The National Archives has a program of presentations called Know Your Records through which archivists, volunteers, and others share their knowledge of our records with you, the public.  It is a great way for interested individuals to learn what we have and how to use what we have to their advantage. The Text Message, in [...]

Today’s post is written by Alan Walker, a processing archivist in Research Services. Earlier I described to you the Overseas Mission records of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and our project to transform them from the unfortunate and inaccessible state in which they arrived at Archives II. These records have proven a time-consuming challenge for [...]

A couple of weeks ago I overheard a converstation between some colleagues discussing OPA.  “Try finding it in OPA,” one said.  They went on to discuss OPA functionality and benefits and use.  I assumed OPA was one of those things above my pay-grade about which I did not need to know.  As it turns out, [...]

We want to hear from our researchers!  Here’s your chance to tell us what record groups you would like to see us working on…if you were in charge! In the last few years, the archivists working in the Textual Archives Services Division at Archives II  have been involved in several large-scale processing projects.  Archivists working with [...]

Today’s post is written by Robert Fahs, a processing archivist who works with civilian textual records. This is the second post in an occasional series. For the first post, go here. W. Averell Harriman, Jr.  (1891-1986) played a leading role in President Truman’s Point Four agencies, first as the United States Special Representative (1948-1950) responsible [...]

Today’s post and other posts in this series are written by Robert Fahs, a processing archivist who works with civilian textual records. This blog entry begins an occasional series of descriptions intended to introduce names and keywords useful for searching ARC entries from RG 469: Records of U.S. Foreign Assistance Agencies, 1942 – 1961. Established [...]

Our pals over at Prologue:  Pieces of History have “Facial Hair Friday;”  here at The Text Message, we give you “Beauty Queen Monday.”  The document featured in today’s post is from the January – February 1960 issue of “The Shield,” an employee newsletter published by the International Cooperation Administration (ICA).  You can find issues of  [...]