Today's post was written by Katie Beaver, who spent her summer interning with textual processing. The latter half of the nineteenth century is notorious among American historians for shady and tumultuous politics, particularly during presidential elections. The U.S. Marshal Service during this time was charged with monitoring polls on election days to ensure that the … Continue reading Elections and Connections: The Appointment of Phoebe Couzins, the First Female Marshal
Author: US National Archives
John Jay and the F-Word
Today’s post was written by Monique Politowski, an archives technician who works on the NARA/Ancestry digitization partnership project in Silver Spring, Maryland. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison were infamous for their use of the f-word, federalism. While John Jay’s infamy grew from his role in the Treaty of Paris (1783) (National Archives Identifier 299805), we should … Continue reading John Jay and the F-Word
From College Park to Edinburgh: 30 Days with the National Collection of Aerial Photography
Today's post is written by Tom McAnear, a processing archivist in College Park. Tom is participating in the Archival Development Program, an in-house multi-year training course for all of NARA's archivists. As part of my Archival Development Program (ADP) training I recently completed a 30-day rotation in June at the National Collection of Aerial Photography … Continue reading From College Park to Edinburgh: 30 Days with the National Collection of Aerial Photography
The Last Box
Today's post was written by Katy Berube, who spent her summer interning in textual processing. A U.S. President’s signature, Civil War veterans, and a 19th Century labor strike…oh my! Box 273 of the Appointment Files for Judicial Districts 1853-1905 (National Archives Identifier 734590) was the last box I examined for possible records of interest to digitize … Continue reading The Last Box
Brad Meltzer’s NARA Top Ten
Some months ago I attended a book signing at Archives I by author and History Channel star, Brad Meltzer. It was on the occasion of his new book The Inner Circle, which has at its core an archivist and the National Archives. Brad is a big fan of NARA, archivists, and the records we keep. … Continue reading Brad Meltzer’s NARA Top Ten
The Navy Deck Logs: Personal Experience
Today's post is written by Anwar Thomas, an archives technician at Archives II. Processing and consolidating the Navy Deck Logs (National Archives Identifier 594258), in Record Group 24: Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel, was an interesting project in my large criteria of archival experience. These logs are filled with many interesting hidden facts … Continue reading The Navy Deck Logs: Personal Experience
Not Just Coffee and Doughnuts: Clubmobiles and the Clubmobile Girls
Today’s post is written by Meghan Ryan, a processing archivist at Archives II. The American Red Cross and American Red Cross Women provided many different services to military personnel during World War II. One of the lesser known branches of the Red Cross from that time is the Clubmobile service. Clubmobiles were refitted buses and trucks, … Continue reading Not Just Coffee and Doughnuts: Clubmobiles and the Clubmobile Girls
Legends in the “Twin Territories”
This post was written by Katy Berube, who was a summer intern in textual processing. When Deputy Marshal Bass Reeves began to sing softly to himself, people who knew him ran for cover. An uncommon reaction, you might think, but from many accounts it was best to steer clear of a singing Bass Reeves as … Continue reading Legends in the “Twin Territories”
They Sent the Wharf-Rat In: Louisa “Henry Kaiser” Farrand and the American Red Cross
Today’s post is written by Meghan Ryan, a processing archivist at Archives II. The women of the American Red Cross played an important, and often under recognized role in World War II. The valiant efforts of Red Cross hospital volunteers are more frequently acknowledged, but American women served overseas in a number of other capacities – … Continue reading They Sent the Wharf-Rat In: Louisa “Henry Kaiser” Farrand and the American Red Cross
Rusty the Comfort Dog
Today’s post is written by Onaona Guay, a processing archivist in College Park. Among the handmade ephemera of the September 11 Recovery Program records are a few professionally made items. One of these items is an autographed photographic portrait of Rusty. Following the September 11 attacks, many individuals volunteered their time and skills to the … Continue reading Rusty the Comfort Dog