“In Motion Pictures We Do Not Actually Dynamite the Sheep,” A Brief Look at Hollywood’s Filming History with the National Park Service

by NationalArchivesBlog, posted in Hollywood and Film

Today's post was written by Cody White, Archivist at the National Archives at Denver. The United States National Park system, its scope and breadth unrivaled in the world, boasts hundreds of parks, monuments, sites, recreation areas, and even the White House within its purview. Saved from development and also federally managed, the most notable geological … Continue reading “In Motion Pictures We Do Not Actually Dynamite the Sheep,” A Brief Look at Hollywood’s Filming History with the National Park Service

The Best Prophet of the Future is the Past: September 11 – 1970, 1981, and 2001

by NationalArchivesBlog, posted in Presidents

Today's post is written by Chris Naylor, Director of the Textual Records Division. I recently opened a fortune cookie that contained a saying with special significance to me.  This phrase, “The best prophet of the future is the past,” originally attributed to Lord Byron, returned to me a few days later as I reviewed a … Continue reading The Best Prophet of the Future is the Past: September 11 – 1970, 1981, and 2001

The National Archives, the Fireman’s Insurance Building, and the Carter G. Woodson House

by mmaxwell, posted in African American History, NARA's History, Records Reference and Research

By M. Marie Maxwell RG 64, entry NA-273A. Center Market, looking southwest on 9th St., 1928 What do these three have in common? They all are properties within the District of Columbia, properties that appear in National Archives Textual series housed in Washington, DC. Initially, I had hoped to trace the property ownership of the … Continue reading The National Archives, the Fireman’s Insurance Building, and the Carter G. Woodson House

Leaks in the Department of State, 1963: Antecedents

by dlangbar, posted in State and Foreign Affairs

By David Langbart An earlier blog post discussed the November 8, 1963, memorandum on the problem of leaks Under Secretary of State George W. Ball sent to President John F. Kennedy.  Since then, more documentation on what led to that memorandum has come to light. By early September 1962, President Kennedy and Under Secretary Ball … Continue reading Leaks in the Department of State, 1963: Antecedents

Department of State Records Relating to Turkish Atrocities Against the Armenians During World War I

by dlangbar, posted in Foreign Affairs Research Guides, World War I

By David Langbart Records on Turkish atrocities against the Armenians during World War I can be found in a number of different records groups holding records of the Department of State. (1) RG 59: General Records of the Department of State contains significant documentation relating to Turkish persecution of the Armenians.  The primary source is … Continue reading Department of State Records Relating to Turkish Atrocities Against the Armenians During World War I

Reporting the Death of the President, 1865

by dlangbar, posted in Presidents, State and Foreign Affairs

By David Langbart On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln attended a performance of “Our American Cousin” at Ford’s Theater.  While there, he was shot in the head by John Wilkes Booth.  He died the next morning. As part of the same murderous conspiracy, Secretary of State William Henry Seward was attacked at his home … Continue reading Reporting the Death of the President, 1865

Baseball Patents

by US National Archives, posted in Sports

Today's post is written by archivist David Pfeiffer Yes, spring is here.  Major League Baseball’s opening day is Monday, April 6.  Finally.  It has been a long cold winter.  As Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby once said “People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball.  I’ll tell you what I do.  … Continue reading Baseball Patents

The Monuments Men in March 1945: Ronald Balfour and Walker Hancock

by US National Archives, posted in Military Records, Monuments Men

Today's post is written by Dr. Greg Bradsher March 1945 would be a busy and eventful time for the Monuments Men officers, as the Allied armies advanced into Germany.  This was especially true for two of them: Ronald Balfour and Walker Hancock. During combat operations in February 1945, Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFA&A) officer, … Continue reading The Monuments Men in March 1945: Ronald Balfour and Walker Hancock

Bipartisanship in Foreign Policy, 1953

by dlangbar, posted in Presidents, State and Foreign Affairs

By David Langbart The development of the Cold War after World War II and America’s ascension to a position as the leading World power with its attendant dangers and complications led to somewhat of a removal of partisan politics from foreign policy issues.  Underlying this move, referred to as bi-partisanship, was the idea that the … Continue reading Bipartisanship in Foreign Policy, 1953

Leaks in the Department of State, 1963

by dlangbar, posted in State and Foreign Affairs

By David Langbart In recent years, the subject of leaks of classified information from U.S. Government agencies has received a great deal of attention.  This is not a new problem; I have seen references to such leaks as early as World War I.  In the early 1960s, however, the Department of State suffered a spate … Continue reading Leaks in the Department of State, 1963