Around this time of the Christmas season, offices around the National Archives are planning their Christmas parties. It is a time for staff to take a break from their daily duties and gather together to enjoy decorations, music, and food. This year is different however. In the midst of a pandemic, staff have been telework … Continue reading National Archives’ Christmas Parties
As we close out Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 through October 15), we continue to recognize the achievements made by Hispanics. Those achievements include Rita Moreno, the first Hispanic actress to win an Oscar for her role in West Side Story; their participation in military wars, such as World War I and II; Justice Sonya Sotomayor … Continue reading Hispanic Heritage Month – Recognizing and Celebrating Hispanic Culture
Pulitzer Prize winning photo journalist John H. White is well-known for his photographs of life in the city of Chicago, IL, particularly African American life, during the early 1970s. At the time, White was with the Chicago Daily News working for the federal government, photographing for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) DOCUMERICA project. DOCUMERICA was … Continue reading Spotlight Photographer – John H. White
When America entered World War I in 1917, the American Library Association decided to take part in the war effort by establishing the Library War Service. Its purpose was to provide library services to American soldiers in training camps and overseas. The Association raised more than seven million dollars from donations, built 36 library camps, … Continue reading Wartime Reading: The Library War Service
Throughout history, we have seen how government has played a role in the way we do things, such as eating. This was true during the first and second World Wars. At the time, government agencies did a lot of campaigning to persuade Americans to do their part in supporting the war effort. The National Archives' … Continue reading Food and the War Effort
Many of us are familiar with the famed photographer, Mathew Brady, who captured a million photographs during the American Civil War. From the battlefield to portraits, his photographs captured some of the most grueling and unforgettable times of the war. They were the inspiration of Ken Burns' famed documentary series The Civil War (1990). Many … Continue reading Unnoticed: African Americans in Union Army Camps during the Civil War
