Criminals, Outlaws, Law Enforcement, Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), etc.
Today's post is written by James Rush, a supervisory archivist in the textual processing unit at Archives II. On June 8, 2011, the National Security Agency announced that it had declassified and released to the National Archives and Records Administration over 50,000 pages of historic records relating to cryptology and the history of intelligence gathering. … Continue reading After 200 years, a glimpse into The Art of Secret Writing
Today’s post is written by Ashby Crowder, a processing archivist who works primarily with civilian records. During a stack inventory project, I came across a small series of records related to the practice of capital punishment in the United States in the late nineteenth century. The series is entitled Governors' Replies to a Circular on … Continue reading 19th Century Capital Punishment
Today’s post is written by Dawn Sherman-Fells, a processing archivist who works with civilian textual records. Are you one of the many who believe that FOIA is truly a “four letter word”? Understanding the Freedom of Information Act can be daunting, frustrating -- intimidating, even. Here I will share a few tips that will hopefully facilitate a better understanding … Continue reading FOIA: The Other “F” Word (Accessing FBI Records)
Today’s post is written by Alfie Paul, a processing archivist who works with civilian textual records. On an August day in 1991, the body of free-lance reporter Danny Casolaro was found dead in a Martinsburg, West Virginia motel bathtub by two maids. Ruled a suicide, Casolaro’s death was just a small piece of a larger … Continue reading The Octopus
By Denise Henderson Yesterday, I posted about Department of Justice press releases. Today, I’d like to share a few of my favorites! One early press release, dated November 6, 1933, details the establishment of a federal penitentiary on Alcatraz Island, which according to the release, “is a necessary part of the Government’s campaign against predatory … Continue reading The gangster, the bank robber, the baby face, and a G-Man
By Jason Clingerman In 2001, seemingly secretive government documents were “found in locked safes and filing cabinets in a barn near Culpeper, Virginia.” After investigation, the records were turned over to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for review. The files turned out to be the records of a highly secretive intelligence organization led by John … Continue reading The Pond in a barn
