Pitch In on Earth Day!

Every April 22nd, people around the world celebrate Earth Day, a coordinated event to bring awareness and show appreciation for the earth's natural beauty and resources.  Earth Day had a really big kickoff in US during the early 1970s as a way to teach others about issues that threatened our environment.  It is no coincidence … Continue reading Pitch In on Earth Day!

Environment in a Day from the EPA

The National Archives and the Environmental Protection Agency have been working together to bring awareness to the 1970s Documerica photo collection.   The EPA's State of the Environment project on Flickr asks people to upload their environmental photos to a group as a Documerica for the current generation.  This guest post is a reblog of a … Continue reading Environment in a Day from the EPA

Which presidential inaugural address was the best?

This question just came in from a fan of the National Archives: Is there a consensus as to which presidential inaugural address was the best? I recognize that in this case "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and it may be more accurate to think of the top five rather than single one … Continue reading Which presidential inaugural address was the best?

Introducing the National Archives Transcription Pilot Project!

As part of the recently launched Citizen Archivist Dashboard, you can now participate in the National Archives Transcription Pilot Project.  By contributing to transcriptions, you can make these historical documents more accessible to the public. The transcription pilot features over 300 documents (about 1,000 pages) ranging from the late 18th century through the 20th century.  … Continue reading Introducing the National Archives Transcription Pilot Project!

'Tis the Season to Participate Online!

Throughout this holiday season, we encourage you to participate in the exciting activities featured on the Citizen Archivist Dashboard, which is available starting today. Check it out and try tagging, transcription, editing articles, uploading digital scans, and participating in contests all related to the records of the National Archives. We hope that you’ll share any suggestions … Continue reading 'Tis the Season to Participate Online!

Online catalog now links to Wikimedia resources

A few weeks ago on The Text Message, I introduced Wikimedia's Wikisource project to you. A sister project of Wikipedia, Wikisource is a free repository of primary-source texts which are transcribed, proofread, and arranged—like Wikipedia—collaboratively by a community of online volunteers. It is my pleasure to announce that, since August 15, Wikimedia's presence now extends … Continue reading Online catalog now links to Wikimedia resources

Meet Our Wikipedian in Residence: Dominic McDevitt-Parks

We asked our new Wikipedian in Residence, Dominic McDevitt-Parks, to tell us a little bit about himself and his passion for Wikipedia.  Welcome to the National Archives, Dominic! Tell us a little about yourself.  Where are you from?  What do you study in school? I am a history buff, a word nerd, a news junkie, … Continue reading Meet Our Wikipedian in Residence: Dominic McDevitt-Parks

May 18th Citizen Archivist Program

If you are anything like me, you would love to volunteer more, but you don't feel you have enough time to make a commitment. Luckily, these days, anyone with a computer and internet access can easily participate in online volunteer projects. An upcoming public program at the National Archives will look at three projects where … Continue reading May 18th Citizen Archivist Program

Documerica 2.0: Earth Day State of the Environment Photo Project

In the spirit of Earth Day throughout the coming year, the National Archives is collaborating with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on a new photography project. We are inviting you to submit your best photos of the environment you experience in your hometown or your travels. http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649 The Earth Day State of the Environment photo … Continue reading Documerica 2.0: Earth Day State of the Environment Photo Project

Citizen Archivists on Flickr

The National Archives' photostream on Flickr has been a popular place for our users to view, comment, and discuss photos in our collection since June 2009.  We recently hit 2 million views on our photos on Flickr.  As we've seen the activity on our photostream grow (especially after joining the Flickr Commons in February 2010), … Continue reading Citizen Archivists on Flickr