Title IX and Women’s Soccer in NARA’s Film Holdings

This month, 24 soccer teams from around the world will compete in the eighth FIFA Women's World Cup taking place in France. 2019 also marks twenty years since Mia Hamm and company of the United States Women's National Soccer Team won the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. Their win in 1999 became an iconic moment in American sports … Continue reading Title IX and Women’s Soccer in NARA’s Film Holdings

Falling Down an Archival Rabbit Hole: Following the Trail from Finished Film Back to the Research that Inspired It

We’ve written here before about the 2007 rescue of a treasure-trove of government films from a shuttered film laboratory. Archivists from the National Archives recovered many films produced across the Federal government so they could be preserved and made accessible to the public. You may be familiar with the anti-drug film Curious Alice, but I … Continue reading Falling Down an Archival Rabbit Hole: Following the Trail from Finished Film Back to the Research that Inspired It

Spotlight: National Women’s Conference of 1977

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the National Women's Conference held November 18-21, 1977 in Houston, Texas. This conference was the United States' answer to the United Nations World Conference on Women held in 1975 in Mexico City. After the United Nations declared 1975 International Women's Year, President Ford issued Executive Order 11832 creating … Continue reading Spotlight: National Women’s Conference of 1977

Film Preservation 101: What’s the Difference Between a Film and a Video?

What's the difference between these objects? A reel of 16mm film.An object of similar size and shape that is actually a 1″ video. If you’re one of the people who can immediately identify the objects in the images seen here, the answer to this question is easy.  But with the way the language has evolved … Continue reading Film Preservation 101: What’s the Difference Between a Film and a Video?

What Would You Do If 40 Tons of Records Arrived on Your Doorstep?

Mission Preservation! Technical Assessment of the Films of the Defense Visual Information Center in the Motion Picture Preservation Lab In 2006, the National Archives accessioned over 2700 titles from the Defense Visual Information Center (DVIC). By the time the 51 pallets (coming to 40 tons!) of motion picture and video records arrived at Archives II … Continue reading What Would You Do If 40 Tons of Records Arrived on Your Doorstep?