April 6 marks the 100th anniversary of the United States’ entry into World War I, as well as the culmination of a massive digitization project from the National Archives. Through a generous donation made by an anonymous donor, the National Archives was able to digitize over 110,000 photographs and nearly 300 reels of film related to … Continue reading Accessing World War I Photos in the Digital Age
With the NFL playoffs underway, millions of fans will crowd around their television sets, eat buffalo wings, and cheer for (or against) the remaining Super Bowl contenders. Yet football has played an important part in American culture far beyond the National Football League. Photographs at the National Archives reflect the pervasiveness of football in United … Continue reading Football Photographs at the National Archives
If you've ever read a Highlights magazine, you've likely played the hidden picture game--the one where children are asked to find out-of-place objects like pencils hidden in trees and candy canes hidden in striped dresses. As I came across photographs from the Women's Reserve Camouflage Corps, I was instantly reminded of the classic childhood time-killer. Only this time, … Continue reading Hidden Women: The Art of WWI Camouflage (Photos)
This post was written in collaboration with Carla Simms The National Zoo in Washington D.C. is one of the capital’s most celebrated landmarks. The zoo was created by an act of congress in 1889, and officially made a bureau of the Smithsonian Institution the following year. Since its founding, the zoo has been a pioneer in … Continue reading Historic Maps and Photos of the National Zoo
Please Note: This post contains images of sensitive content The National Archives has a large collection of seized foreign records. Within the Still Photos Branch, the vast majority of these records pertain to Nazi Germany. Notable series include photographs taken by Heinrich Hoffman, Hitler’s official photographer, and a number of albums from Eva Braun, Hitler’s … Continue reading Photos from the Nazi Archives
One century ago, San Francisco's 1915 World’s Fair closed its doors, ending one of the most unique events in American history. For 288 days, the fair brought together an odd array of individuals that seemingly belong in different chapters of the history textbook. Civil War veterans could watch as Henry Ford produced a car every … Continue reading A Fair to Remember: Colored Lantern Slides at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition
This post was written in collaboration with Beth Fortson. We are approaching the end of October and fall is in full bloom. Trees are changing colors, pumpkin-flavored foods are on the shelves, and people are swapping their short-sleeves for winter coats. But amidst this lovely season, a more frightening day is lurking around the corner. This … Continue reading Circus Clowns and Masks: 13 Images from the Stacks
This post was written by Beth Fortson. Beth is an Archives Technician with the Still Photos Branch in College Park, MD. In April 1980, after desperate attempts by Cubans to gain asylum at the gates of the Peruvian Embassy, Fidel Castro was pressured to ease restrictions on emigration and granted those wishing to immigrate to … Continue reading From Mariel Harbor to Eglin Air Force Base: Cuban Refugees and the Mariel Boatlift
Many Americans living along the Gulf Coast do not need an anniversary to reflect upon Hurricane Katrina. The natural disaster caused overwhelming hardship for thousands, irreparably damaging houses, businesses and entire cities. Katrina left a legacy that they will never forget. Yet for some, the ten years since the hurricane has blunted Katrina’s gravity. While … Continue reading Remembering Hurricane Katrina (Photos)
For more than half a century, the people at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have captured the hearts and minds of the American people. From man’s initial voyages through Earth’s atmosphere, to the recent exploration of Pluto, NASA has continued push the limits of scientific exploration. While NASA’s accomplishments are too numerous for … Continue reading Pushing the Limits: The NASA Space Shuttle (Photos)
