Korean War Refugees in Signal Corps Films

The displacement and violence of the conflict that would ultimately become the Korean War began years before the invasion of South Korea on June 25, 1950. As Soviet troops entered the Japanese-occupied Korean peninsula from the north and America and its allies entered from the south, the two parties agreed in 1945 to establish sectors … Continue reading Korean War Refugees in Signal Corps Films

Spotlight: 1950 Census Public Service Announcements

Still taken from 29-General-81, 1950 Census On April 1, 2022, the National Archives will release the 1950 Census population schedules online. By law, these records have been confidential for 72 years, but on April 1, the public will be able to access and search the census through a dedicated website. To mark this special occasion, … Continue reading Spotlight: 1950 Census Public Service Announcements

The U.S. Forest Service Presents: Winter Olympics

Please Note: Primary source documents used in this post may contain harmful language. See NARA’s Statement on Potentially Harmful Language. Are you in need of some winter sports action during the break between the Olympics and Paralympics? The U.S. Forest Service has the perfect film for you, aptly titled Winter Olympics. Winter Olympics documents the 1960 … Continue reading The U.S. Forest Service Presents: Winter Olympics

Hitler’s Downfall, The Hidden Army

Still taken from 111-WF-25, The Hidden Army Sometimes films in our holdings stand out for their entertainment value in addition to their historical value, The Hidden Army is one such film. When I came across it looking for another item, it stood out because of the unique way it covers a common topic in propaganda … Continue reading Hitler’s Downfall, The Hidden Army

100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moving Image Records

This post is by Alexandra Geitz, Supervisory Archivist of the Moving Image and Sound Branch. In honor of the 100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, this post will highlight just a few of the moving image and sound records in our holdings that depict the site over the … Continue reading 100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moving Image Records

The Harlem Hellfighters Return Home

Please Note: Primary source documents used in this post may contain harmful language. See NARA's Statement on Potentially Harmful Language. Last week, the 369th Infantry Regiment, more famously known as the Harlem Hellfighters, was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. The honor comes more than a century after their service in Europe during WWI. The regiment … Continue reading The Harlem Hellfighters Return Home

Working for the TVA

On May 18th, 1933, Congress chartered the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), beginning one of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s first projects of his “New Deal” social welfare programs.  Its goals were to “To improve the navigability and to provide for the flood control of the Tennessee River; to provide for reforestation and the proper use of marginal … Continue reading Working for the TVA

Screen shot of a presentation given by Sarah Eilers of the National Library of Medicine, who appears in a small box at the bottom right of the screen. The slide she is presenting shows a video player with a still of a film showing Gene Kelly in a Navy uniform and an unidentified woman. The slide is headed with the title of the film, "Combat Fatigue Irritability."

Films of State Conference Recordings Now Available

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) recently partnered with the University of Maryland’s Cinema and Media Studies Program to present Films of State: Moving Images Made by Governments, a virtual conference running from April 7 to 9, 2021, highlighting current scholarship on the topic of government films and filmmaking. This inaugural conference featured international … Continue reading Films of State Conference Recordings Now Available

Celebrate Nurses Week with the Military Nurse

Each year in the United States, National Nurses Week is celebrated starting on May 6. We have been reminded this past year of the incredible work nurses do on a daily basis and of the sacrifice they make to care for the wellbeing of others. To mark National Nurses Week, the Unwritten Record is celebrating … Continue reading Celebrate Nurses Week with the Military Nurse

A Symbol of Spring: The Cherry Blossoms of Washington, D.C.

Happy Peak Bloom Week!  According the The National Park Service, peak bloom for the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. means that "70% of the Yoshino Cherry (Prunus x yedoensis) blossoms are open.  Peak bloom varies annually depending on weather conditions. The most likely time to reach peak bloom is between the last week of March … Continue reading A Symbol of Spring: The Cherry Blossoms of Washington, D.C.