Twice each year, I have the delightful task of giving grants to projects across the country to make access to historical records happen. The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), which I chair, funds archivists, records managers, and documentary editors to preserve and make public collections vital to our cultural heritage. At the end … Continue reading Supporting Public Access to Historical Records
Every day, we celebrate the remarkable contributions of African Americans to the American Story. The National Archives contains millions of records related to the interactions of African Americans with the Federal government—from the Emancipation Proclamation to the millions of historical records ranging from the Census to military service. The National Archives grant program, our National … Continue reading Celebrating Black History Month
Recently I came across a story about an archives in a box of Corn Flakes. A woman in Tennessee had stored some 400 letters written by former German prisoners-of-war who had lived in camp near the state’s southern border. After the war was over, many of the POWs wrote to the people in the community, … Continue reading What’s in Your Attic?
