John and Charles Gordon, a Father and Son in the 49th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment

"Oh yes, I knew John Gordon, and his daddy too." - a comrade of John and Charles Gordon John Gordon, later in life. National Archives ID 122162774 During the early nineteenth century, the tobacco industry in the Upper South declined as the cotton industry in the Deep South grew. To meet the growing demand for … Continue reading John and Charles Gordon, a Father and Son in the 49th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment

“BEWARE: It’s Addicting!” Citizen Scanning in the Innovation Hub

Today’s post comes from Dina Herbert, Innovation Hub Coordinator at the National Archives in Washington, DC. I recently met Cindy Norton at the Innovation Hub in Washington, DC when she arrived to scan Civil War pension files. Once she started, she never stopped! We now see Cindy a few times a month; she even celebrated … Continue reading “BEWARE: It’s Addicting!” Citizen Scanning in the Innovation Hub

Introducing the Federal Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Toolkit

Today is an important day for participation and innovation in the federal government. The White House officially launched the Federal Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Toolkit, a tool that provides information and resources to help federal agencies use the power of public participation to help solve scientific and societal problems. The launch of this toolkit solidifies the … Continue reading Introducing the Federal Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Toolkit

Federal Register Editathon

Today’s post comes from Ben Jordi, Technical Writer/Editor in the Office of the Federal Register. The National Archives’ Office of Innovation and Office of the Federal Register teamed up with Wikimedia D.C. to host OFR’s first Wikipedia Editathon on Friday, May 23, 2014 in our Innovation Hub.  As part of our mission to inform the … Continue reading Federal Register Editathon