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Today’s post was written by Addie Portela, an intern at the National Archives at Chicago. On Sunday October 8th, 1871, fire raged across the city of Chicago. Not quelled until Tuesday morning, fires devastated Chicago’s central business district. The Crosby Opera House, a theater with an art gallery attachment, was not spared from the damage. … Continue reading Pulled From the Flames: Paintings Rescued from the Great Chicago Fire
Today's post was written by Gregory Tavormina, Archivist with the Special Access and FOIA Program (RF) at the National Archives in College Park, MD. Newspaper clipping from FBI file 94-HQ-51223-8 ([FBI Headquarters] - 94-HQ-51223 [Classification - Research Matters] [Mort Sahl] (NAID 365107580). It originally appeared in the February 8, 1960 New York Times article “Anyway, … Continue reading Comedian in the Cross-Hairs: The FBI Investigation into Mort Sahl
On February 8, 1967, famed American author John Steinbeck, then in Bangkok, Thailand, sent Secretary of State Dean Rusk a letter. In it, Steinbeck excoriated the performance of the press in Vietnam and criticized anti-war protesters. Steinbeck is the author of major American literary classics such as Tortilla Flat (1935), Of Mice and Men (1937), … Continue reading The Wrath of Steinbeck: John Steinbeck on the Press in Vietnam, 1967
Today’s post is written by Cody White, Archivist at the National Archives at Denver. “That’s a mechanical drawing . . . where’s some human interest?” posed the famous artist as he took in the vista of Arizona’s 710-foot-tall, 1,560-foot-wide Glen Canyon Dam. The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) staffers accompanying the artist—who at that point in … Continue reading Norman Rockwell and his Dam Painting
Today's post was written by Katherine Terry, archives technician at the National Archives at St. Louis Keep your helmet, keep your life, son Just a flesh wound, here’s your rifle Crawling up the beaches now “Sir, I think he’s bleeding out” And some things you just can’t speak about - “epiphany” In the vast landscape … Continue reading We Will Be Remembered: Taylor Swift’s Grandfathers and Their Unsung Military Service
Theatrical Release Poster, Paths of Glory, 1957 The 1957 motion picture Paths of Glory, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is one of the more famous anti-war movies of all time. It is set during World War I. A French colonel, played by Kirk Douglas, defends three of his soldiers who have been falsely accused of cowardice … Continue reading International Problems With “Paths of Glory,” 1958
In honor of the spookiest time of year, this blog post spotlights the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) case files on the late American actor Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. (100-HQ-410935, 100-LA-34677, and 100-WFO-38897). Price is best known for being one of Hollywood’s original four Kings of Horror. From 1938 to 1993, he terrified audiences and … Continue reading Vincent Price and The “Secret Letter” to the FBI
Take me out to the Ballgame!
The singer and actor Isaac Hayes had a distinctive voice. When he sang or when he spoke, it was unmistakably him. Hayes was a singer, songwriter, composer, and actor. He was a major contributor to the “Memphis Sound” of the 1960s and 1970s. Hayes is perhaps best known for writing and performing the theme song … Continue reading Isaac Hayes Gets a B-, 1976
CALIFORNIA--SANTA CRUZ (National Archives Identifier 543212) As the calendar turns to the fifth month of the year, outdoor activities become more frequent with the advent of warmer weather. Many schools will also hold field trips for classes to local amusement parks and people in general will head to beaches, parks, and go on vacation in … Continue reading Pay one Price – Ride all Day! Amusement Parks in the National Register of Historic Places
