Guide to Federal Records

Records of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


(Record Group 442)
1921-2004

Overview of Records Locations

Table of Contents

  • 442.1 Administrative History
  • 442.2 Records of the Center for Disease Control and its Predecessors 1921-2004
  • 442.2.5 Sound Recordings (General) 1975-76
  • 442.2.6 Machine-Readable Records (General) 1968-2002
  • 442.2.7 Still Pictures (General) ca.1993-2004

442.1 Administrative History

Established: As an operating health agency of the Public Health Service (PHS), Department of Health and Human Services, by the Preventive Health Amendments of 1992 (106 Stat. 3469), October 27, 1992.

Predecessor Agencies:

In the PHS, Federal Security Agency (FSA, 1942-53); PHS, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW, 1953-79); and PHS, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, 1979-80):

  • Office of National Defense Malaria Control Activities (1942)
  • Office of Malaria Control in War Areas (1942-43)
  • Office of Malaria Control in War Areas, States Relations Division (SRS), Bureau of State Services (BSS, 1943-46)
  • Office of Typhus Fever Control (1942-43)
  • Office of Typhus Fever Control, SRS, BSS (1943-44)
  • Typhus Fever Control Unit, SRS, BSS (1944-45, to Office of Malaria Control in War Areas)
  • Communicable Disease Center (CDC, 1946-67)
  • National Communicable Disease Center (NCDC), Bureau of Disease Prevention and Environmental Control (BDPEC, 1967-68)
  • NCDC, BDPEC, Health Services and Mental Health Administration (HSMHA, 1968) NCDC, HSMHA (1968-70)
  • Center for Disease Control, HSMHA (1970-73)
  • Center for Disease Control (1973-80)
  • Centers for Disease Control (1980-92)

Functions: Administers national programs for prevention and control of communicable and vector-borne diseases. Develops and implements programs to improve environmental health. Directs and enforces foreign quarantines. Consults with and assists other nations and international bodies.

Related Records:
Records of the Public Health Service, 1912-1968, RG 90.
Records of the Environmental Protection Agency, RG 412.
Records of the National Institutes of Health, RG 443.

Top of Page

442.2 Records of the Center for Disease Control and its
Predecessors
1921-2004

History: Office of National Defense Malaria Control Activities, established in PHS, February 10, 1942. Renamed Office of Malaria Control in War Areas, April 27, 1942. Assigned to States Relations Division, Bureau of State Services, PHS, upon organization of bureau pursuant to PHS Reorganization Order No. 1, December 23, 1943, implementing provisions of the Public Health Service Act (57 Stat. 587), November 11, 1943. Absorbed, July 1, 1945, Typhus Fever Control Unit, which had been established as the Office of Typhus Fever Control, May 1942, assigned to SRS, 1943, and redesignated, 1944. Became Communicable Disease Center (CDC), PHS, July 1, 1946. Transferred with PHS from FSA to HEW by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1953, effective April 11, 1953. Redesignated NCDC, effective July 1, 1967, and assigned to newly established Bureau of Disease Prevention and Environmental Control, PHS, by HEW reorganization order, June 29, 1967, pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1966, effective June 25, 1966. Transferred with BDPEC to newly established Health Services and Mental Health Administration, PHS, by HEW reorganization order, April 1, 1968. BDPEC abolished and NCDC made constituent unit of HSMHA by HEW reorganization order, July 1, 1968. Renamed Center for Disease Control, June 24, 1970. Became operating agency of PHS when HSMHA abolished by HEW reorganization order, July 1, 1973. Transferred with PHS to newly established HHS, by the Department of Education Organization Act (93 Stat. 695), October 17, 1979. Renamed Centers for Disease Control, effective October 14, 1980, by notice of the Secretary of Health and Human Services, October 1, 1980. Redesignated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1992. See 442.1.

Top of Page

442.2.1 General records

Textual Records (in Atlanta): Records of the Office of the Director, 1947-67. Activity reports, 1942-57. Directives and formal issuances of the Office of Malaria Control in War Areas and the CDC, 1943-60. Record copies of CDC medical and administrative forms, 1946-65. CDC formal issuances, 1943-61. Production files and editing scripts of motion picture films produced for the CDC by the National Medical Audiovisual Center, 1954-65.

Top of Page

442.2.2 Records of staff offices

Textual Records (in Atlanta): Transaction files of the Administrative Management Office, 1956-65. Records of the Management Analysis Services, consisting of unnumbered and executive memorandums, 1945-67; forms management files, 1957-62; personnel guides and manuals, 1966; and management issuances, 1969. Records of the Personnel Office, 1957-68. Publications processed by the Information Office Editorial Unit, 1950-70. Information Resources Management Office samples of PHS pamphlets, 1953-70.

Top of Page

442.2.3 Records of divisions and branches

Textual Records (in Atlanta): Records of the Division of Quarantine, consisting of historical files of the U.S. Quarantine Station, Rosebank, Staten Island, NY, 1921-80. Records of the State and Community Services Division, relating to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of tuberculosis, 1955-71. Records of the Bacterial Disease Branch, 1966-70. Records of the Epidemiology Branch, concerning the study of polio, influenza, salmonella, and other diseases, bacteria, and viruses, 1927-73. Annual reports on the Foreign Quarantine Program, 1955-69. Records of the Health Education Task Force, 1971-73. Records of the Immunization Branch, relating to health studies on various diseases, such as rubella, mumps, hepatitis, and cholera, 1967-72. Published and unpublished manuscripts by Laboratory Branch staff members, 1952-64. Records of the Management Analysis Branch, relating to activities of the Public Health Service, the Hospital Service, and the Marine Hospital Service, 1887-1961. Records of the Nutrition Program, 1955-68. Records of the Venereal Disease Branch relating to the Tuskegee syphilis study, as well as to venereal disease seminars, workshops, and conferences, 1929-72.

Top of Page

442.2.4 Records of individual centers

Textual Records (in Atlanta, except as noted): Environmental health manuscripts of the Center for Environmental Health and Injury Control, 1952-70. Nutrition program historical file of the Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, 1964-68. Records of the Ecological Investigations Laboratory, Fort Collins, Colorado, documenting investigations and research in certain diseases, particularly encephalitis, and cooperative programs with city and State governments, 1933-73 (in Denver). Records of the Malarial Eradication Bureau/Technical Development Laboratories, Savannah, Georgia, providing historical information concerning the malaria eradication program, 1943-51. Records of the National Center for Infectious Diseases, documenting biological warfare, the study of infectious diseases, vector control, and initial tracking of non-risk group HIV infection resulting from contaminated blood transfusions, 1951-83. Records of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, relating to evaluation of its program objectives and accomplishments, 1971-75. Records of the Tropical Disease Program, Bureau of Tropical Diseases, 1943-73, and San Juan (Puerto Rico) Tropical Disease Laboratory, 1970, relating to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of tropical diseases. Records of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1990-92.

Top of Page

442.2.5 Sound Recordings (General)
1975-76

Public service announcements concerning swine flu and related issues, including the Federal Government's immunization program, 1975-76 (11 items).

Top of Page

442.2.6 Machine-Readable Records (General)
1968-2002

National survey of family growth files, containing social survey information on pregnant women and aspects of pregnancy, maternal and child care, 1976-95 (7 data sets), with supporting documentation. National immunization survey files, 2002 (2 data sets), with supporting documentation. Tuberculosis surveillance public use files, 1985-99 (86 data sets), with supporting documentation. National hospital discharge survey files, 1979-99 (108 data sets), with supporting documentation. Multiple cause of death files, 1974-93 (6 data sets), with supporting documentation. Marriage detail files, 1968-88 (21 data sets), with supporting documentation. Divorce detail files, 1968-88 (21 data sets), with supporting documentation. National health interview survey on disability files, 1994-95 (51 data sets), with supporting documentation. Sudden unexplained death syndrome among Southeast Asian refugees files, 1985-94 (3 data sets), with supporting documentation. Adult use of tobacco survey, 1986 (1 data set), with supporting documentation. Behavioral risk factor surveillance survey, 1984-98 (130 data sets), with supporting documentation.

Top of Page

442.2.7 Still Pictures (General)
ca. 1993-2004

Posters: Aimed at increasing awareness of various health threats, and promoting the use of antibiotics, vaccinations, and other practices used to lessen or eliminate these threats, ca. 1993-2004 (63 images).


Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.

Ordering information

This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.


Top of Page

Guide to Federal Records >

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272