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.

“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
Pop-upView Separately

“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

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)
View Separately

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)

“On the seventh day of Archives an archivist brought to me: Seven of Mrs. Hicks’s eight children, six tiny thorn carvings, five sisters from Alaska, four boys hanging out at the Fletcher aircraft school, three happy girls at a West Virginian celebration, two San Francisco children painting, and one astronaut in space.” Image: “Mrs. Clabe Hicks and seven of her eight children.” August 27, 1946, ARC Identifier 541045. Ten people, two adults and eight children live in a four room house for which they pay $11 monthly, plus $1 monthly for water and $2 monthly for electricity. They have running water in the kitchen; the Hicks put in a sink, have repapered the house, supply electric wiring from the outlet fixtures in each room. Mrs. Hicks said, “all the company furnishes is the roof and it leaks”. The roof is tar paper. Southern Coal Corporation, Bradshaw Mine, Bradshaw, McDowell County, West Virginia.
Pop-upView Separately

“On the seventh day of Archives an archivist brought to me:

Seven of Mrs. Hicks’s eight children,

six tiny thorn carvings,

five sisters from Alaska,

four boys hanging out at the Fletcher aircraft school,

three happy girls at a West Virginian celebration,

two San Francisco children painting,

and one astronaut in space.”

Image: “Mrs. Clabe Hicks and seven of her eight children.” August 27, 1946, ARC Identifier 541045.

Ten people, two adults and eight children live in a four room house for which they pay $11 monthly, plus $1 monthly for water and $2 monthly for electricity. They have running water in the kitchen; the Hicks put in a sink, have repapered the house, supply electric wiring from the outlet fixtures in each room. Mrs. Hicks said, “all the company furnishes is the roof and it leaks”. The roof is tar paper. Southern Coal Corporation, Bradshaw Mine, Bradshaw, McDowell County, West Virginia.

Source: research.archives.gov

This confidential cable to RFK from the State Department is just one of almost 3,000 pages of records released to the public this week.  Seven boxes of material (more than 2,700 pages) from the Robert F. Kennedy Papers, housed at the Kennedy Library in Boston, are now online. These digitized documents are mostly related to the Cuban Missile Crisis. What are you doing to celebrate Day of Digital of Archives?
Pop-upView Separately

This confidential cable to RFK from the State Department is just one of almost 3,000 pages of records released to the public this week. 

Seven boxes of material (more than 2,700 pages) from the Robert F. Kennedy Papers, housed at the Kennedy Library in Boston, are now online. These digitized documents are mostly related to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

What are you doing to celebrate Day of Digital of Archives?

Source: jfklibrary.org

Our 26th annual Preservation Conference will address how new challenges and opportunities are shaping preservation strategies. Speakers will focus on conservation, reformatting, and storage technology. A session on education and outreach will highlight innovative methods for sharing information and engaging users through social media and training. David M. Rubenstein will give the keynote address. Program speakers include Beth Doyle of Duke University Libraries, Brad Lawrence of the Kennedy Space Center, John Faundee of the United States Geological Survey; and senior staff from NARA’s Preservation Programs. Standard registration is $125.00 and student registration is $75.00 http://go.usa.gov/YCAk
Pop-upView Separately

Our 26th annual Preservation Conference will address how new challenges and opportunities are shaping preservation strategies. Speakers will focus on conservation, reformatting, and storage technology. A session on education and outreach will highlight innovative methods for sharing information and engaging users through social media and training. David M. Rubenstein will give the keynote address. Program speakers include Beth Doyle of Duke University Libraries, Brad Lawrence of the Kennedy Space Center, John Faundee of the United States Geological Survey; and senior staff from NARA’s Preservation Programs. Standard registration is $125.00 and student registration is $75.00 http://go.usa.gov/YCAk