Congratulations to our hometown team, the Washington Nationals, for winning the 2019 World Series! After a series of heartbreaking losses in past qualifying rounds, the Nats finally broke through, capping a miraculous run through the playoffs with a nail-biting game seven win. Combining MVP Steven Strasburg's pitching, Howie Kendrick's perfectly timed home runs, and manager … Continue reading Nats Win!
Facial Hair Friday: M=Mustache
Join @USNatArchives today on Twitter for our #ArchivesFacialHair Hashtag Party. Today's post comes from Vincent Bartholomew from the National Archives History Office. Albert Einstein, 1936. (National Archives Identifier 596270) German-born and Swiss-educated theoretical physicist Albert Einstein is possibly best known for his mass—energy equivalence formula, E = MC2 (Energy = Mass x Speed of Light2), … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: M=Mustache
The Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House and the National Archives at New York City
The National Archives is celebrating American Archives Month throughout October. Follow us on social media, and share your archives stories using the hashtag #ArchivesMonth. Today's post comes from Michael J. Hancock from the National Archives History Office. The National Archives History Office has published a new online exhibit, The Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House and the … Continue reading The Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House and the National Archives at New York City
The Maker of Pilots: Aviator and Civil Rights Activist Willa Beatrice Brown
Today's post comes from Jennifer Johnson, a curator at the National Archives at Kansas City. Willa Beatrice Brown is featured in the nationwide traveling exhibit One Half of the People: Advancing Equality for Women. Perhaps one of the less recognizable names, but certainly as noteworthy, she was a woman who achieved great success despite limited … Continue reading The Maker of Pilots: Aviator and Civil Rights Activist Willa Beatrice Brown
Pictographs, Petroglyphs, “Rock Art,” What is the difference?
The National Archives is celebrating American Archives Month throughout October. Follow us on social media and share your archives stories using the hashtag #ArchivesMonth. Today's post comes from Larry Shockley, an archives specialist at the National Archives at College Park, MD. The National Archives' holdings offer many keys to understanding our past. With a simple search … Continue reading Pictographs, Petroglyphs, “Rock Art,” What is the difference?
Woodstock: Three days of Peace, Music, and Toilets
Woodstock was a three-day music festival held in Bethel, New York, August 15–18, 1969. Plagued by poor planning and bad weather, the expected audience of 100,000 ballooned to over 400,000. There wasn’t enough food, water, or bathrooms, and frequent rains turned the festival’s picturesque farmland into a field of knee-deep mud. Though a logistical and … Continue reading Woodstock: Three days of Peace, Music, and Toilets
Facial Hair Friday: John Brown
Today is Facial Hair Friday, and we’re looking back at abolitionist John Brown. Today’s post comes from Vincent Bartholomew in the National Archives History Office. John Brown, ca. 1858. (National Archives Identifier 23855306) Abolitionist John Brown, who was previously clean shaven, grew a robust beard during his preparations for the raid on Harpers Ferry as … Continue reading Facial Hair Friday: John Brown
The First Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
Two hundred and thirty years ago on September 25, 1789, Congress passed the very first proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Ten of these eventually became the Bill of Rights. During the period of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, one of the biggest criticisms of the document was that it lacked a bill of … Continue reading The First Amendments to the U.S. Constitution
Constitution Day 1985 and Ross Perot’s Magna Carta
Before David M. Rubenstein owned the 1297 Magna Carta, it belonged to Texas billionaire H. Ross Perot, who for decades generously loaned it to the National Archives. On September 17, 1985—Constitution Day—Perot came to the National Archives to visit his Magna Carta, and address new U.S. citizens. Sadly in July 2019, Ross Perot passed away at … Continue reading Constitution Day 1985 and Ross Perot’s Magna Carta
John Hancock and His Signature
Today's post comes from Michael Hancock of the National Archives History Office. Declaration of Independence in the National Archives Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. (Photo by Jeff Reed, National Archives) During my time working at the National Archives in Washington, DC, I often make it a point to visit the Rotunda at the end … Continue reading John Hancock and His Signature