genealogical research

NARA’s 2025 Genealogy Series

clairekluskens Anti-Obscurant, Crime and Criminals, Document Conservation, Finding Records at NARA, immigration, military records, Modern Military Records, NARA, NARA--RG 75, NARA--RG 85, Native Americans, photographs, World War I, World War II , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The National Archives and Records Administration has announced the lineup of speakers and topics for its 2025 Genealogy Series. Presentations premiere at specific times but are then available 24/7 on YouTube. Mark your calendar now! It’s free! No registration required! This year’s schedule includes:

The U.S. National Archives Preserves and Provides Access to 250 Years of U.S. History

clairekluskens NARA , , , , , , , , ,

The National Archives is much more than the iconic Greek-revival style building situated on Pennsylvania Avenue near the National Mall.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) holds in trust for the American people the permanently valuable records of the U.S. federal government that show our shared history over the past 250 years. NARA preserves and provides access to documents about the decisions and actions of government, rights of individuals (such as citizenship), or otherwise have sufficient historical or other value to warrant continued preservation. Genealogists, military veterans, historians, lawyers, and other researchers find the records essential to their research. Information about newly digitized records in the National Archives Catalog can be found at “What’s New in the National Archives Catalog.”

NARA preserves:

  • 11.9 billion pages of historic textual (paper records);
  • 10 million maps, charts, and architectural and engineering drawings;
  • 40 million still photographs, digital images, filmstrips, and other graphics;
  • 40 million aerial photographs dating to the 1930s;
  • 448 million feet of motion picture film;
  • 992,000 video and sound recordings; and
  • 837 terabytes of electronic data

The National Archives does this at different and necessary facilities that each hold unique records found nowhere else:

NARA has a staff of about 2,800 persons who are dedicated to serving the American people. Staff who work with the public develop expertise in specific bodies of records. Other staff have technical experience and knowledge that supports our mission to preserve the records and provide the public access to them. Learn more by reading a few employee profiles.

Congress established the National Archives nearly 90 years ago by a law known as the “The National Archives Act of 1934” that was signed on June 19, 1934. Since April 1, 1985, NARA has been governed by the “The National Archives and Records Administration Act of 1984” that was signed by President Ronald Reagan.

Come explore the records!

Mythbusting the Legend of the Baker Twins

clairekluskens Modern Military Records, NARA, women, World War I , , , , , ,

Through compelling and thorough research, Donna Vojvodich, Historian for the U.S. Coast Guard’s SPARS Stories History Program, busts a fun but sadly persistent erroneous legend of the alleged service of the Baker twins during World War I. They were not the “first” women to serve in the Coast Guard. In fact, the Baker twins didn’t serve at all.

The honor of first goes to Myrtle Hazard, who held the rating of electrician first class (E1) and enlisted in January 1918.

You can read all about it in “The Long Blue Line: The Baker Twins—Re-searching the first female Coasties – or were they?” online at https://www.mycg.uscg.mil/News/Article/3311017/.

This is yet another example of our need, as serious family historians, to not accept other people’s unsupported conclusions as fact. We must instead carefully examine both textual and photographic records, do careful analysis, and base our conclusions on facts, not wishful thinking.

NARA’s Genealogy Series – May 21-June 25, 2024

clairekluskens Asians, immigration, military records, Modern Military Records, NARA , , , , , , , , , ,

NARA’s annual Genealogy Series features staff experts speaking about records in National Archives custody. The 2024 series begins on May 21. This year’s line up includes:

  • Passport Records: Passport Applications at NARA, 1790s-1925 – May 21, 1 p.m. ET
  • After Their Service: Tracing the Lives of Native American Army Scouts – May 28, 1 p.m. ET
  • Captured German Records Related to American Prisoners of War During World War II – June 4, 1 p.m. ET
  • Alien Files (A-Files): Researching Immigrant Ancestors at the National Archives – June 18, 1 p.m. ET
  • World War II Enemy Alien Records Related to Japanese Americans at the National Archives – June 25, 1 p.m. ET

Don’t worry about missing the program! After their premiere, these videos will remain online on YouTube for future viewing.

Census of Black Persons in Princess Anne County, Virginia, 1863

clairekluskens African-American Genealogy and History, American Civil War (1861-65), census, NARA--RG 393 , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) recently digitized an 1863 census of Black persons in Princess Anne County, Virginia, that was compiled by the Union Army. Taken seven years before the 1870 census, which is normally the earliest census upon which formerly enslaved persons were listed by name, this unique record provides a valuable early snapshot of the names, ages, employment, and other information about bond (enslaved), free, or contraband individuals and families. Read more about it at https://historyhub.history.gov/african-american-records/b/african-american-records-blog/posts/census-of-black-persons-in-princess-anne-county-virginia-1863 and view the records online at https://catalog.archives.gov/id/352794518.

What’s New in the National Archives Catalog?

clairekluskens Finding Records at NARA, NARA , , , , , , , , ,

NARA has reintroduced a user-friendly “What’s New in the National Archives Catalog” page at https://www.archives.gov/research/catalog/whats-new. This webpage may highlight visually interesting items along with a list of:

  • Recent bulk uploads of descriptions of records
  • Recent bulk uploads of descriptions with images of records
  • Recent uploads of images to previously existing descriptions

The list shows the part of the NARA that holds the records and gives a direct link to where the records are in the Catalog. As should be expected, digital images of very large record series will usually be uploaded in increments over time (months or years), as digitization is accomplished. Digital images of very small series are normally uploaded all at once, such as the single volume series, List of Special Agents Who Collected Cotton Statistics, 1900 (National Archives Identifier 3318884).

What will you find that’s new and interesting to you?

Special Censuses of 15 U.S. Towns, 1932-1938

clairekluskens census , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Censuses “in-between” federal census years are always a bonus! Changes in families and neighborhoods can be more closely tracked. Missed or miss-enumerated families might be located.

NARA recently completed the digitization of a small series of off-year censuses called “Schedules of Municipal Population Enumerations, 1932-1938” (National Archives Identifier 2791185) that includes towns in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. These are the only municipal censuses conducted by the Census Bureau that are in NARA custody.

Read more details in the History Hub blog post, “Special Censuses of 15 U.S. Towns, 1932-1938.”

Alien Enemy Index, 1917-1919, is Now Online

clairekluskens NARA, NARA--RG 60, naturalization, World War I , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) recently completed digitization of the Alien Enemy Index, 1917–1919 (National Archives Identifier [NAID] 602456), that contains 57,722 index cards that document U.S. government interest in – and actions concerning – enemy aliens during the First World War.  Enemy aliens were citizens of the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire. You can read more about this index and the related records at “The Alien Enemy Index, 1917-1919, is Now Digitized!” at https://historyhub.history.gov/genealogy/b/genealogy-blog/posts/the-alien-enemy-index-1917-1919-is-now-digitized.

The map below, courtesy of Australia’s Digital Classroom, shows the European boundaries of the Central Powers whose citizens were considered enemy aliens.

Search Tips: When searching the Enemy Alien Index in NARA’s Catalog, keep in mind that the first name of some aliens are abbreviated, such as “Chas.” for Charles or “Robt.” for Robert. Therefore, if searching by first and last name yields no results, search by surname only, or even by first name only for unusual first names.  Also consider searching by alternate spellings of a surname if you get no results.  In addition, some women are listed by their husband’s name, such as Mrs. Theodore Zeigler (NAID 296756836). You can also browse through an entire file unit (there are 23 file units), but be sure to set the “Sort by” order to either “Title (Alphabetically, A-Z)” or “Title (Alphabetically, Z-A)” instead of “Most Relevant.”    

Map URL: https://digital-classroom.nma.gov.au/images/map-showing-first-world-war-alliances

Release of the 1960 Census is just 9.5 Years Away

clairekluskens census, NARA--RG 29 , , , , , , , , , ,

The release of the 1960 census is just 9.5 years away and the National Archives has begun a 1960 census blog post series with the first post, “1960 Census:  NARA’s Already Working Toward 2032” at https://historyhub.history.gov/community/genealogy/census-records/blog/2022/10/14/1960-census-nara-s-already-working-toward-2032.