Category: Records Reference and Research

Posts about searching and using the records at NARA.

An example of a FBI document, this one describing lab tests done on wine Khrushchev gave to Kennedy

The Challenge of Federal Bureau of Investigation Records: Abbreviations and Euphemisms

by US National Archives, posted in FBI Records, Records Reference and Research

Today’s post is written by Dr. Greg Bradsher. The National Archives holds a substantial quantity of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) records. And in the forthcoming years even more records will be accessioned.  The FBI case files contain  a variety of documentation, including FBI agent reports; teletype-messages; prosecutive summaries; accounts of interviews and physical surveillance; letters; … Continue reading The Challenge of Federal Bureau of Investigation Records: Abbreviations and Euphemisms

The National Gallery of Art, the National Archives, and Art Provenance Research

by US National Archives, posted in Monuments Men, NARA's History, Records Reference and Research, World War II

Today’s post is written by Dr. Greg Bradsher. Nancy Yeide, head of the Department of Curatorial Records at the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Washington, D.C., in December 1997, began doing provenance research on the NGA’s holdings to ascertain whether any of the works of art had provenance problems.  In the wake of the revelations … Continue reading The National Gallery of Art, the National Archives, and Art Provenance Research

Are you down with the PCC? (every name, every place, every subject)

by US National Archives, posted in NARA's History, Records Reference and Research

By Monique Politowski In 1971, the National Archives established the Center for the Documentary Study of the American Revolution through its American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (Records of the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration: RG 452), at Archives I in Washington, DC.  As one of the major Bicentennial projects, the center was a sort of “one stop” … Continue reading Are you down with the PCC? (every name, every place, every subject)

From Rabaul to Stack 190: The Travels of a Famous Japanese Army Publication

by US National Archives, posted in Military Records, Records Reference and Research, World War II

Today's post is written by Dr. Greg Bradsher. During the first days of August 2012, at the National Archive in College Park, MD (Archives II), I looked at three archival boxes that were labeled as Captured Korean Documents.  They were Japanese documents, bound together in small groups of pages by the Allied Translator and Interrogator … Continue reading From Rabaul to Stack 190: The Travels of a Famous Japanese Army Publication

Searching for a Shellback Ceremony in the Navy Deck Logs

by US National Archives, posted in Navy, Marines, & Coast Guard, Records Reference and Research

Today's post is written by Archives II volunteer Jan Hodges. Do you know what a shellback ceremony is? Chances are that unless you’re a Navy man or a relative, you probably don’t. It’s a ritual conducted aboard ship after it crosses the equator. And not just any old ceremony--one that becomes part of the sailor’s permanent record. The Reference Unit … Continue reading Searching for a Shellback Ceremony in the Navy Deck Logs

A Shameless Plug

by US National Archives, posted in Military Records, Records Reference and Research

Today's post is written by Adam Minakowski, an archives technician who works with researchers in College Park. Opening a box of records in the Textual Research Room at the National Archives at College Park, you expect to find folders stuffed with typed or handwritten documents.  Sure, you’ll sometimes encounter log books, photos, and maps, but … Continue reading A Shameless Plug

Know Your Records: USAID, RG 286, Part II

by US National Archives, posted in Foreign Affairs Research Guides, Records Reference and Research

By Alfie Paul So, what is in the RG 286 Records (Record Group 286: Records of the Agency for International Development, 1948 - 2003), and how should researchers approach diving in to the world of USAID? Most important is for researchers to have as much specific information as possible depending on how specific your research … Continue reading Know Your Records: USAID, RG 286, Part II

Know Your Records: USAID, RG 286, Part I

by US National Archives, posted in Foreign Affairs Research Guides, Records Reference and Research

By Alfie Paul The National Archives has a program of presentations called Know Your Records through which archivists, volunteers, and others share their knowledge of our records with you, the public.  It is a great way for interested individuals to learn what we have and how to use what we have to their advantage. The … Continue reading Know Your Records: USAID, RG 286, Part I

Donated Records: A Worthwhile Adventure

by US National Archives, posted in Records Reference and Research

Today's post is written by Kimberly Kronwall. My grandfather was an avid pilot and builder of airplanes.  As a child, I remember walking into his garage to check on the progress of his latest Taylorcraft aircraft.  Other than this limited exposure to airplanes (and the commercial flights I frequent) I am not by any means … Continue reading Donated Records: A Worthwhile Adventure

Make Your Research Visit to NARA More Successful

by dlangbar, posted in Records Reference and Research

The "National Archives Researcher News" recently carried an FAQ that provides guidance on ways to improve your research experience at the National Archives. It is reissued here to bring it to the attention of readers of The Text Message. HOW CAN I MAKE MY VISIT MORE SUCCESSFUL? The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) reference … Continue reading Make Your Research Visit to NARA More Successful