Prologue: Pieces of History

We’re not always fashion forward here in the National Archives (archivists wear blue coats over the street clothes to protect themselves from the dust and dirt that come from working in the stacks), but we were inspired by the jaunty hats and shiny shoes worn by these two women. And so were many of you, apparently! [...]

Today’s History Crush post is from archives technician Timothy Duskin, who confesses that his admiration for our first President has only increased since researching the records related to George Washington at the National Archives. I have always considered George Washington to be the greatest Founding Father, the greatest President, and the greatest American. Two years ago, I [...]

This week, NARA will be premiering a film halfway across the globe in Beijing, China, for the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF). Our film preservation lab will be represented by Supervisory Motion Picture Preservation Specialist Criss Kovac. “We rejoined FIAF last spring, and it’s required for us to send a member to the conference each spring,” [...]

While Union and Confederate forces clashed on southern battlefields in 1862, a historic piece of legislation ended “the national shame” of slavery in the nation’s capital. The District of Columbia Emancipation Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on April 16, 1862. The legislation provided for immediate emancipation and monetary compensation to former [...]

If you’ve ever been stuck in traffic on the Beltway, you know Americans love their cars, trucks, and motorcycles. So when fuel shortages occur, like in the 1970s, energy policy becomes a hotly debated issue. Federal energy policy first became a major political priority during the energy crisis of the 1970s. In response to gasoline [...]