Spotlight: Apollo 11 Launch Footage-July 16, 1969

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

New Addition to the Catalog: Photographs from the John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field (255-GRC)

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)

Spotlight: Passage of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 

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 

Spotlight on 342-C: Color Photographs of U.S. Air Force Activities, Facilities, and Personnel, Domestic and Foreign, ca. 1940–ca. 1980

342-C is a series of photographs comprised of color transparencies, slides, and negatives that document the activities of the U.S. Air Force and predecessor agencies, including the Army Air Forces (AAF). The images in 342-C heavily cover periods of war from World War II, through Korea, to the Vietnam war. However, there is also documentation of … Continue reading Spotlight on 342-C: Color Photographs of U.S. Air Force Activities, Facilities, and Personnel, Domestic and Foreign, ca. 1940–ca. 1980

The 80th Anniversary of the G.I. Bill

June 22, 2024, will mark the 80th anniversary of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944. This landmark legislation is most commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights, as it offered Federal aid to help veterans adjust to civilian life in the areas of hospitalization, purchase of homes, businesses, and especially, education. The bill unanimously passed both chambers of Congress in the spring of 1944 and President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed it into law on June 22, 1944, just over two weeks after the Allied invasion of Normandy.

How To Locate D-Day Footage in NARA’s Moving Image Holdings

D-Day and the Combat CameramanThis week marks the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Operation. Starting on June 6, 1944, about 175,000 Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy, France, supported by 5,000 naval craft and more than 11,500 aircraft. By June 30, over 850,000 men, 148,000 vehicles, and 570,000 tons of supplies had landed … Continue reading How To Locate D-Day Footage in NARA’s Moving Image Holdings

The Devil’s Brigade: The First Special Service Force

The First Special Service Force, a Joint U.S.-Canadian Fighting Unit: The insignia of the First Special Service Force, composed of US and Canadian soldiers in training at Ft. William Henry Harrison, Montana, is an Indian spearhead of deep red with the “USA” and “Canada” forming a white T against the background. The patch is worn … Continue reading The Devil’s Brigade: The First Special Service Force

HemisFair ’68, When The World’s Fair Came to Texas

Today’s post was written by Caitlin Hucik and James Konicek. Still taken from US The first World Exposition sanctioned by the Bureau International des Expositions was named the Great Exhibition and held in 1851 London, England. Since then, over 30 sanctioned expos have been held every 5 to 10 years. In 1968, San Antonio hosted … Continue reading HemisFair ’68, When The World’s Fair Came to Texas

Living “the future of our past”: Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Archives II

This post was created in collaboration with Phillip Wong, Archives Technician in the Still Picture Branch. On October 17, 1989, the ground shook as a 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit San Francisco, interrupting game 3 of the World Series between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics. Across the country, the ground was also shifting. … Continue reading Living “the future of our past”: Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Archives II

Following Maps from Manuscript to Print in the Bureau of Indian Affairs Irrigation Division

Recently I posted announcing the digitization of cartographic records from the Irrigation Division of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. While scanning those records, I came across some interesting maps that demonstrate the various stages a map went though before being published by the U.S. government. Before the use of aerial photographs and the development of … Continue reading Following Maps from Manuscript to Print in the Bureau of Indian Affairs Irrigation Division