Today’s post comes from education intern Stephen Pearson. Over two days earlier this month, students arrived at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, ready to compete. There was excitement and nervous energy in the air. Both the students and history came to life through dynamic performances, stirring documentaries, and eye-popping exhibits, just to name [...]

In celebration, the National Archives has teamed up with other federal agencies and cultural institutions to provide digital content, including resources for teachers. Along with the Library of Congress, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, we pay tribute “to the generations of Jewish [...]

During Teacher Appreciation Week, and especially today on National Teacher Appreciation Day, we give thanks to teachers for all their hard work educating and guiding students. As we said on Today’s Document—our sister site showcasing daily featured documents, it’s always Teacher Appreciation Week at the National Archives! Our Education Specialists work year-round to provide teachers [...]

Today’s post comes from Kris Jarosik, education specialist at the National Archives at Chicago, working alongside Ang Reidell, education specialist at the National Archives at Philadelphia. There was a time when the U.S. government seized photos and pamphlets and confiscated contraception sent through the mail. Thousands were charged with breaking federal law and over 500 cases [...]

Today’s opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, makes 13 Presidential Libraries that are administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. Part of the Library and Museum’s mission is to encourage students of all ages to learn more about the Presidency, the [...]

We are now accepting applications for Primarily Teaching—our summer institute on using historical documents in the classroom. Information and the application is available on our website. Workshops will be conducted at the following National Archives locations: Kansas City (Kansas City, MO) June 17–20, 2013 Atlanta (Morrow, GA) July 15–19, 2013 Boston (Waltham, MA) July 22–26, 2013 [...]

I co-wrote today’s post with Stephen Wesson at the Library of Congress. It is also posted on the Teaching with the Library of Congress blog. In 10 words or less, it’s what we’ve got and how we got it. But we’ll go on. Because we get asked this question a lot. Both of us do. And because both [...]

Today’s post comes from Jenny Sweeney, education specialist at the National Archives at Fort Worth. This Friday, April 12th, the biographical movie 42 about Jackie Robinson is set to be released. Millions of people will flock to theaters to relive or learn for the first time the baseball icon’s story. In 1947, Robinson crossed the color line [...]

Today’s post comes from Carol Buswell, education specialist at the National Archives at Seattle. Archives are almost nothing like libraries, except that they are open to the public for research purposes.  Be prepared to learn something completely new. First, let’s talk about what you’re probably used to: libraries. Libraries collect documents.  They are in competition [...]

From 1947 through 1952, the White House underwent a complete reconstruction within its original exterior walls. To get a better idea about the transformation of the White House, and ”witness” its 1950s renovation compared to the current look of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, you and your students can take a visual tour of the Blue Room on Historypin. Shortly after [...]