By Mimi Eisen, Historian This blog was originally posted on July 16, 2020. Now, at the end of October, there have been more than 227,000 reported deaths from COVID-19. Lately, I’ve been thinking about the work data visualization can do …
Risky Business: A Brief History of Mechanized Travel and Changing Perceptions of Danger
By James McDonald, former HAI Research Historian, current Ph.D. candidate Travel has long incorporated some assessment of personal safety, but the mechanization of travel complicated this calculus. Concerns about safety have often conflicted with a desire to take advantage of …
But How and In What Balance Weigh John Brown? John Brown’s Raid and Harpers Ferry, Part III
By Scott Vierick, Historian This is the final installment in our three-part blog series about John Brown and his legacy. We recommend starting with parts one and two if you haven’t already. In 1861, less than two years after John …
Crimes of this Guilty Land: John Brown’s Raid and Harpers Ferry, Part II
By Scott Vierick, Historian This is part two of a three-part series on John Brown. If you haven’t already, read the first blog, describing the raid on Harpers Ferry, here. John Brown and other captured raiders would spend the rest …
A Crack in Time Itself: John Brown’s Raid and Harpers Ferry, Part I
By Scott Vierick, Historian This is the first of a three-part blog series in honor of the 161st anniversary of John Brown’s raid. Check back in next week for the second and third installments of this remarkable and fateful story. …
From Whistle Stops to Television Spots: A Brief History of Presidential Campaigns
By Margaret Long, Archivist Since the founding of the nation, this United States has had a president in office. This fact has not changed over the years, but the campaign leading up to the election has. In the country’s formative …
Pan American Unity: Diego Rivera’s Influence on the Cultural Landscape of the United States
By Megan Anderson, Manager of Exhibits & Interpretive Planning National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 to October 15, gives us a chance to reflect on and celebrate the social and cultural contributions of Americans with ancestral roots in …
When Will U.S. Libraries and Archives Reopen? The Status of COVID-19 Closures and the Global Historical Supply Chain
By Jason H. Gart, PhD, Vice President and Director of Litigation Research In early April, approximately two weeks after state and local stay-at-home orders began going into effect due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, HAI began seeing disruptions to …
How to Transform Your Digital Assets to Drive Online Engagement
Guest post by Chris Cummings, Pass It Down Turn history into your greatest storyteller! Our favorite tips for optimizing online engagement with your digital assets. In the first post of our partner series on “Turning History Into Your Greatest Storyteller,” …
Laying the Foundation for Storytelling: Tips for Digital Transformation & Sustainability
By Laura Starr, Certified Archivist, HAI Engagement Strategist & Account Manager This blog was created in conjunction with our friends at Pass It Down, a company with an award-winning digital exhibit builder platform that libraries, museums, universities, and brands have …
Carrier of News and Knowledge: A Brief History of the United States Postal Service, Part 2
By Scott Vierick, Historian This is the second part of our exploration of the history of the United States Postal Service. You can read part one, which looks at the Postal Service’s early years, here. The Great Depression and World …
HAI’s Director of Litigation Research Appointed to FOIA Advisory Committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: September 24, 2020 Contact: Jen Giambrone Telephone: 301.279.9697 ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES Jason H. Gart, PhD, Vice President and Director of Litigation Research at History Associates Incorporated (HAI), has been appointed to the 2020-2022 FOIA Advisory …