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 …
Carrier of News and Knowledge: A Brief History of the United States Postal Service, Part 1
By Scott Vierick, Historian Barely three weeks after the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, the fledgling Continental Congress began the process of creating a postal system to unify and connect the 13 colonies. No longer willing to trust …
Eating Out, Eating In: A Brief History of Takeout in America
By Colleen Kim, Historian Originally posted on May 14, 2020 Over the past weeks, takeout has been the only way most Americans can enjoy restaurant food and support businesses hit hard by shutdowns. But even before the coronavirus outbreak, food …
Anarchy in the USA: Fear and Loathing in the Early 20th Century
By Justin Broubalow, Research Historian On September 6, 1901, Leon Czolgosz—an unemployed factory worker, American-born son of Polish immigrants, and self-proclaimed anarchist—walked up to President William McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, and shot him. Czolgosz believed …
Is 2020 the Worst Year Ever?
By Colleen Kim, Historian When 2016 came to a close, many on the internet dubbed it “the worst year ever.” The trend continued, and commentators declared the following years to be the worst ever as well, touting each as “the …
Labor’s Holiday: A Look Back on the History of Labor Day
By Jen Giambrone, Historian Happy Labor Day! While the holiday has become an opportunity to enjoy a long weekend, revel in the final days of summer, and prepare for the start of the school year (whatever that looks like this …
Happy Birthday, NPS! Celebrating 104 Years of the National Park Service
By Scott Vierick, Historian From the mangrove forests of Everglades National Park in Florida to the frozen tundra of Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska, the National Park Service (NPS) protects a vast variety of natural, cultural, and …