Asteroids and Meteors and Lawyers: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Copyright Law

This post highlights Maryland Civil Case No. 81-803, Atari, Inc. v. Amusement World, Inc., Box 1123, which is one of the many court records held at the National Archives at Philadelphia. It comes from Andrew Salyer, an archives technician at the National Archives at Philadelphia. Detail from advertisement for Asteroids, Play Meter Vol. 7, July … Continue reading Asteroids and Meteors and Lawyers: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Copyright Law

Facial Hair Friday: Robert Smalls

February is Black History Month. Visit the National Archives website for more information and resources on African American History. Today’s Facial Hair Friday post about Robert Smalls comes from Rachel Bartgis, conservator technician at the National Archives at College Park, MD. Robert Smalls was an American boat pilot, politician, and businessman whose daring heroism during … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Robert Smalls

Historic Staff Spotlight: Bess Glenn

This year we are taking a look at past staff and their many contributions to the National Archives throughout history. Today’s staff spotlight is on Bess Glenn, who worked for the National Archives from 1936 to her retirement in 1962 and was one of the first female archivists at the agency. Bess Glenn, 1951. (National … Continue reading Historic Staff Spotlight: Bess Glenn

Census Records: The 72-Year Rule

On April 1, 2022, the National Archives will open the 1950 Census. For more information on the records release, visit the National Archives website. Shortly after the National Archives was established, the Archivist of the United States made an agreement with the Director of the Bureau of the Census to acquire the decennial census records … Continue reading Census Records: The 72-Year Rule

North Platte Feeds the Troops

Today's post comes from Joshua Cain, an archives technician at the National Archives in College Park, MD. It features digitized videos and images available in the National Archives Catalog highlighting North Platte's role in World War II. In the early to mid-1900s, North Platte, Nebraska, was a small farm town located on the Union Pacific … Continue reading North Platte Feeds the Troops

Facial Hair Friday: Those Bearded Battles of the Blizzard Belt

This fabulous Facial Hair Friday photo of Coast Guardsman Theophile Baranski, with his bushy eyebrows and stylish facial hair, is just one of the many beards featured in a series of Coast Guardsmen at Work in the Records of the U.S. Coast Guard that have be digitized and made available in the National Archives Catalog. … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: Those Bearded Battles of the Blizzard Belt

Top 10 of 2021

As we move into the new year, we’re looking back on the most popular posts published on Pieces of History in 2021. We would like to give a big thank-you to the National Archives staff who work so hard to Make Access Happen through their numerous contributions. And thank you all for sticking with us … Continue reading Top 10 of 2021

New Year’s poems from Navy Deck logs

Today’s post comes from Rachel Bartgis, conservator technician at the National Archives at College Park, MD.  In 2019 the National Archives entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to digitize U.S. Navy and Coast Guard deck logs from vessels with Vietnam-era service (1956–78). The more than 200 million images will … Continue reading New Year’s poems from Navy Deck logs

Across and Down: An Unusual Civil War Letter

Today's post comes from Dorothy Dougherty, Programs Director at the National Archives at New York City.  By current estimate, the National Archives has over 5 million cubic feet of traditional records in its holdings. Those textual records include manuscripts, memorandums, official business letters, and even the occasional personal letter.  Today’s post features one such personal … Continue reading Across and Down: An Unusual Civil War Letter

The Long S

Bill of Rights Day is December 15. Visit the National Archives website for more information. Today’s post comes from Rachel Bartgis, conservator technician at the National Archives at College Park, MD. One of the most frequent questions visitors to the National Archives Rotunda have about the Bill of Rights is why is the word Congress … Continue reading The Long S