In 2023 we mark the 100th anniversary of the first National Christmas Tree lighting. The lighting ceremony will take place on November 30, 2023, in President’s Park in Washington, DC. From December 2 through January 1, the public can visit the National Christmas Tree and be part of the annual holiday tradition in the nation’s capital. Today’s post looks back at some of our favorite National Christmas Tree scenes from the National Archives and our Presidential Libraries. The tradition of the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony began on December 24, 1923, when President Calvin Coolidge lit ..read more

This year the federal holiday Thanksgiving falls on November 23, the fourth Thursday of the month. But it wasn’t always so. Today’s post looks at Thanksgiving as a federal holiday and the various days it has been commemorated. To learn more about Thanksgiving and how the National Archives is celebrating, visit our website. One of the last actions of the first Congress while meeting in New York City was to pass a resolution asking the President to recommend a day of thanksgiving. On October 3, President George Washington issued a proclamation naming Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a day of ..read more

Today’s post comes from Alyssa Manfredi at the National Archives History Office. Robert “Bobby” Kennedy was a politician known as the father of modern American liberalism. As President John F. Kennedy’s younger brother, he used his position as a high-profile member of the Kennedy family to advocate for the civil rights movements of the 1960s. Bobby Kennedy giving a speech during his 1968 Presidential campaign. (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives) Robert Francis Kennedy was born on November 20, 1925, into an Irish-American family. He was the eighth child and thir ..read more

October is Filipino-American History Month, and we’re commemorating it with a post on Manuel Quezon and Philippine Independence from Alexandra Villaseran, an archivist with the Center for Legislative Archives.  Today there are six nonvoting members in the U.S. House of Representatives: a Resident Commissioner representing Puerto Rico and one Delegate each for the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. But in the early 20th century, the nonvoting members of Congress included a Resident Commissioner from the Philippines, t ..read more

We’re celebrating American Archives Month by looking back on the history of the National Archives. Today’s staff spotlight is on Linda J. Henry, who sought to expand the archives profession and to explore new technological methods in archival theory during her 25 years at the National Archives. Linda J. Henry (1944–2008) was a dedicated archivist who was committed to learning and exploring the boundaries of archival theory. She welcomed new ideas, even as she sometimes challenged them, and served as a mentor for countless new archivists. Linda J. Henry. (National Archives History Office) Intel ..read more

We continue of celebration of American Archives Month by looking at renowned archival theorist, T. R. Schellenberg. Today’s post is from Alyssa Manfredi in the National Archives History Office. Theodore Roosevelt Schellenberg was born in 1903 in Kansas. An archivist, theoretician, scholar, and author, he was recognized as a pioneer of appraisal theory and approach, revolutionizing the future of American archives. T. R. Schellenberg, 1963. (National Archives Identifier 12170456) Schellenberg received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Kansas in 1928 and 1930, respectivel ..read more

Today’s post, from Alyssa Manfredi in the National Archives History Office, is in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month and looks at labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta. A co-founder of the Chicano movement, Dolores Huerta is an activist who continues to fight for the rights of laborers, women, and immigrants. She is credited for coming up with the rallying cry “Sí, se puede,” which means “yes, it is possible” in Spanish, and co-founding the predecessor organization for the United Farm Workers of America (UFW). Dolores Huerta was inducted into the Department of Labo ..read more

We are celebrating American Archives Month with a series on National Archives history. Today’s post comes from Elise Fariello, an archives specialist at the National Archives at Chicago. The National Archives and Records Center building in Chicago is 50 years old in 2023! The building, located at 7358 South Pulaski Road, was built in 1973 and dedicated on July 18, 1974. At that time, the National Archives and Records Service (NARS) was part of the General Services Administration (GSA), which happened to be celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 1974. Brochure from the Chicago Federal Archives and ..read more

Today’s post, from Alyssa Moore in the National Archives History Office, is in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month and looks at the legacy of the Bracero Program. From 1942 to 1964, millions of migrant workers crossed the border from Mexico into the United States as braceros, a Spanish word for a “laborer who works with his arms.” As contract workers, they faced harsh conditions and had to pay for food and lodging while only receiving meager wages. Despite low pay, these migratory laborers continued to work through the Bracero Program, sending remittances back home to their families in M ..read more

Today’s post, from Alyssa Moore in the National Archives History Office, is in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month and looks at the iconic musician and singer, Gloria Estefan. One of the best-selling female artists of all time, Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan’s unique sound broke barriers as she fused the musical style of Havana with a distinct Miami sound, launching Latin music into mainstream American popular culture. Her popularity even led to her memorialization in doll form in September 2022, when Barbie launched the second doll in their Signature Music Series to celebrate Este ..read more