On September 23, 1949, President Harry S. Truman released a brief statement to the press stating that within recent weeks, an atomic explosion had been detected within the U.S.S.R, signaling the start of a new arms race. In order to ease Americans' fears and coordinate civil defense strategies between the federal, state, and local governments, … Continue reading Duck and Cover in the Family Fallout Shelter: Civil Defense Preparedness in the Cold War Era
As a girl growing up in the 1980s, Sally Ride was my hero. On forward flight deck of Challenger, Mission Specialist (MS) Ride reclines above pilot's seat in front of pilot's station control panels. Forward control panels and windows appear on her right and seat back with stowage bag and personal egress air pack (PEAP) … Continue reading Sally Ride and the Women of NASA
By: Kelsey Noel Several weeks ago, the Still Picture Branch received a particularly fascinating accession when a number of boxes arrived filled with records from the Indian Health Service. On any given day around here it is almost impossible not to encounter something fantastic and fascinating. Yet every now and then, something of particular interest … Continue reading The Indian School for Practical Nursing
It’s the time of year when fireplace mantles are filling up with holiday cards and brown-wrapped parcels are delivered to doorsteps. The packages, letters, and cards we drop into mail-slots across the country contribute to an annual crescendo in the activities of the United States Postal Service (USPS). In the 2015 holiday season, the USPS … Continue reading Holiday Mail Call! A Package’s Path to You
This week we're happy to welcome guest blogger Brian Real to The Unwritten Record. Brian recently received his PhD in Information Studies from the University of Maryland. Brian regularly visits the research room in College Park so we're used to seeing his name on order sheets for reference requests. We asked him to tell us more about … Continue reading The True Story of a Blind Electrician: “Born a Man” as a Document of Disability Rights
This post was written by Criss Kovac. Criss is the supervisor of the National Archives Motion Picture Preservation Lab. I’m fortunate that my job allows me to make a difference every day. Most days it’s because I’ve preserved a piece of history, made something accessible for research, or contributed to the archival community. It’s rare, however, … Continue reading Wealth Comes in Many Forms: William Greaves’ USIA Films
On October 21, 1967, an estimated crowd of 100,000 gathered by the Lincoln Memorial in Washington to protest the Vietnam War and march on the Pentagon. Organized by the National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam, the demonstration was the first major national protest against the Vietnam War. Along with the signs, chants, and other … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: The March on the Pentagon, 1967
On October 2, 1967, Thurgood Marshall was sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice. Marshall had a long history of fighting for civil rights in the legal system, most famously when he argued against school segregation in the Brown v. Board of Education case. Marshall served on the Supreme Court until 1991. He died in … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall is Sworn In, 1967
In this week's Universal News story, an art show in Provincetown, Massachusetts features the artists as living canvases. The participants (whom the narrator identifies as hippies) were members of the Provincetown art community. Provincetown has a long history as an art colony, from the early 20th Century to today. http://youtu.be/ums2R3frE4g From the release sheet: BODY PAINTING Provincetown "hippie" artists have … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: A Body Paint Show at the Provincetown Art Colony, 1967.
This week's story features a winter fashion show from French designer Pierre Cardin. Along with several coats, an "astronaut-inspired dress" is presented. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT7v0zUcYgM From the release sheet: FASHIONS Pierre Cardin shows his winter fashions at Versailles. Coats are of thick, woven wool; evening dresses show a lot of sequins; and there's even a space-age cocktail … Continue reading This Week in Universal News: Pierre Cardin’s Winter Fashion Preview, 1967
