In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and American Archives Month, today's Historic Staff Spotlight is on Cuban-born National Archives intern turned staff member, Mario Lopez Feliu. It's from Alyssa Moore in the National Archives History Office. Mario Lopez Feliu preparing a damaged document for repair by lamination, September 20, 1946. (National Archives Identifier 74228333) Mario … Continue reading Historic Staff Spotlight: Mario Lopez Feliu
We are taking a look at past staff and their many contributions to the National Archives throughout its history. Today’s staff spotlight is Blanca Tomé, who immigrated to the United States from Cuba in her 50s and became an expert bookbinder at the National Archives. Blanca Tomé (née Biosca) was born on June 24, 1907, … Continue reading Historic Staff Spotlight: Blanca Tomé
When the National Archives closed its doors on October 1 due to the government shutdown, staff did not know when they would return to work. So Meris Westberg took her skills to the Historical Society of Washington, DC (HSW). When Westberg joined HSW a few months ago, she had talked to the collections manager, Anne McDonough, about … Continue reading Furloughed Fed volunteers at local historical society
Today’s post comes from Sara Holmes, supervisory preservation specialist at the National Archives in St. Louis. Just before 9 a.m. on the morning of July 16, 1973, the fire that had raged over five days was declared out. The firemen’s command post was taken down; engines cleared the scene; and 9700 Page Avenue—home of the … Continue reading After the fire: Peter Waters helps save water-damaged records
Today’s post comes from Sara Holmes, supervisory preservation specialist at the National Archives in St. Louis. (The images below are from the National Archives at St. Louis, with a special thank you to Capt. Dave Dubowski of the Spanish Lake Fire Department and the late Chief Bob Palmer of Mehlville Fire Department.) What happened after … Continue reading One fire, 5 days, and 381 men
Over 5,000 requests for veterans' military personnel records are received every day at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, MO. Donna Judd spends each day carefully searching for valuable information for veterans in the documents left burned and brittle by the 1973 fire at the NPRC building. She looks for separation documents … Continue reading Burned and brittle records are in good hands
Today's blog post in honor of Memorial Day comes from Michael Pierce, preservation technician at the National Archives at Saint Louis. It’s called “the Forgotten War.” But like any conflict, the Korean War is always remembered by the men and women who fought in it, and by their families. The Preservation Lab at St. Louis … Continue reading It’s why I do what I do
Today's post comes from Nikita Buley, an intern in the National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications. In light of the upcoming 225th Constitution Day on September 17, I spoke with Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler and Catherine Nicholson, two of the very few people who have touched the Constitution in the last century, about how they … Continue reading Constitution 225: Conservation and Re-encasement
Rick Blondo, management and program analyst at the National Archives, reflects on the logistics of maintaining records in the sweltering humidity that is summer in Washington, DC. Summer in Washington can be a wilting experience for tourists and locals alike, but not so for the holdings maintained in the National Archives. The National Archives was … Continue reading A warning from the Surgeon General about air conditioning
This week, NARA will be premiering a film halfway across the globe in Beijing, China, for the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF). Our film preservation lab will be represented by Supervisory Motion Picture Preservation Specialist Criss Kovac. “We rejoined FIAF last spring, and it’s required for us to send a member to the conference each spring,” … Continue reading NARA debuts “The Sailor and the Seagull” at Beijing film festival
