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 used to bring their history …
Carrier of News and Knowledge: A Brief History of the United States Postal Service
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 the British postal system, Congress …
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 historic resources all across America. …
Advice on Donating Congressional Records: What Members of Congress Should Know
Originally published May 2016 By Megan O’Hern-Crook, C.A., Manager of Archives & Information Management As the election season approaches, we’re revisiting a 2016 blog that explores the process of Congressional records donations. Members who are leaving office have a lot to do in a limited …
Malady & Memory: Historic Sites that Preserve the Legacy of Resisting Disease
By Scott Vierick, Historian Disease and pandemics have always been a part of human history, but for every illness, there have been countless people who have worked to study and create treatments and cures. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, HAI historians have explored past epidemics and …
Hidden Figures: Unearthing Black History in Museums and Archives
Originally published September 2017 By Michelle Johnson, Former HAI Historian, PhD Candidate at Yale University Museums and archives preserve and tell significant stories. They also serve their visitors, connecting people to their histories and providing an opportunity to hear otherwise unheard voices. Historically, both of …
How to Start Your Records Digitization Project
By the summer of 2024, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) will manage and retain permanent and temporary federal agency records only in digital form. No more paper record transfers to your local Records Center! Is your agency ready? Digitization is critical and deserves …
Archiving to Connect During a Crisis: How We Can Unite to Document COVID-19
By Laura Starr, Certified Archivist, HAI Engagement Strategist I am an archivist and historian. I am a spouse, friend, neighbor, and coworker. I am an American and a global citizen. And right now, I am one of the millions practicing social distancing, in self-imposed quarantine, …
Celebrating a Homegrown Hero: The Jimmy Carter National Historic Site Opens in Plains, Georgia
By Hilary Bergen, Historian, Certified Interpretive Planner Imagine your hometown high school became a museum about your life. How would you feel? What would you want visitors to know? What would your hometown say about you? On Presidents’ Day 2020, Plains High School in the …