From May 22 to 31, the digital collection of the USCT Service Records will be free on www.Fold3.com.

On May 22, 1863, the War Department issued General Orders 143, establishing a Bureau of Colored Troops in the Adjutant General’s Office to recruit and organize African American soldiers to fight for the Union Army. With this order, all African American regiments were designated as United States Colored Troops (USCT).

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the USCT, and the National Archives is pleased to announce the completion of the USCT Service Records Digitization Project. In partnership with Fold3, the project provides online access to all service records—more than 3.8 million images—of Union volunteers in USCT units.

Remember: All National Archives collections on Fold3.com can always be viewed for free at a computer at any National Archives facility nationwide.

The photo and paperwork above come from the compiled military service records of former slave Edmund Delaney. Read his story on the Prologue blog.

Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson will be at the National Archives on Wednesday, May 22, at noon to discuss his bookThe Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944–1945. Watch live on Ustream or join us in person for this free public program. This book is the conclusion to his Liberation Trilogy about the battle for Western Europe during World War II. Atkinson describes the final campaign of the European war, from D-Day to Germany’s surrender. A book signing will follow the program.
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Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson will be at the National Archives on Wednesday, May 22, at noon to discuss his bookThe Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944–1945.

Watch live on Ustream or join us in person for this free public program.

This book is the conclusion to his Liberation Trilogy about the battle for Western Europe during World War II. Atkinson describes the final campaign of the European war, from D-Day to Germany’s surrender.

A book signing will follow the program.

Jennifer Armstrong tells the story of the making of a classic and groundbreaking TV show. Join us in person or watch on Ustream on Monday, May 20, at noon as we present “Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted.” As the first situation comedy to employ numerous women as writers and producers, The Mary Tyler Moore Show became a guiding light for women in the 1970s and helped increase involvement, responsibility, and visibility of women in future television programs. A book signing will follow the program.
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Jennifer Armstrong tells the story of the making of a classic and groundbreaking TV show.

Join us in person or watch on Ustream on Monday, May 20, at noon as we present “Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted.”

As the first situation comedy to employ numerous women as writers and producers, The Mary Tyler Moore Show became a guiding light for women in the 1970s and helped increase involvement, responsibility, and visibility of women in future television programs.

A book signing will follow the program.

“Beyond the Basics” Genealogy: Nonpopulation Census Records Claire Kluskens will show you how to better understand our ancestors’ lives from information in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 census schedules of agriculture, industry, mortality, and social statistics, as well as the 1935 census of business. Saturday, May 18, at 10 a.m. Room G-25, Research Center (Penn. Ave. Entrance) Original Caption: Enumeration, a Farmer Supplies Answers to the 232 Questions on the Farm Schedule, 1940 - 1941
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“Beyond the Basics” Genealogy: Nonpopulation Census Records

Claire Kluskens will show you how to better understand our ancestors’ lives from information in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 census schedules of agriculture, industry, mortality, and social statistics, as well as the 1935 census of business.

Saturday, May 18, at 10 a.m.
Room G-25, Research Center (Penn. Ave. Entrance)

Original Caption: Enumeration, a Farmer Supplies Answers to the 232 Questions on the Farm Schedule, 1940 - 1941

Tonight at 7 pm! Join us live or watch on Ustream as former members of Congress discuss how the White House and Congress can work together. “Congress and the White House: Partners or Foes?” will be streamed live on our UStream channel at 7 p.m. Peter Cook, Bloomberg TV’s chief Washington correspondent will moderate panelists Steve LaTourette (R-OH), Vic Fazio (D-CA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and Larry Pressler (R-SD). Presented in partnership with U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress.
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Tonight at 7 pm! Join us live or watch on Ustream as former members of Congress discuss how the White House and Congress can work together.

“Congress and the White House: Partners or Foes?” will be streamed live on our UStream channel at 7 p.m.

Peter Cook, Bloomberg TV’s chief Washington correspondent will moderate panelists Steve LaTourette (R-OH), Vic Fazio (D-CA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and Larry Pressler (R-SD). Presented in partnership with U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress.

Freedmen who fled from slavery during and after the Civil War did not expect that their flight toward freedom would lead to sickness, disease, and death. As Jim Downs reveals in Sick from Freedom, the war produced the largest biological crisis of the 19th century. Join us Friday, May 17, at noon at the National Archives in Washington, DC, for “Sick from Freedom: African-American Illness and Suffering during the Civil War and Reconstruction.” You can also watch online as we stream this program live on our Ustream channel. A book signing will follow the program.
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Freedmen who fled from slavery during and after the Civil War did not expect that their flight toward freedom would lead to sickness, disease, and death. As Jim Downs reveals in Sick from Freedom, the war produced the largest biological crisis of the 19th century.

Join us Friday, May 17, at noon at the National Archives in Washington, DC, for “Sick from Freedom: African-American Illness and Suffering during the Civil War and Reconstruction.”

You can also watch online as we stream this program live on our Ustream channel.

A book signing will follow the program.

Learn how to use Civil War court-martial records in your genealogy research. Archives specialist Timothy Syzek will present ‘Beyond the Basics Genealogy: Civil War Courts-Martial” (all skill levels welcome). Wednesday, May 15, at 11 a.m. Room G-25, Research Center (Penn. Ave. Entrance) Image: Army of the Cumberland, court martial group, (111-B-2002)
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Learn how to use Civil War court-martial records in your genealogy research. Archives specialist Timothy Syzek will present ‘Beyond the Basics Genealogy: Civil War Courts-Martial” (all skill levels welcome).

Wednesday, May 15, at 11 a.m.
Room G-25, Research Center (Penn. Ave. Entrance)

Image: Army of the Cumberland, court martial group, (111-B-2002)

“Congress and the White House: Partners or Foes?” Join on Wednesday, May 15, at 7 p.m. as former members of Congress will discuss how the White House and Congress can work together. They will explore how the two branches interacted in the past to try to solve our nation’s biggest problems. Anecdotal evidence of bipartisanship and common ground will lead to a focus on today’s challenges. Moderated by Peter Cook, Bloomberg TV’s chief Washington correspondent, panelists include former members of Congress Steve LaTourette (R-OH), Vic Fazio (D-CA), Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and Senator Larry Pressler (R-SD). Presented in partnership with U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress.
Pop-upView Separately

“Congress and the White House: Partners or Foes?”

Join on Wednesday, May 15, at 7 p.m. as former members of Congress will discuss how the White House and Congress can work together.

They will explore how the two branches interacted in the past to try to solve our nation’s biggest problems. Anecdotal evidence of bipartisanship and common ground will lead to a focus on today’s challenges.

Moderated by Peter Cook, Bloomberg TV’s chief Washington correspondent, panelists include former members of Congress Steve LaTourette (R-OH), Vic Fazio (D-CA), Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and Senator Larry Pressler (R-SD). Presented in partnership with U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress.