We don’t need to win gold at the Olympics; we already found some at the National Archives in Anchorage, Alaska! At the end of the 19th century, thousands of gold-seekers headed to Alaska. Few found even enough gold to pay for the voyage north, but a little bit of the precious ore found its way into federal records at the National Archives in Anchorage. Read the story of our little bit of gold at the Prologue blog.
Pop-upView Separately

We don’t need to win gold at the Olympics; we already found some at the National Archives in Anchorage, Alaska!

At the end of the 19th century, thousands of gold-seekers headed to Alaska. Few found even enough gold to pay for the voyage north, but a little bit of the precious ore found its way into federal records at the National Archives in Anchorage.

Read the story of our little bit of gold at the Prologue blog.

Senior curator Bruce Bustard and exhibit designer Ray Ruskin talk about the ideas and the creation of our exhibit “Attachments,” which uses immigration records from the National Archives to tell the story of people entering America’s gate. 

The video also features Erika Lee and Michael Pupa talking about their experiences finding a piece of their own personal history in the National Archives.

“Attachments” closes September 4!

Happy Birthday to former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, seen here at age four. Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York.  As a toddler, her mother put her on a horse, and Jacqueline was a national riding champion by age 11.  Jacqueline loved writing, reading, and sketching. She later became a photo journalist and met Congressman John F. Kennedy.  On September 12, 1953, Jacqueline married Jack. As 35th First Lady of the United States, Jacqueline set out to make the White House a home. She turned the sun porch on the third floor into a kindergarten school for her daughter Caroline and 12 to 15 other children, who came every morning at 9:30.  In addition to raising her two children, Caroline and John Jr., Jacqueline sought to preserve America’s cultural heritage. She helped stop the destruction of historic buildings and led a campaign to save Grand Central Station in New York City. She worked to restore and preserve the White House, established a Fine Arts Committee, and created the post of White House curator. Read more from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/Life-of-Jacqueline-B-Kennedy.aspx
View Separately

Happy Birthday to former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, seen here at age four.

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier was born on July 28, 1929, in Southampton, New York.  As a toddler, her mother put her on a horse, and Jacqueline was a national riding champion by age 11.  Jacqueline loved writing, reading, and sketching. She later became a photo journalist and met Congressman John F. Kennedy.  On September 12, 1953, Jacqueline married Jack.

As 35th First Lady of the United States, Jacqueline set out to make the White House a home. She turned the sun porch on the third floor into a kindergarten school for her daughter Caroline and 12 to 15 other children, who came every morning at 9:30. 

In addition to raising her two children, Caroline and John Jr., Jacqueline sought to preserve America’s cultural heritage. She helped stop the destruction of historic buildings and led a campaign to save Grand Central Station in New York City. She worked to restore and preserve the White House, established a Fine Arts Committee, and created the post of White House curator.

Read more from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/Life-of-Jacqueline-B-Kennedy.aspx

This letter in braille was sent to Eisenhower in 1956 by thirteen-year-old John Beaulieu. To write this letter, Beaulieu used a stylus to push raised letters into heavy paper that was clamped into a hinged slate. The dotted border marks the frame on the slate that held the paper in place.

In 2004, we located the author and invited him to the opening of the Public Vaults, where the letter is now on permanent display:

“It is absolutely amazing to think that something I did as a child would get this kind of recognition. I still find it hard to believe, but I know that it’s real because I was there,” he said.

Come see the letter in our Public Vaults exhibit! You can also learn more about the Presidential records related to disability history on our new webpage, created in honor of the 22nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed on July 26, 1990.

Yarrow Mamout was an educated Muslim from Guinea brought to America aboard a slave ship. His determination and dignity allowed him to survive and thrive until he was able to buy his freedom 44 years later. James H. Johnston tells the story of Mamout at the National Archives on Wednesday July 25 at noon. A book signing of From Slave Ship to Harvard: Yarrow Mamout and the History of an African American Familywill follow the program. This program can be also be seen as a live webcast on http://www.ustream.tv/NARA.
Pop-upView Separately

Yarrow Mamout was an educated Muslim from Guinea brought to America aboard a slave ship. His determination and dignity allowed him to survive and thrive until he was able to buy his freedom 44 years later.

James H. Johnston tells the story of Mamout at the National Archives on Wednesday July 25 at noon. A book signing of From Slave Ship to Harvard: Yarrow Mamout and the History of an African American Familywill follow the program. This program can be also be seen as a live webcast on http://www.ustream.tv/NARA.

When musician Pasquale Taraffo applied for a visa, he had to supply evidence of his abilities. This photograph of Taraffo playing the harp guitar was found in a folder in the National Archives. Born in Genoa, Italy, in 1887, the musician began giving guitar concerts at age nine. He eventually switched from the traditional guitar to the harp guitar, a 14-string instrument mounted on a pedestal. Taraffo started touring abroad in 1910, performing on his own and with other musicians. Known as “the Paganini of the guitar”—a reference to the legendary Italian violinist—he was wildly popular around the world and especially in South America. You can see Taraffo’s story in Attachments, open through September 4, and in this blog post.
Pop-upView Separately

When musician Pasquale Taraffo applied for a visa, he had to supply evidence of his abilities. This photograph of Taraffo playing the harp guitar was found in a folder in the National Archives.

Born in Genoa, Italy, in 1887, the musician began giving guitar concerts at age nine. He eventually switched from the traditional guitar to the harp guitar, a 14-string instrument mounted on a pedestal. Taraffo started touring abroad in 1910, performing on his own and with other musicians. Known as “the Paganini of the guitar”—a reference to the legendary Italian violinist—he was wildly popular around the world and especially in South America.

You can see Taraffo’s story in Attachments, open through September 4, and in this blog post.

A lost mural from Ellis Island has been recreated by muralist Andrew Sabori. The original mural was almost 200 feet long, and hung in the “Aliens’ Dining Hall” at Ellis Island. It was created as a WPA project by painter Edward Laning in 1938, but was lost decades later during a storm. See the 90-foot recreation on display at the National Archives in Atlanta, starting July 21 through December of 2012.
Pop-upView Separately

A lost mural from Ellis Island has been recreated by muralist Andrew Sabori. The original mural was almost 200 feet long, and hung in the “Aliens’ Dining Hall” at Ellis Island. It was created as a WPA project by painter Edward Laning in 1938, but was lost decades later during a storm.

See the 90-foot recreation on display at the National Archives in Atlanta, starting July 21 through December of 2012.

Music was everywhere during the Civil War. Tunes, including this song with Confederate lyrics, rang out from parlor pianos and political rallies and set the rhythms of military and domestic life. Join us on Wednesday July 18 at noon as Christian McWhirter discusses his book Battle Hymns and the ways music influenced popular culture during the war. A book signing will follow the program. (Details here.) Image: Sheet music for the song “Battle-Cry of Freedom with Confederate Lyrics,” ca. 1864.
Pop-upView Separately

Music was everywhere during the Civil War. Tunes, including this song with Confederate lyrics, rang out from parlor pianos and political rallies and set the rhythms of military and domestic life.

Join us on Wednesday July 18 at noon as Christian McWhirter discusses his book Battle Hymns and the ways music influenced popular culture during the war. A book signing will follow the program. (Details here.)

Image: Sheet music for the song “Battle-Cry of Freedom with Confederate Lyrics,” ca. 1864.

Two brothers battle corruption in the interstate trucking business! Director Raoul Walsh’s taut melodrama features an all-star cast including Humphrey Bogart, George Raft, Ann Sheridan, and Ida Lupino in They Drive By Night (93 minutes). Join us Saturday, July 14, at noon in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. Enter through the special events entrance for the McGowan theater.
View Separately

Two brothers battle corruption in the interstate trucking business! Director Raoul Walsh’s taut melodrama features an all-star cast including Humphrey Bogart, George Raft, Ann Sheridan, and Ida Lupino in They Drive By Night (93 minutes).

Join us Saturday, July 14, at noon in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. Enter through the special events entrance for the McGowan theater.