Originally posted on March 13, 2020 By Scott Vierick, Historian For the past few months, HAI has been working with historians at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on a panel presentation for the Society for History in the Federal …
The Capitol Has Fallen! When the British Burned the Capitol Building
By Scott Vierick, Historian By 1814, the War of 1812 between the United States, Great Britain, and their American Indian allies had been raging for over two years. While most of the fighting had occurred along the border with Canada, …
The History and Use of the Defense Production Act: Part 1
To fully understand the current relevance and application of the Defense Production Act (DPA) to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency, it helps to remember the two extraordinary wartime crises faced by Americans in the space of 10 …
Contested Transition: Lincoln’s Victory and the Coming of the Civil War
By Scott Vierick, Historian In November 1860, the election of Abraham Lincoln sent shockwaves through the country. The winner of a bitter four-way contest, Lincoln’s platform, which including halting the westward expansion of slavery, was seen as a serious political …
Bringing History On Demand Services to Digital Consumers
By Laura Starr, Engagement Strategist, and Jen Giambrone, Historian A Historical Retrospective of On Demand Services Need a ride? Groceries? Beer? A meal from your favorite restaurant? Want to read a new book, watch the latest trending show, or listen …
Masterpiece Television: Celebrating 50 Years of PBS
By Scott Vierick, Historian Tonight on Frontline. This is Masterpiece Mystery! Let’s build a happy little cloud. Won’t you be my neighbor? Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street? Fifty years ago, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) …
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 …
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 …
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 …