Exhibits and Programs
- Exhibits
- Exhibits at 201 Varick St.
- Special Exhibit at Federal Hall: New York - An American Capital
- Online Exhibits
- Programs and Workshops
- Genealogy Workshops
- Archives Month Events
- Annual Veterans Open House
- Family History Game Show at Ellis Island
- Additional Information
- Workshop Topics
- Tours
- Location
- Guest Programs
- How To Register for New York Events
Exhibits
Exhibits at 201 Varick St.
The National Archives at 75! - digital exhibit
As the nation's record keeper, we are a vital component of America's democracy - preserving the nation's records, past, present, and future. And we continue to broaden access to them for use by government agencies, Congress, lawyers, historians, journalists, and ordinary Americans, for tracing their family roots, learning American history, preparing legal actions, researching news or history, or documenting eligibility for government assistance, and for education.
This exhibit shares our history through images - from the construction of the main building in Washington, DC, the Charters of Freedom (The Declaration of Independence, The U.S. Constitution, The Bill of Rights) to the establishment of the regional system, the opening of the archives in NYC (1969), select holdings of the National Archives at New York City, and images of the National Archives facilities nationwide.
The Case Against Happy Birthday
"Happy Birthday to You" is not only one of the most beloved and common songs of all time, it is also one of the most controversial. In a series of court cases, including Jessica Hill v. Sam Harris, the writers of this 16-word song have held that use of their song without permission violated their copyright. Originally written as "Good Morning to All" by the Mildred and Patty Hill for their kindergarten class in the 1890s, the song has grown into one of the most popular and lucrative songs in the English language. In the case of Jessica Hill v. Sam Harris, et al (Equity docket No. E78-350, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY)), Jessica Hill (a younger sister of the songwriting duo) maintained that the use of the song during the musical As Thousands Cheer was done without permission and without payment of royalties.
Though the case was discontinued without prejudice and dismissed for lack of prosecution, the file contains depositions from Jessica and Patty Hill as well as songwriter Irving Berlin, part of a script from the play As Thousands Cheer, subpoenas for the defendants, and other legal documents. Our holdings also include later cases on the same issue (Jessica Hill v. Federal Broadcasting Corporation, SDNY Equity No. 79-312; The Hill Foundation, Inc. v. Clayton F. Summy Co, SDNY Civil No. 19-377; and The Hill Foundation, Inc. v. Postal Telegraph-Cable Company, SDNY Civil No. 20-439). The song "Happy Birthday to You" is still under copyright.
Special Exhibit
New York: An American Capital. A preview exhibit by the National Archives and the National Park Service. Please note this exhibit is at the Federal Hall National Memorial in the Wall Street area. Learn more
Online Exhibits
Exhibits Using New York Records
Camp Kilmer
Fugitive Slave Case: A Slave Named Stephen Pembrook
The Deadly Virus: The Influenza Epidemic of 1918
New York Ratification of the Bill of Rights
National Archives Online Exhibit Hall
The Online Exhibit Hall includes links to many of the National Archives online galleries including the
Charters of Freedom and American Originals.
Documents from National Archives facilities nationwide including the New York regional office are featured on these pages.
Archival Research Catalog (ARC)
We also encourage you to see what's available through the National Archives' Archival Research Catalog (ARC), which includes
ARC Galleries featuring digital images
of records pertaining to select topics. You can also search ARC for available digital images and filter your search to include only records that we have here
at the New York regional office. See the ARC pages on Search Hints for the Northeast Region (New York City) for more information.
Programs and Workshops
Please Note: Our programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
- Genealogy Workshops
- Archives Month Events
- Annual Veterans Open House
- Family History Game Show at Ellis Island
Genealogy Workshops
We have concluded our Spring 2009 series of genealogy workshops. Our fall programs will begin in September. Please check this site or call us toll-free at 866.840.1752 or e-mail us at newyork.archives@nara.gov for the latest information.
For more information including some of the workshops and events we have had in past years, see the section below on Workshop Topics.
Archives Month Events
Each year in October, archival repositories at the Federal, State, and local level hold public programs and special events for American Archives Month to promote our records and services. The National Archives - New York regional office typically holds an open house at our facility in New York City including repository tours and sessions on our records and programs.
For information on future Archives Month events, please check our web site in the summer, or call (866.840.1752 toll-free) or e-mail us.
Past Archives Month Events
Many sincere thanks to our guest lecturers and all who attended our American Archives Month programs in past years.
Annual Veterans Open House
For Veterans and their families:
Each year around Veterans Day (November 11), we celebrate our Veterans for their service to our country. Past activities included films, exhibits, a facility tour, and assisted military records research.
Please check our web site or call (866.840.1752 toll-free) or e-mail us for information on future Veterans Day events.
Family History Game Show at Ellis Island -- 2009 Schedule
What: As a contestant in our live game show, you can learn some basics about our immigrant ancestors and the documents that tell their story, including passenger arrival lists, Federal census records, and naturalization records.
Where: Shows are held in the Ellis Island learning Center, room 1 West. For directions and ferry times to Ellis Island visit www.ellisisland.org or www.nps.gov/elis.
When: The show runs at 1 pm, 1:30 pm, and 2 pm (20 minutes each) on the following dates:
- June 18, 2009
- July 16
- August 20
- September 17
- October 15
Registration is not required.
The Family History Game Show is brought to you in partnership by the National Archives - Northeast Region (New York City) and the National Park Service.
Additional Information
The National Archives Northeast Region - New York offers many free workshops. Participants will learn about using our resources for genealogical, educational, and other purposes. Workshops vary from month to month and are tailored to meet the needs of our various audiences.
Past Workshops
Many sincere thanks to our guest lecturers and all who attended our workshops.
Please note that these are past events, and we may not be able to repeat them exactly in terms of the subjects covered. We do try to cover the major genealogy records -- Census, naturalization, passenger arrival records -- every year, and we provide workshops for beginners and experienced researchers. We also offer workshops on "underutilized" records.
Please let us know if you are interested in a particular topic. The New York City regional staff is knowledgeable about all our archival materials and available to design a workshop to meet a specific audience or genealogical interest. Our staff is available to present lectures at local, state, and regional genealogy functions. Contact us for more information or to set up a workshop.
For additional NARA workshops and courses visit the Nationwide Genealogy Workshops Calendar and the Washington, DC, Programs Calendar.
Tours:
Behind-the-scenes tours of the New York facility are available upon request.
Location:
Workshops are held at the Regional Facility at 201 Varick Street, 12th Floor, New York City, unless otherwise noted. Please be sure to contact us for off-site locations and directions.
Guest Programs:
We also host programs exclusively for guest organizations, genealogical groups, historical associations, colleges, universities, schools, community groups, and more upon request. Please contact us if your group is interested in an exclusive presentation and tour, or a particular topical program. Guest programs are open to members (current and new prospects) of the guest institutions or organizations.
How To Register for New York Events:
All workshops are free! Workshop and tour space is limited to 40 participants. Prior registration is required. Call us at 866.840.1752 toll-free or e-mail us at newyork.archives@nara.gov to register or for more details.
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