Today’s post comes from Emily Niekrasz, an intern in the National Archives History Office in Washington, DC. In March 2015 the National Archives opened “Spirited Republic: Alcohol in American History,” a new exhibit that explores the complex love-hate relationship between America and alcohol. The exhibit’s curator, Bruce Bustard, has written, “These two different views of alcoholic … Continue reading On Exhibit: The American Debate about Alcohol Consumption During World War II
Today’s post comes from Adam Berenbak, archivist in the Center for Legislative Archives in Washington, DC. The Continental Army and Gen. Samuel Parsons first occupied the land at West Point, New York, owned by Steven Moore, in the winter of 1778. The fort was crucial in defending New York, the Hudson River, and the lines … Continue reading Strategically Important: West Point
Today's post comes from Zach Kopin, an intern in the National Archives History Office. Last month I wrote a blog post on the sketch of the RMS Lusitania’s lifeboat launch system, which is on display at the National Archives in Washington, DC. The National Archives, however, holds another document related to the famous sinking of the Lusitania: the log … Continue reading Sinking of the RMS Lusitania
Today’s post comes from Judith Adkins, an archivist at the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Senate Resolution that Congress shall meet in Philadelphia, May 24, 1790. (Records of the U.S. Senate, National Archives) While the First Congress met for its two sessions in New York City, delegates from Pennsylvania … Continue reading Location, Location, Location: Settling on a Capital City
This post comes from Greg Bradsher's latest article “Hitler’s Final Words” in Prologue magazine. Bradsher is a senior archivist at the National Archives and a frequent contributor to Prologue. A little after 11 p.m., Gertrude Junge, the 25-year-old secretary to Adolf Hitler, woke from a one-hour nap, and, thinking it was time for the nightly tea with her … Continue reading Hitler’s Final Words
Citizen Archivists! You can transcribe this document as part of our #SunshineWeek Transcription Challenge! The black-bordered letter sent to President Martin Van Buren relayed the official news that the king of the United Kingdom, His Majesty William IV, had died on June 20, 1837. The new monarch was the late king’s niece, 18-year-old Victoria. Writing … Continue reading Your Good Friend, Victoria R
Today’s post comes from Samantha Payne, intern in the Center for Legislative Archives in Washington, DC. In August 1791, two men received identical patents from the Federal Government. John Fitch and James Rumsey claimed to have invented the same technology: a steamboat. After a two-year battle for exclusive rights to their discovery, with Fitch calling Rumsey … Continue reading Inventing in Congress: Patent Law since 1790
Today’s post comes from Samantha Payne, intern in the Center for Legislative Archives in Washington, DC. The Constitution requires that Congress conduct a census every 10 years to determine the representation of each state in the House of Representatives. When the authors of the Constitution allocated seats in the House for the First Congress, they had no … Continue reading Congress Counts: History of the U.S. Census
Today's post was written by Damani Davis, reference archivist at the National Archives in Washington, DC. On March 3, 2015, the National Archives will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Freedman’s Savings & Trust Company, better known as the "Freedman’s Bank.” The founding of the Freedman’s Bank was spearheaded by John W. Alvord, a Congregationalist … Continue reading 150th Anniversary of the Freedman’s Bank
What a year! Here's some of the highlights of the last 12 months of the National Archives that we shared on our blog. Thanks for reading in 2014--we'll see you in 2015 with more pieces of history! The National Archives turned 80 The Historian of the National Archives, Jessie Kratz, shared the stories of an agency … Continue reading A look back at 2014
