Thomas Edward Lawrence is most famous for his action in the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire in support of British forces in the Middle East during World War I, activity that won him the appellation of “Lawrence of Arabia.” T.E. Lawrence Lawrence was introduced to Arab language, culture, and history while doing archeological work … Continue reading Lawrence of Arabia: A View from 1939
Today’s post is by Cara Moore Lebonick, Archivist at the National Archives at St. Louis Bankston, Mary J. RG 92: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Individual Deceased Personnel File, pg 6, NAID 330441288 Three of the four women interred at Normandy-American Cemetery and Memorial as a result of World War II deaths … Continue reading Return to Sender: Individual Deceased Personnel Files of the 6888th
Washington, DC, sitting as it does in the mid-Atlantic region, experiences hot and humid summers. Office buildings evolved to make the summertime work situation tolerable. By the early twentieth century, many government buildings had high ceilings, large windows, and opening/closing transoms over doors to allow air flow-through in an effort to make offices as comfortable … Continue reading Getting Ready for Summer in Washington
One of the more notable events in U.S.-Soviet relations during the Eisenhower Administration War was the American National Exhibit in Moscow from July 25 to September 4, in 1959. This was the scene of the so-called Kitchen Debate between Vice President Richard Nixon and Soviet Chairman of the Soviet Council of Ministers Nikita Khrushchev. The … Continue reading Sticky Fingers in Moscow, 1959
In October 1960, in the last months of the Eisenhower Administration, the Civil Service Commission announced the establishment of the Federal Woman’s Award for outstanding achievement by women in the Federal career service to be administered by the Board of Trustees, Federal Woman’s Award. The award was announced in the following press release: A pamphlet … Continue reading Recognizing Women in Federal Service, 1961
The major United Artists motion picture On the Beach came out in 1959. It was based on the 1957 novel of the same name by Nevil Shute. The book and the movie depict a post-apocalyptic world in the aftermath of a nuclear war. It was the first major movie about nuclear conflict and it threatened to … Continue reading More on preparing for the release of “On the Beach”
Until the mid-twentieth century, civilian personnel files as we now understand them did not exist. Nevertheless, there were some earlier records of a personnel-type that existed. Among them are the records relating to applications for service in agencies of the U.S. government. This type of file, which can be found in the records of multiple … Continue reading Now Available Online: Department of State Letters of Application and Recommendation for Public Office, 1797-1877
Today's post was written by M Marie Maxwell, archivist in the Special Access and FOIA Program at the National Archives in College Park. In the executive proclamation for National Black History Month, 2025, African American economist and prolific author Thomas Sowell was mentioned. Although retired from teaching, Professor Sowell does pop up here and there … Continue reading Thomas Sowell and the National Archives Catalog
Photograph of The Krupp Diamond, taken March 24, 1959, Newark Sunday News, Sub A, HQ [Headquarters]-87-46974 [Classification-Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property] [The Krupp Diamond] (NAID 470528423) (FOIA Tracking Number RD 46626); Series: Classification 87 (Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property) Headquarters Case Files (Entry P 194); Record Group 65: Records of the Department of Justice. Federal … Continue reading Glimmer of Justice: The Krupp Diamond, an FBI Investigation turned Hollywood Romance
Today's post was written by Max Korn, an archives technician at the National Archives in College Park. "All names, characters, places, and incidents in this story are entirely fictional and the product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental." Ever noticed at the end of movies a … Continue reading When a Russian Princess Sued MGM
