It has been a long-time objective to systematically digitize the microfilm publications located in National Archives and Records Administration (NARA’s) Microfilm Reading Rooms. Less than a quarter of the publications are currently digitized and available online. Most of those were digitized by NARA’s digitization partners and are available on their websites as well as in … Continue reading Beyond the Microfilm Reader: Digital Availability of NARA’s Microfilm Publications
Today’s post is by Denise Henderson, Blog alum and Director of Digitization in the Office of Research Services. Since it only happens once every ten years, NARA wants to give you plenty of advance notice: 365 days from today, on April 1, 2022, the 1950 Census will be digitally released to the public! The opening … Continue reading Counting Down Until the Release of the 1950 Census!
Yesterday, the editors of this blog had the honor of being among the recipients of the Archivist’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement. We were thrilled to be recognized for our work on The Text Message and want to say thank you to our readers and contributors. The ceremony, held in the Adrienne C. Thomas Auditorium at … Continue reading Thank You!
Today's post is written by Denise Henderson. A few months ago, I was asked to locate a record about Pat Garrett, the famous sheriff who killed Billy the Kid in 1881 when cowboys and cattle thieves made the West wild and dangerous and a place in serious need of law enforcement. Understanding the index to, … Continue reading A few good lawmen
By Denise Henderson We want to hear from our researchers! Here’s your chance to tell us what record groups you would like to see us working on…if you were in charge! In the last few years, the archivists working in the Textual Archives Services Division at Archives II have been involved in several large-scale processing projects. … Continue reading If I Was in Charge…
By Denise Henderson Our pals over at Prologue: Pieces of History have “Facial Hair Friday;” here at The Text Message, we give you “Beauty Queen Monday.” The document featured in today's post is from the January – February 1960 issue of The Shield, an employee newsletter published by the International Cooperation Administration (ICA). You can … Continue reading I hope my crown doesn’t clash with my dress
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
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!
