A nice house, with a yard, and a dog – Suburbs in the National Register of Historic Places

Great River Road - Kit Home (National Archives Identifier 7718976) It’s the American Dream to own a little white house with a picket fence, maybe a dog (or a cat) in the yard, with your 2 and a half kids on the swings in the back yard, in the American Suburbs.  There are more than … Continue reading A nice house, with a yard, and a dog – Suburbs in the National Register of Historic Places

Before the Hatch Act

All U.S. Government employees are, or should be, familiar with the provisions of the Hatch Act.  Enacted in 1939, and amended several times since, the Hatch Act (formally titled “AN ACT To prevent pernicious political activities”) limits certain political activities of federal employees. ​The law was enacted to ensure that federal programs are administered in a … Continue reading Before the Hatch Act

Hoover vs. Little Al of the FBI

Today's post was written by James Mathis, Archivist with the Special Access and FOIA Program at the National Archives at College Park In celebration of National Comic Book Day on September 25, this post highlights comics in NARA’s FBI records. The records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Record Group 65 document the … Continue reading Hoover vs. Little Al of the FBI

Surveillance of a Worker’s Rights Icon: Emma Tenayuca’s FBI File

Today's post was written by Daniel Dancis, Special Access and FOIA Program Archivist at the National Archives at College Park, MD The National Archives’ Special Access and FOIA Program recently made available online the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) case file on Emma Tenayuca (1916-1999) (NAID 16843150 and NAID 16843151). Tenayuca was a labor leader … Continue reading Surveillance of a Worker’s Rights Icon: Emma Tenayuca’s FBI File

Around the World in 175 Days, 1924: Department of State Contributions to the U.S. Army Flight Around the World: Part IX: An Interlude: Conflict With the Press

This is the ninth in a series of occasional blog posts. Throughout the weeks and months of the Army’s flight around the world, it received a great deal of attention in the press, both domestic and foreign.  Previous posts have provided a peak at the foreign attention.  That notice was almost always positive.  As the … Continue reading Around the World in 175 Days, 1924: Department of State Contributions to the U.S. Army Flight Around the World: Part IX: An Interlude: Conflict With the Press

It’s Raining Cats and Dogs! Records about Cats and Dogs in the National Register of Historic Places

Cat Wearing a Ford's My Man Sign at a Campaign Rally for President Gerald R. Ford (National Archives Identifier 27575830) Here we are in the Dog Days of August and maybe some summer thunderstorms are pouring down rain like cats and dogs.  Did you know there are properties in the National Register of Historic Places … Continue reading It’s Raining Cats and Dogs! Records about Cats and Dogs in the National Register of Historic Places

Honoring C.L. Daniel, World War I Veteran and Tulsa Race Massacre Victim

Today’s post is by Rachael Salyer, Archivist in the Textual Reference Branch at the National Archives in College Park, MD. “I have travled this country over [...] and want to get home” - C.L. Daniel, World War I Veteran and Victim of the Tulsa Race Massacre Photograph of Soldiers Reading, 1918 (NAID 17343141)* Tulsa Mayor … Continue reading Honoring C.L. Daniel, World War I Veteran and Tulsa Race Massacre Victim

Computers in the U.S. Government

The unclassified IT budget for civilian agencies in 2024 is about $74 billion dollars and, in some agencies, virtually every employee works at a computer - be it a tablet, a laptop, a desktop, or even a supercomputer.  There are probably millions of computers of various types in use in the U.S. Government. In 1966, … Continue reading Computers in the U.S. Government

Gold – Silver – Bronze – What’s Your Olympic Sport!

Members of the US Olympics Team wave to spectators as they march into the LA Coliseum during the opening ceremonies for the 1984 Summer Olympics. Last Friday the torch was lit in Paris France to start the Summer Olympic Games.  The Olympic Games have been held in the United States a total of eight times, … Continue reading Gold – Silver – Bronze – What’s Your Olympic Sport!

Around the World in 175 Days, 1924: Department of State Contributions to the U.S. Army Flight Around the World: Part VIII:  Confusion and Intrigue in the Balkans

This is the eighth in a series of occasional blog posts. So far this series of posts has made stops in Tokyo, Shanghai, Amoy, Calcutta, and Baghdad.  The Army Around the World Flight, flew out of Baghdad on July 9 and flew west to Aleppo.  Over the next four days the flight passed through the following … Continue reading Around the World in 175 Days, 1924: Department of State Contributions to the U.S. Army Flight Around the World: Part VIII:  Confusion and Intrigue in the Balkans