Women’s History in the Archives

March is Women’s History Month! Today’s post comes from Elle Benak in the National Archives History Office. In spring 1976 the National Archives held a ground-breaking conference on women’s history. It highlighted National Archives records that focused on the subject and discussed how women’s history could be studied as part of general history; not just … Continue reading Women’s History in the Archives

The Hello Girls Finally Get Paid

Today’s post comes from Ashley Mattingly, who is an archivist at the National Archives at St. Louis, where she manages the collection of archival civilian personnel records. The United States entered World War I in April 1917. Along with the men who were recruited to fight, women were eager to assist with war efforts. Such … Continue reading The Hello Girls Finally Get Paid

Ida Wilson Lewis, lighthouse keeper and fearless Federal worker

Today's post comes from Ashley Mattingly, who is an archivist at the National Archives at St. Louis, where she manages the collection of archival civilian personnel records. The most well-known lighthouse keeper in the world was an American woman who was a Federal civil servant. Ida Wilson Lewis, lighthouse keeper of Rhode Island, saved somewhere … Continue reading Ida Wilson Lewis, lighthouse keeper and fearless Federal worker

Sara Dunlap Jackson: Archivist Extraordinaire

In honor of Women's History Month, I want to celebrate one of our most cherished former employees—Sara Dunlap Jackson. After I was appointed Historian, numerous local historians approached me to say that I just had to research Sara Dunlap Jackson because she was so important to the history of the agency. Archivist Sara Jackson, 1955. … Continue reading Sara Dunlap Jackson: Archivist Extraordinaire

Margaret M.H. Finch, War Records Keeper

Today's post for Women's History Month comes from Jessie Kratz, Historian of the National Archives. I was intrigued when Alan Walker discovered those wonderful ID cards of former Archives employees in Record Group 64. I noticed many were women, which makes sense given the time period, and thought it would be nice to highlight a … Continue reading Margaret M.H. Finch, War Records Keeper

A Matter of Simple Justice

Today’s guest post was written by Barbara Hackman Franklin, former White House staff member for the recruitment of women and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce. The story of how Franklin and other women cracked the glass ceiling is finally told in a new book that draws from “A Few Good Women,” an oral history project … Continue reading A Matter of Simple Justice