By Robin Waldman In June 1941, W. G. Campbell launched a sweeping investigation. As the Commissioner of Food and Drugs for what is now known as the Food and Drug Administration, he commanded all his Chief of Districts to determine, once and for all, the composition of . . . chocolate milk. In a letter … Continue reading It (perhaps) does a body good
By Robin Waldman I see great things in baseball. It's our game -- the American game. --Walt Whitman Although Benjamin Franklin Shibe died in 1922, his accomplishments had a direct effect on your evening plans for tonight. Never heard of him? You should thank Shibe, if you're among the millions of Americans who are looking … Continue reading Take me out to the ball game
By Robin Waldman As the US involvement in World War II heightened, the nation faced many critical shortages. Certainly sugar and butter come to mind, as do images of children collecting bottle caps and pieces of glass. But "Mrs. Housewife" was called to her patriotic duty to conserve another good: household fats. The Conservation Division … Continue reading For Love of Country
By Robin Waldman Today I had the pleasure of attending a program in the National Archives' William G. McGowan Theater called Are You In? Citizen Archivists, Crowdsourcing and Open Government that outlined some great projects that involve the public with making records available online. AOTUS Ferriero opened the program with remarks that described how President Obama's Open Government mandate … Continue reading YOU, the People: Citizen Archivists and Digital Engagement
By Robin Waldman This post was originally published on 4/22/2011. Text Message Blog Editors updated this post on 04/27/2023. Polish refugees perform an Easter pageant in the Mexican sunshine. From 1943 to 1946, Colonia Santa Rosa in Guanajuato, Mexico was the site of a US-government sponsored home for Polish refugees. About 240 miles northwest of Mexico … Continue reading Little Poland en la Hacienda
By Robin Waldman Agency correspondence files are like treasure troves. One never knows what one will find inside. Unlike program or subject files, correspondence files often vary widely by topic, capturing the inquiries, suggestions and outrages of the American public. Records of the U.S. Marine Corps are, of course, no exception and the series "General Correspondence, … Continue reading Semper Fi
By Robin Waldman Welcome to our newest venture, where we, members of the Textual Archives staff, will share our reference and processing experiences with you. Did you ever wonder how our records come to be processed, or what steps are involved? Did you ever ponder all the places a piece of paper has been before that … Continue reading Of paper cuts and daydreams
