Including, but not limited to, Asian Pacific American, Jewish American, LGBTQ, and other minority groups.
Today’s post is written by Daniel Dancis, an Archivist in the Textual Records Branch at the National Archives in College Park, MD. The name itself conjures up visions of handcuffs, underwater submersions, and impossible escapes. For just a moment imagine yourself in a large theater in the early 1900s. From the upper balcony, surrounded by … Continue reading Searching for Houdini
This post was written by Audrey Amidon. Audrey is a Preservation Specialist in the Motion Picture Preservation Lab and writes for The Unwritten Record. James Wong Howe was one of America’s greatest cinematographers, with a career stretching from the golden age of silent cinema to the early 1970s. Nominated for ten Academy Awards, Howe won … Continue reading James Wong Howe: Hollywood’s Ace Cinematographer
APA Heritage Month is an opportunity to...contribute to the wider understanding of what it means to be an American. - Alex Villaseran, archives technician and APA Unity co-chair Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month was born of years of work by Asian/Pacific American (APA) community members, activists, educators, and politicians to have their histories and cultures recognized … Continue reading Asian/Pacific American History: Learning Our Legacy
Today’s post is written by Joseph Gillette, Archivist at the National Archives at College Park. On March 21, 1963, the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, often referred to simply as Alcatraz or “the Rock”, closed. High costs, deteriorating physical conditions, and a notorious reputation for brutality all contributed to the decision to close what was generally considered … Continue reading We Hold the Rock!
Today's post is written by Alicia Henneberry, Archives Specialist at the National Archives at College Park, MD. Commissioning ceremony in which Phyllis Dailey, second from right, became the first black nurse in the Navy Nursing Corps. March 8, 1945. NAID 520618. In October 1908, twenty nurses reported for duty at the Naval Medical School Hospital … Continue reading The Closed Door of Justice: African American Nurses and the Fight for Naval Service
Today's post is written by Cody White, Archivist at the National Archives at Denver “It is a pleasure for me to come out here and help blow up this valley in the cause of progress.” So stated President John F. Kennedy on August 18, 1962, as he stood atop a simple wooden stage 10 miles … Continue reading The Great “Adobe Inn” Move of 1962
Today's post is written by Cody White, Archivist at the National Archives at Denver and Subject Matter Expert for Native American Related Records “We all know Congress granted the Indian citizenship in 1924, but we still have no privilege to vote, we do not understand what kind of citizenship you would call that.” - Pvt. … Continue reading The War after the War: the American Indian Fight for the Vote after WWII
Today’s post is by Victoria-María MacDonald and Emma Taylor, dedicated volunteers at the National Archives at College Park, MD. This is Part 2 of Towards a History of Mexican Americans in World War I. It evolved out of a volunteer project with the textual records of the American Expeditionary Forces. Introduction Towards a History of … Continue reading Towards a History of Mexican Americans in World War I, Part Two: Soldiers of the 360th Infantry Regiment, 90th Division in France, 1918-1919
This is the third and final post in a three-part series on the Uncle Sam poster for the Security of War Information campaign. Today’s post is written by Daniel Dancis, an Archivist in the Textual Processing Branch at the National Archives in College Park, MD. In October 1943, Representative Harold Knutson (R-MN) charged the U.S. … Continue reading Propaganda, Politics, and the Personification of FDR: The Uncle Sam Poster Controversy
This is the first of three posts about the Uncle Sam poster for the Security of War Information campaign. Today’s post is written by Daniel Dancis, an Archivist in the Textual Processing Branch at the National Archives in College Park, MD. In 1943, Mexican born artist Leon Helguera was commissioned by the U.S. Office of … Continue reading “I’m Counting on You” by Leon Helguera: A Mexican Artist Puts His Stamp on Uncle Sam
