National Archives

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

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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!

Infinite Diversity (Part I)

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One of the most interesting things about records in the U.S. National Archives is almost infinite diversity of materials that can be found. This post will highlight several small record series that have been digitized.

Record Group 15, Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, is well known for genealogical gems like military service and pension files, but it also contains a variety of other records:

  • Bibliography of Publications Concerning Inmates in Soldiers’ Homes, ca. 1913–ca. 1927, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/407305556.
  • Records Relating to the Delaney House, 1914, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/407302072. This was a building in Washington, DC, that was used as a hospital during the Civil War. 
  • Records Concerning Confederate Homes, 1919-1927, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/407302073, includes a list of Confederate homes existing at that time. 
  • Summary Lists of Certificate Numbers Assigned to Pensioned Veterans, Navy Widows, and Army and Navy Widows, 1816–1924,  https://catalog.archives.gov/id/400216432. This series contains typescript lists that identify the dates upon which certain pension certificate numbers were assigned to pensioned veterans (“invalids”), 1816-1924; Navy widows, 1862-1910; and to widows, 1862-1924. The “widows” list includes certificate numbers issued to Army widows for 1862-August 1910 and both Army and Navy widows for August 1910-June 1924. These lists likely served as a quick reference aid to the approximate date when a certificate was issued. For example, if one wanted to know when Widow’s Certificate (WC) 190,000 was issued, the widow’s certificate list indicates it was issued sometime between June 3, 1880, when 188,500 was issued, and June 3, 1881, when 192,500 was issued.

Record Group 64, Records of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) includes many NARA microfilm publications because they are NARA work product.

  • NARA Microfilm Publication M2156, Lists of Federal Prisoners of War Who Enlisted in the Confederate Army (1 roll, published 2012), https://catalog.archives.gov/id/470650567, was uploaded to the Catalog in RG 64 as National Archives work product but the images of records it contains are from Record Group 249, Records of the Commissary General of Prisoners.

Record Group 92, Office of the Quartermaster General

  • Annual Reports Relating to the Army Transport Service, 1901,  https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2662956. relates to quartermaster activities that supported the U.S. Army during the Philippine-American War.

Record Group 393, Records of U.S. Army Continental Commands

  • Census of Black Persons in Princess Anne County, Virginia, 1863, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/352794518, is a unique volume in NARA holdings. In this volume, H. H. Huff of Ovid, Seneca County, New York, recorded a census of black persons who resided in Princess Anne County, Virginia. Mr. Huff began taking the census on June 23, 1863, according to a paper glued to the inside front cover of the volume. The printed census form, which spans two facing pages, asked for each person’s name and the following information:
    • Sex – Male or female
    • Age – Under 10, 10 to 20, 20 to 45, or over 45
    • Condition – Bond (enslaved), free, or contraband
    • Residence – Permanent, transient, or how long within the lines
    • How Employed – On deserted farms, otherwise employed by the government, or not employed
    • Helped by the Government – Wholly or in Part
    • Color – Black or mixed Able to read [hash mark if yes]
    • Remarks – The “Remarks” column often indicates federal employment, either in general terms, such as “on entrenchment,” or specifically, such as “Ordnance Department.”
  • List of Prisoners at Fort Jefferson (Florida) on March 31, 1866,  https://catalog.archives.gov/id/404788116, includes Dr. Samuel Mudd and other persons who assisted John Wilkes Booth after the assassination of Lincoln, as well as other military prisoners.
  • Lists of Supplies on Hand, July 1847–October 1850 (at Fort Jefferson, Florida), https://catalog.archives.gov/id/404788104, could be of interest to military historians.

Record Group  395, Records of U.S. Army Overseas Operations and Commands, contains a lot of material relating to activities of both Filipino and U.S. personnel during the Philippine-American War, 1899-1902. These are just a few examples.

  • Card List of Batson’s Scouts, July 1901, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/467258916.
  • Register of a Census Taken in the Province of Tayabas, Philippines, June 1900–September 1900, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/400216440. Each entry includes the man’s name, age, marital status, bario of residence in Tayabas, occupation (“profession”), and the census certificate number and date of issuance. All the men were indicated to be natives of Luzon. No women are included.
  • Register of Native Prisoners Confined, October 1900-May 1902, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/404788077, primarily contains a list of native (Filipino) prisoners of war confined at Balayan, Batangas, Philippine Islands. The men were captured from October 1900 to July 1901 and released by May 1902. The information was recorded across two facing pages and usually includes including each man’s name, age, residence, date of capture and by which officer, cause for which held, and “disposition” that is usually the date of release from confinement.
  • Special Orders, May-September 1900, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/404788009, were issued by commanding officers of 4th U.S. Infantry from the “Headquarters, U.S. Troops” at Bacoor, Cavite, Philippines, and primarily concern special assignments of duty to specific military personnel.
  • Special Orders, May-July 1901, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/404788041, were issued from the headquarters of the 1st Squadron, 4th U.S. Cavalry, at Badoc, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, and primarily concern special assignments of duty to specific military personnel.

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

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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

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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?

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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

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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.”

Meet the Archivist: An Interview with Archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen Shogan, July 24, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. EDT (virtual)

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You are invited! Join National Archives Foundation Executive Director Patrick Madden for a fireside chat with the new Archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen Shogan. Viewers will learn more about her background and her vision for the National Archives. The discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A. The event is online, free, and scheduled for Monday, July 24, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Register and submit your questions for Dr. Shogan at https://www.archivesfoundation.org/event/meet-the-archivist-an-interview-with-national-archives-foundation-executive-director-patrick-madden-and-archivist-of-the-united-states-dr-colleen-shogan/

Alien Enemy Index, 1917-1919, is Now Online

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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