Dear Dr. von Braun: Eccentrics, Crack Pots, & the Moon, Part II

Today’s post is by Shane Bell, Archivist at the National Archives at Atlanta. This is the second of two posts regarding correspondence found in Dr. Wernher von Braun’s Personal Files, 1968 – 1970 (National Archives ID 2827681), Public Affairs Office, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Record Group 255: Records of the National Aeronautics and Space … Continue reading Dear Dr. von Braun: Eccentrics, Crack Pots, & the Moon, Part II

Dear Dr. von Braun: Eccentrics, Crack Pots, & the Moon, Part I

Today’s post is by Shane Bell, Archivist at the National Archives at Atlanta. Leading up to the launch of Apollo 11 on July 16, 1969, NASA personnel, engineers, and contractors were not the only people who recognized the gravity of the occasion and the significance of project Apollo. Many United States citizens also felt they … Continue reading Dear Dr. von Braun: Eccentrics, Crack Pots, & the Moon, Part I

The War of 1812: Privateers, Plunder, & Profiteering

Today's post is written by archivist Shane Bell of the National Archives at Atlanta. The so-called golden age of piracy ended in the early 18th century, decades before the first shot of the American Revolution.  During what is often referred to as the Second War for Independence, however, the last significant era of this practice, legally … Continue reading The War of 1812: Privateers, Plunder, & Profiteering