This blog was originally posted in February 2019. Since then, works published in 1924 and 1925 have entered the public domain as well. After a 20-year freeze, a flood of new content is now available in the public domain: iconic …
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 …
The View from Abroad: Lessons from the Reopening of Libraries and Archives in Europe
By Janet Holsinger, Senior Historian Libraries and archives, like other institutions and businesses, are trying to figure out how to adapt to the challenges of reopening arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Because most serve on-site researchers and patrons, staff need …
Documenting Links Between Financial and Insurance Institutions and Slavery
By Janet Holsinger, Senior Historian The conversation about racism that is now occurring in the United States—and around the globe—is belatedly turning attention to the historical links between financial institutions and the slavery of people of African descent. HAI has …
Digital Research Methods: Notes from the (Teleworking) Field
The COVID-19 public health emergency has underscored the importance of digital research. While many federal, state, and local archives and record collections remain closed, our historians have continued to work with legal clients to ensure that their time-sensitive investigations continue …
Investigating the Recent Historical Past: Using the Internet Archive Wayback Machine for Litigation Research
By Justin Broubalow, Research Historian Our legal clients often ask us to investigate events in the recent historical past. Roughly spanning the last twenty or so years, this encompasses a period when the fact record was likely born-digital—that is, it …
Genealogy: The Branches of Historical Storytelling
By Jenna Hill, Historian When Roots: The Saga of an American Family, based on the novel by Alex Haley, aired over eight nights in January 1977, it captivated millions, ignited important conversations about race, and transformed genealogical research. The miniseries—a …
Reflections on the Field: History and Technology in 2020
By Scott Vierick, Historian Alexis C. Madrigal’s article for The Atlantic, “The Way We Write History Has Changed,” is a timely reminder that historical methods have evolved considerably since HAI’s inception in 1981. The rise of digital technology has provided historians …
What’s in a Name? How Place Names Reveal Our History
Builders have always laid claim to historical memory. Early settlers adopted variations of names coined by Native Americans; later generations took on the names of disappearing farms, fields, and mills. More recently, real estate developers have learned that place names …
Targeting Historical Federal Contracts: Research Strategies That Work
The federal government does much of its business through contracts. These documents define the relationship between the government and its contractors. Sometimes, years later, disputes arise involving the work performed under these agreements. Knowing the terms and context of these …
The Power of a Picture: Navigating High Resolution Image Acquisition and Licensing
Graphics provide powerful snapshots of historic events. We can all think of images that transported us back in time. Do you shiver for those determined patriots crossing the icy Delaware River beside George Washington? Or feel distressed by the mother’s …
Documenting Shock and Awe: Researching Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom
This post is featured on the History Associates timeline. It is ironic that our most recent military history is at risk of being lost. Changes in decades-old recordkeeping have created gaps in the historical record of 21st century military conflicts. …
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