It’s International Archives Week. This is a week to celebrate the work done by archives all around the world, and to recognize the remarkable worldwide professional community of archives and archivists.
As we use this opportunity to celebrate the importance of archives around the world, we are also focusing on the ways we provide and promote public access to historical government records. With more than 116 million digitized pages of records available online in the National Archives Catalog, anyone can access our nation’s history -- and contribute to our mission -- from anywhere in the world.
Here are some newly available records in the the Catalog for your research and discovery:
Published Maps, 1947 - 2015, Records of the Central Intelligence Agency, 1894 - 2002 This series consists of published maps of most countries and world regions. Included are base and briefing base maps; maps depicting terrain, sociological, transportation, political, and economic features; maps depicting administrative, military, and treaty boundaries; maps of urban areas; and maps showing ethnic distributions or narcotics trade routes. Also included are thematic maps, charts, graphs, and organization charts relating to various topics of the Cold War, including the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, and the Vietnam War.
Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at Chicago, Illinois, 5/17/1918 - 11/30/1954 This series consists of crew list forms provided to the Immigration and Naturalization Service by shipmasters whose vessels had last departed from a foreign port, typically a Canadian port.
Guide to Black History
In 1984, to support the growing demand for knowledge of African American history, Dr. Debra Newman Ham, with the help of several other colleagues, took on the responsibility of compiling a guide to black history records at the National Archives. With the publication of Black History: A Guide to Civilian Records in the National Archives, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) became recognized as one of the primary sources for African American historical documents. Here you will find an updated version, along with tools and other resources that can be used while conducting research relating to African American History at the National Archives.
Follow the Rediscovering Black History blog for highlights and insights relating to records of the African American experience at the National Archives.
The famous 369th arrive in New York City. Members of the 369th colored infantry, formerly 15th New York regulars. "Back to little old New York." February 26, 1919. National Archives Identifier 26431290
Citizen Archivist Missions
Interested in contributing as a Citizen Archivist? Check out our Citizen Archivist dashboard for new missions and new records to transcribe! We update our missions page regularly, so check back often to see what’s new.
Transcription Challenge Ready for another #ArchivesAtHome challenge? Help us transcribe this1868 case in which the will of Sylvia Ann Howland was contested by her niece, Hetty Robinson. Find a page without a blue tag and begin transcribing!
Help us transcribe records relating to submarines including patrol reports, reports of sinking enemy submarines, and more. Are you a submarine expert? Share any additional details you many know about the record in the comments field.
Thank you for helping improve access to historical records!
History Hub is our support community for researchers, genealogists, history enthusiasts, and citizen archivists. Ask questions, share information, work together, and find help based on experience and interests. Researchers can ask—or answer—questions on History Hub, or search to see if a question has been asked before.
The National Archives is committed to the health and safety of our visitors and staff. We are closely monitoring the situation regarding COVID-19, and we are working with public health officials and our counterpart agencies to monitor and respond to the evolving conditions and following CDC guidelines.
