This post was written by Laura Brandt and originally appeared on the Facebook page of the Foundation for the National Archives. Flexing your literary muscles this month but facing writers' block? Don't forget that the National Archives has a wealth of information to enhance your tale, whether you are writing a historical novel or are … Continue reading Inspired by the Archives! Top Ten Tips for Writers
It's the most wonderful time of the year! No, I don't mean the frenzied season of gift-giving. I'm talking about November, the month when several of your friends who have maintained clean-shaven faces suddenly begin to grow mustaches. If you love facial hair, this is your time. Yes, it's Movember! The month when men grow mustaches to … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Movember
Leave a comment on the bottom of this post telling us your favorite food smell. and you'll be entered into a random drawing to win a copy of Eating with Uncle Sam from the Foundation for the National Archives! Smells are everywhere. Realtors bake cookies and make coffee to help sell houses. Proud … Continue reading What’s Cooking Wednesday: What’s That Smell?
Today's featured facial hair is especially appropriate for the approaching Halloween weekend. It's the plaster cast of a beard, taken of the deceased Walter Q. Gresham, who was Secretary of State at the time of his death in May of 1895. This death mask—complete with a few beard hairs stuck in it—may seem like an oddity … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: The Death Mask of Walter Q. Gresham
We enjoyed the many old fashioned names that our captioners suggested: Ellie Mae, Mildred, Ethel, and Frances! I wonder what the subject of our photo would say in response to the captions that suggest she is in the clutches of an OCD attack or is cooking up something explosive? This week's judge knows something about cooking up … Continue reading Thursday Photo Caption Contest
If you really want to be scared by food, don't miss "Food Frights" on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the National Archives Building! David Gregory of NPR will moderate this discussion about how America's government became involved in food safety and how food safety will look in the future. One of our panelists is Chef José Andrés … Continue reading What’s Cooking Wednesday: Halloween BBQ
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
We were amused by all your suggestions of light-fingered artists and wild wedding cake toppers, but we were most impressed that several of our captioners knew who the artist was—and what that outrageous piece of silver was! In the end, we picked up our editorial trident and poked Darren Cole to make him pick a … Continue reading Thursday Photo Caption Contest
This postcard (ARC 2657925) was enclosed with several others as part of a letter from Acting Secretary of State Robert Bacon to U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Whitelaw Reid regarding postcards that were circulating in South Africa regarding the meatpacking industry. Do you like to be scared? If you do, forget about watching Halloween … Continue reading Need a Halloween costume? Four food frights from our holdings
