Over the course of 78 years, more than 500 million people have seen the Blue Angels perform at air shows around the world and have witnessed the power and grace of some of the US Navy’s aircraft. The vision to establish a Naval flight exhibition team came in 1946 from the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Chester Nimitz, with hopes of boosting Navy morale and demonstrating Naval air superiority. Within a year, the team began flying its famous diamond formation that is still used to this day.
The mini-subs, manned torpedoes, and other vessels depicted in the 1945 film German and Italian Sneak Craft (local identifier 80-MN-5132) did not make much of a difference in the course of World War II. In fact, the film features many failed experimental designs - and suggests that the operators of some of these vessels were … Continue reading Stealth Subs and Devious Divers of WWII
The Detroit Industry Murals were commissioned by Detroit Institute of Arts director William Valentiner and funded by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford and heir to the Ford Motor Company. The creation of these murals was filmed by the Moving Picture Department of the Ford Company from 1932-33. 11,512 feet of edited and unedited footage … Continue reading Documenting the Detroit Industry Murals
As the summer winds down and we brace ourselves for a transition to cooler (albeit still humid) weather, we would like to say goodbye and good riddance to a constant presence in most outdoor summer plans: the mosquito. August 20th is designated as World Mosquito Day, which commemorates the discovery that mosquitoes were the main culprits of transmitting malaria to humans. What an exciting event to celebrate!
Mary Pickford Departure, Union Station, Los Angeles, March 23, 1953. Local Identifier Number: 56-MP-12 Mary Pickford—born in Canada as Gladys Louise Smith—started her career in the American film industry at the turn of the century. As she rose to fame, she became known as “America’s Sweetheart” through her work in silent films. She was one … Continue reading Mary Pickford’s 1953 Savings Bond Tour
"Only You Can Prevent Wildfires" a wise bear once said. In 1944 Smokey Bear was introduced to the world by the US Forest Service in a campaign to help prevent wildfires throughout the United States. While he is known today by his "Only You" phrase, his slogan started as "Smokey Says – Care Will Prevent 9 out of 10 Forest Fires."
Chicago has changed a lot since it was incorporated as a city in 1837. Back then, it was home to just over 4,000 residents, compared to the 2,746,388 counted in the 2020 Census with over 9 million in the metro area. Let’s take a look back at Chicago as it was captured on celluloid both … Continue reading A Brief Visit to Chicago
Today we spotlight the historic launch of Apollo 11 on July 16, 1969, with two items from the National Archives and Record Administration’s (NARA) motion picture holdings of Record Group 255, Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Series (NASA). Washington Headquarters - Apollo 11 Pool Footage: Part 1 of 2 (National Archives Identifier: … Continue reading Spotlight: Apollo 11 Launch Footage-July 16, 1969
We're pleased to announce that 256,444 photographs from NASA's Glenn Research Center have recently been added to the National Archives Catalog. The photos document facilities, personnel, and aeronautic and space technology development at the Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio and at Plum Brook Station1 in Sandusky, Ohio. Also included are publicity photos, as … Continue reading New Addition to the Catalog: Photographs from the John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field (255-GRC)
This week, sixty years ago, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act, signed into law on July 2, is the nation’s benchmark civil rights legislation and remains one of America's most significant legislative achievements. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The act … Continue reading Spotlight: Passage of The Civil Rights Act of 1964
