascending Mount … Continue reading On Exhibit: The “Yeti Memo”
