Today’s post is written by Alan Walker, a processing archivist who works with civilian textual records. It’s NARA’s 75th Anniversary season, a perfect time to reflect on the impact which the National Archives has made on archival theory and practice in the United States. Spanning the continuum of archival administration, records appraisal, scheduling, accessioning, disposal, holdings … Continue reading NARA’s 75th Anniversary – Discovering Our Own Records
Category: Records Reference and Research
Posts about searching and using the records at NARA.
NAMES AND KEYWORDS in Record Group 469: Records of U.S. Foreign Assistance Agencies, part II
Today’s post is written by Robert Fahs, a processing archivist who works with civilian textual records. This is the second post in an occasional series. For the first post, go here. W. Averell Harriman, Jr. (1891-1986) played a leading role in President Truman’s Point Four agencies, first as the United States Special Representative (1948-1950) responsible … Continue reading NAMES AND KEYWORDS in Record Group 469: Records of U.S. Foreign Assistance Agencies, part II
FOIA: The Other “F” Word (Accessing FBI Records)
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)
The Octopus
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
NAMES AND KEYWORDS in Record Group 469: Records of U.S. Foreign Assistance Agencies, part I
Today’s post and other posts in this series are written by Robert Fahs, a processing archivist who works with civilian textual records. This blog entry begins an occasional series of descriptions intended to introduce names and keywords useful for searching ARC entries from Record Group 469: Records of U.S. Foreign Assistance Agencies, 1942 - 1961. … Continue reading NAMES AND KEYWORDS in Record Group 469: Records of U.S. Foreign Assistance Agencies, part I
The gangster, the bank robber, the baby face, and a G-Man
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
You Never Know Who You’ll Meet in the Records!
By Denise Henderson What do John Dillinger, Al Capone, Bruno Hauptmann, and Frank Sinatra’s son have in common? DOJ Press Releases...ready for you to discover! You can find a press release (or in some cases, more than one!) relating to them at the National Archives! Recently, I processed and described the series “Press Releases, Speeches, … Continue reading You Never Know Who You’ll Meet in the Records!
The Pond in a barn
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