Happy Birthday Dizzy Gillespie!

Today's blog was written by Kaitlin Rogers, Archives Technician at the National Archives at College Park “Jazz will be the classical music of the future” -Dizzy Gillespie 12/4/1982 Dizzy Gillespie playing while attending PBS Taping "Performance in the White House Series" with Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz in the East Room (NAID 75852519) John Birks … Continue reading Happy Birthday Dizzy Gillespie!

Happy Birthday Frederick Douglass!

“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.” ~Frederick Douglass RG 79 "Fred. Douglass, lawyer, ca. 1865" Washington, DC SP Douglass, Frederick, National Historic … Continue reading Happy Birthday Frederick Douglass!

“Wills on Duty:” The Guard that Discovered the Watergate Break-in

On the night of June 17, 1972, security guard Frank Wills was making his usual rounds when he noticed a piece of duct tape covering the lock of the back parking lot door to the Watergate Office Building in Washington, D.C. As noted in the Security Officer's Log (NAID 304970), he removed the tape, only … Continue reading “Wills on Duty:” The Guard that Discovered the Watergate Break-in

A Rare Find: Passport Applications of Free Blacks

Today's post was written by Rebecca Sharp, Archives Specialist at the National Archives in Washington, DC. Several years ago, I received a telephone call from a researcher that turned out to be an extremely intriguing and challenging question.  The researcher wanted to know if there might be additional documentation relating to the passport application of … Continue reading A Rare Find: Passport Applications of Free Blacks

Remembering Jonestown 40 Years Later

Today’s post was written by Victoria Otero, an Archivist at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. November 18, 2018 marked 40 years since the passing of 918 people in the jungles of Guyana. While debate still exists as to whether or not the event was one of mass suicide or mass murder, the event … Continue reading Remembering Jonestown 40 Years Later

Institutional Racism in Woodrow Wilson’s America

This blog was written by Kierra Verdun, a rising senior at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan and is a summer intern in the Textual Processing Division at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. Civic engagement is vital to the success of a representative democracy. By voicing concerns to elected officials, constituents ensure that their voices … Continue reading Institutional Racism in Woodrow Wilson’s America

Two Views: Marcus Garvey the Leader and the Threat

Today's blog was written by Timmia King, undergraduate student at Howard University and spring intern in the Textual Processing Division at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland Coming into this project, I did not think I would find many records relating to Marcus Garvey. One thing I failed to realize, is that today, although … Continue reading Two Views: Marcus Garvey the Leader and the Threat

Frederick Douglass – Statesman, Abolitionist, Champion of the People

Today’s post was written by Tiffany Walker, Archivist in the Textual Processing Division at the National Archives at College Park Frederick Douglass was a social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in the Northern states and gained a following via … Continue reading Frederick Douglass – Statesman, Abolitionist, Champion of the People

William H. Hunt, American Pioneer

Today's blog was written by David Langbart, Archivist at the National Archives in College Park. At the outbreak of World War I, William H. Hunt was serving as the U.S. Consul in St. Etienne, France. In addition to his official duties, Hunt was also a true American pioneer. In 1914, he was one of the very … Continue reading William H. Hunt, American Pioneer