So, what is in the RG 286 records and how should researchers approach diving in to world of USAID?  Most important is for researchers to have as much specific information as possible depending on how specific your research needs are.  Knowing specific offices, project names, beneficiary countries or regions, or any other relevant data that [...]

The National Archives has a program of presentations called Know Your Records through which archivists, volunteers, and others share their knowledge of our records with you, the public.  It is a great way for interested individuals to learn what we have and how to use what we have to their advantage. The Text Message, in [...]

Tomorrow we are all Irish.  So, to celebrate St. Patirck’s Day I had a look around our holdings to see how The Text Message could celebrate Eire.  As always I used our Online Public Access (OPA) system and found some expected things: Consular records in RG 84 (Records of the Foreign Service Posts of the Department [...]

Yesterday, the editors of this blog had the honor of being among the recipients of the Archivist’s Awards for Outstanding Achievement.  We were thrilled to be recognized for our work on The Text Message and want to say thank you to our readers and contributors.  The ceremony, held in the Adrienne C. Thomas Auditorium at [...]

The most asked question this weekend will be “where were you?”  I was living in Massachusetts and on my way to the doctor.  The news on the radio said that something, probably a small plane, had hit the World Trade Center.  By the time my appointment was over all hell had broken loose.  The odd [...]

Today’s post is written by Alfie Paul, a processing archivist at Archives II. On July 20, 1969 the world watched as the first human beings landed on the moon.  That day 42 years ago was the culmination of a race to the moon that President John F. Kennedy began in 1961 saying he believed “that [...]

A couple of weeks ago I overheard a converstation between some colleagues discussing OPA.  “Try finding it in OPA,” one said.  They went on to discuss OPA functionality and benefits and use.  I assumed OPA was one of those things above my pay-grade about which I did not need to know.  As it turns out, [...]

Today’s salute to Women’s History Month is written by Alfie Paul, a processing archivist who works with civilian textual records.  “We didn’t want women, but now they’re here we’ve found they are just as fast and just as capable as the men.  They are all right.” From “When You Hire Women,” Special Bulletin #14, 1944 [...]

Today’s post is written by Alfie Paul, a processing archivist who works with civilian textual records. On an August day in 1991, the body of free-lance reporter Danny Casolaro was found dead in a Martinsburg, West Virginia motel bathtub by two maids.  Ruled a suicide, Casolaro’s death was just a small piece of a larger [...]