Prologue Magazine - The National Archives Quarterly

Civil War Draft Records: Exemptions and Enrollments

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Looking for men who did not serve in the Civil War.

Jim Crow, Meet Lieutenant Robinson

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400

A fight against bias in the Army presages a historic baseball career for Jackie Robinson.

A Founding Father in Dissent: Elbridge Gerry Helped Inspire Bill of Rights in His Opposition to the Constitution

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Today Gerry might be all but forgotten, but his participation in the Constitutional Convention was key to shaping our government.

Movie vs. Reality: The Real Story of the von Trapp Family

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400

How the producers of The Sound of Music altered the story of the family that endeared itself to audiences on stage and screen.

Finding Ordinary Americans with Extraordinary Stories

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The search for the real people whose stories live within the records of the National Archives brings surprises, joy, and sadness.

There's a NARA Near You! Exploring the Regional Archives

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Nearly one-quarter of NARA's holdings are located in its regional archives, and there may be one near you.

Serving at the Pleasure of the President: The Nomination Papers of the United States Senate, 1789�1946

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400

In providing "advice and consent" for Presidential appointments, the Senate has also produced controversy and drama.

Belva Lockwood: Blazing the Trail for Women in Law

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400

She stood up to a President, became the first woman to argue before the Supreme Court, and helped stir the woman suffrage movement.

Looking for an Ancestor in the Panama Canal Zone, 1904�1914

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Exploring court records created during the building of the Atlantic-Pacific link.

Youth as Topic No. 1

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Throughout the 20th century, White House conferences on children served as snapshots of the nation's youth.

Institutional Memory

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400

St. Elizabeths Hospital in the District of Columbia has a storied past preserved at the National Archives.

68,937 and Counting

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Prison records can be a surprisingly rich � if disconcerting � source of genealogical information.

Magellans of the Sky

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

In 1924, eight Army airmen set out to become the first humans to circumnavigate the globe by air. This is their story.

Women of the Polar Archives

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Audrey Amidon points the spotlight on two women who were drawn to hte Arctic regions and whose exploits were captured on film now in the National Archives.

Frame After Frame

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Phillip W. Stewart chronicles the movie-making done by the federal government from World War I through the space race as he documents the motion picture holdings of the Archives.

Facial Hair, Photo Captions: Pieces of History

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Prologue may provide award-winning articles every quarter, but our new blog, Prologue: Pieces of History, provides stories daily! Untold stories from our vaults, videos, contests, and the most peculiar facial hair in our Archival holdings is just the beginning. Have a visit!

Esquire v. Walker: The Postmaster General and "The Magazine for Men"

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Esquire magazine's fight against Post Office censorship in the 1940s.

The "Fast Mail": A History of the U.S. Railway Mail Service

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

As the railroads speeded America's westward movement, post office cars made the nation's mail move faster, too.

Do you use our RSS feed?

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Do you use this RSS feed? If so, please let us know by e-mailing prologue@nara.gov and saying "I use your RSS feed!" We're trying to get a good idea about who is using our RSS feed and want to know how we can make this feed better for you!

Hemingway on War and Its Aftermath

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

July marks both the birth and death of one of America's greatest writers, Ernest Hemingway. Researchers come to the Hemingway archives at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library primarily to examine Ernest Hemingway's original manuscripts and his correspondence with family, friends, and fellow writers. But upon entering, it is hard not to notice the artifacts that ornament the Hemingway Room�including a mounted antelope head from a 1933 safari, an authentic lion-skin rug, and original artwork that Hemingway owned.

A Founding Father in Dissent

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0400

During his second term as governor of Massachusetts, in 1811, Elbridge Gerry, upset with the Federalist Party's outspoken opposition to President James Madison's foreign policy, approved a controversial redistricting plan designed to give the Republican Party an advantage in the state senatorial elections. The Federalist press responded to this plan with cartoon figures of a salamander-shaped election district�the "Gerrymander"�a term still used to connote an irregularly shaped district created by legislative fiat to benefit a particular party, politician, or other group.

The Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of Independence

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

A look at the stylistic beauty in the Declaration of Independence on the eve of July 4.

Will the Real Molly Pitcher Please Stand Up?

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Searching through the records to find real-life candidates for the legendary figure.

NARA's 75 Years

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

A timeline of the history of the National Archives.

Archival Vintage for the Grapes of Wrath

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Who were the real people behind Tom Joad and all the others in the John Steinbeck's classic novel of the Great Depression?

The Rost Home Colony, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Finding family ties in the records of a Freedmen's Bureau experiment.

Eisenhower and the Red Menace

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Eisenhower's strategy to combat Joseph McCarthy and his hunt for communists in the government.

DOCUMERICA

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

A highlight of the Environmental Protection Agency's ambitious project to capture environmental crises and cures in the 1970s.

NARA is up-to-date in Kansas City

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

As Missouri Governor declares June 2, 2010 as National Archives and Records Administration Recognition Day, we take a look at the Kansas City archives.

The Congressional Archives

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The Center for Legislative Archives maintains the records of both houses Congress, and holds a few surprises as well.

VIPs in Uniform: A Look at the Military Files of the Famous and Famous-To-Be

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

A look at the military files of some of the famous and famous-to-be, including Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen, George S. Patton Jr., and Jack Keroauc.

The Army Medal of Honor: The First Fifty-five Years

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The Civil War origins of the Medal of Honor and guidance on how to find records of recipients.

Wearing Lipstick to War: An American Woman in World War II England and France

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Remembering Liz Richardson, one of the "Red Cross girls".

Prologue: Pieces of History

Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The National Archives has billions of pieces of history in it. Here at Prologue, we\�ve been collecting these "Pieces of History" � from hero pigeons to FDR\�s globe � and have built up quite a stockpile! Join us as we share and discover what\�s inside the National Archives.

Living with the Hydra: The Documentation of Slavery and the Slave Trade in Federal Records

Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

An in-depth survey of relevant federal records from the founding of the republic through the Civil War.

Slavery and Emancipation in the Nation's Capital: Using Federal Records to Explore the Lives of African American Ancestors

Fri, 07 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Damani Davis shows how to use federal records to explore the lives of African American ancestors from Washington, DC.

Out of War, a New Nation

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Pulitzer�prize winning historian James McPherson discusses the lasting impact of America's bloodiest war.

Discovering the Civil War

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Exhibit curator Bruce Bustard explains how the National Archives' latest exhibit makes the Civil War "strange again" for its viewers.

"A Reasonable Degree of Promptitude"

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Learn how Civil War Pension Application Processing from 1861�1885 can help you research your ancestry.

Voices of Emancipation: Union Pension Files Giving Voice to Former Slaves

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

After the Civil War, African American citizens provided an oral history of their lives in bondage.

"Sweltering with Treason" The Civil War Trials of William Matthew Merrick

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Lincoln's administration finds a way to work around a federal judge with Confederate sympathies.

Enhancing Your Family Tree with Civil War Maps

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

How to use an often-overlooked resource for filling out your Civil War research.

When an American City Is Destroyed: The U.S. Military as First Responders to the San Francisco Earthquake a Century Ago

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

How the U.S. military became the "first responders" and took charge.

The "Fast Mail": A History of the U.S. Railway Mail Service

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

As the railroads speeded America's westward movement, post office cars made the nation's mail move faster, too.

When the "Enemy" Landed at Angel Island: San Francisco Immigration Station Sought to Bar Hostile Aliens and Deport Resident Radicals During World War I

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The story of hostile aliens and deported resident radicals interred at San Francisco's Angel Island during World War I.

Trading Gray for Blue: Ex-Confederates Hold the Upper Missouri for the Union

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Former Confederate prisoners joined the North to help keep peace in the West.

"Sweltering with Treason": The Civil War Trials of William Matthew Merrick

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Lincoln's administration finds a way to work around a federal judge with Confederate sympathies.

The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Using records of veterans homes to gather information about Civil War and later veterans.

The 200th Anniversary of the Survey of the Coast

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

As the country fills out its Census sheets, Prologue looks back at other surveys conducted by the United States, including the survey of the coast, explained in this Prologue article.

"Plans of Division": Describing the Enumeration Districts of the 1930 Census

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

How did the government divide up the nation into manageable pieces for the 1930 Census? Find out here.

The Forgotten Federal Census of 1885

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0400

An "extra" census helps researchers find information that may not be found anywhere else.

The Voyage of the "Coolie" Ship Kate Hooper

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Tells of an American ship that brought Chinese workers to Cuba, a journey that saw the death of its captain, several mutinies by the laborers, and ended with crew members in a Havana jail.

Women Soldiers of the Civil War

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The long-forgotten story of women who secretly served in the Confederate and Union Armies.

Discover the Civil War on our Twitter Feed

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Get ready to Discover the Civil War as the National Archives celebrates the 150th anniversary of the conflict. Follow us @discovercivwar for artifacts, facts, and more!

Band of Angels: Sister Nurses in the Spanish-American War, Part 1

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Records in the National Archives document the service of a dedicated group of women religious who tended the sick and wounded during the Spanish-American War.

Black Domestics During the Depression: Workers, Organizers, Social Commentators

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

New Deal agencies record women's lives, livelihoods, and struggles.

From Slave Women to Free Women: The National Archives and Black Women's History in the Civil War Era

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

NARA records help explore women's road from slavery to freedom.

The Story of the Female Yeomen during the First World War

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The vague language of the Naval Act of 1916 opened the door to women volunteering in the U.S. Navy.

Wearing Lipstick to War: An American Woman in World War II England and France

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Remembering Liz Richardson, one of the "Red Cross girls".

Belva Lockwood: Blazing the Trail for Women in Law

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

She stood up to a President, became the first woman to argue before the Supreme Court, and helped stir the woman suffrage movement.

"Their . . . Bedding is wet Their floors are damp" Pre-Bureau Records and Civil War African American Genealogy

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Discover what the records show about life for African American refugees before the Freedmen's Bureau.

Marriage Registers of Freedmen

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Learn about an invaluable source for African American family history.

The Rost Home Colony, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Finding family ties in the records of a Freedmen's Bureau experiment.

Movie vs. Reality: The Real Story of the von Trapp Family

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Were the hills really alive with the Sound of Music? This Prologue favorite tells the true story of the famous von Trapp family as we celebrate the 45th anniversary of the film's first run.

A Notable Passage to China Myth and Memory in FDR's Family History

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

One hundred one years ago this month, the Great White Fleet finished its world tour, demonstrating America's naval might on the orders of Teddy Roosevelt. The seas must have run in the Roosevelt blood, as FDR's mother recalls another ocean voyage, one of the latter president's favorite stories.

Like Ike? Pick up the latest Prologue in print or online today!

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Our latest issue just hit the shelves! Order our print magazine, or catch us online at Scribd.com, Zinio.com or Barnes and Noble's website to get a digital copy for your laptop or e-reader. Articles start at just $1.00!

Found at the Presidential Libraries: Dr. Seuss, Air Force One, and the San Diego Chicken

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Amid White House documents and tapes, you'll find some unusual items that are now part of history.

Getting the Message Out: The Poster Boys of World War II

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The Boy Scouts of America were mobilized to distribute the government's patriotic messages and warnings about spies and saboteurs on the home front.

Ike Eisenhower's spies in the sky, Alaskan panoramas and plenty more just hit the shelves! Pick up the latest Prologue in print or online today!

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The Emancipation Proclamation: An Act of Justice

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

This vintage article from the Prologue vaults celebrates the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. 150 years after Lincoln's election, the document endures as one of the most profound announcements in American history.

Finding Place for the Negro: Robert C. Weaver and the Groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

A future cabinet member shaped government policies toward African Americans during the Depression and World War II.

Ike Eisenhower's spies in the sky, Alaskan panoramas and plenty more just hit the shelves! Pick up the latest Prologue in print or online today!

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The Alaskan Frontier in Panorama

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Some of the first panoramic photos of the Alaskan wilderness are held in the National Archives. Richard E. Schneider tells the story of how these century-old photos were preserved.

A Place in the Archives

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Love, dinosaur tracks, and your own letters are all part of the National Archives. Miriam Kleiman shows us the personal side of our nation's holdings.

"How an eagle feels when his wings are clipped and caged": Relocation Center Newspapers Describe Japanese American Internment in World War II

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Japanese internment camp newspapers provided a sense of community in World War II, and provide a unique insight for researchers today.

Ready Access: NARA's Federal Records Centers Offer Agencies Storage, Easy Use for 80 Billion Pages of Documents

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The Federal Records Centers Program provides an essential service for U.S. Government agencies, and provides you access to your government. Find out how here.

Exodus to Kansas: The 1880 Senate Investigation of the Beginnings of the African American Migration from the South

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

An 1880 congressional inquiry investigated the beginnings of the African American migration from the south.

A Final Appeal to Capitol Hill: The U.S. House's Accompanying Papers File, 1865�1903

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Citizens exercising their constitutional right to petition left future generations a weath of genealogical information.

World War I Gold Star Mothers Pilgrimages

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Mothers and widows of U.S. soldiers who died overseas during World War I sailed to Europe to see the graves of their sons and husbands.

World War I Gold Star Mothers Pilgrimages, Part II

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Part two of the story of the pilgramages mothers and widows made to see the graves of their loved ones following World War I.

BATTLEFILM: Motion Pictures of the Great War

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

A look at NARA's trove of images of World War I.

Movie vs. Reality: The Real Story of the von Trapp Family

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

How the producers of The Sound of Music altered the story of the family that endeared itself to audiences on stage and screen.

There's a NARA Near You! Exploring the Regional Archives

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Nearly one-quarter of NARA's holdings are located in its regional archives, and there may be one near you.

Finding Ordinary Americans with Extraordinary Stories

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

The search for the real people whose stories live within the records of the National Archives brings surprises, joy, and sadness.

Diplomacy and Duels on the High Seas

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Carefully laid plans for a dramatic confrontation between two ships are upset by the outbreak of peace in the War of 1812 in this article from the Prologue vaults.

Genealogical Fallout from the War of 1812

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

This reference article discusses the wealth of information contained in Seamen's Protection Certificate Applications.

Genealogical Records of the War of 1812

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

How to use military records to research a War of 1812 veteran.

Celebrating the Wright Brothers' First Flight: The International Civil Aeronautics Conference of 1928

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

One hundred six years ago, Orville and Wilbur Wright set the wind behind the country's back and helped put us all in the air. By 1928, President Coolidge and a young Herbert Hoover wanted to remind the world of America's place in aviation history: at the top. Charles F. Downs has the story of how they did it.

20 July 1969

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

It took mankind thousands of years to take flight, but barely half a century to put a man on the moon once the Wright brothers developed sustained flight. That is why Neil Armstrong's small step was a giant leap, and why the world paused to observe it 40 years ago.

Picture This!

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Now you can purchase high-quality National Arhives photos--from the Man on the Moon to Cliff Barryman cartoons--on our Pictopia site. Just in time for the holidays!

The Christmas Tree Ship

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Author Glenn V. Longcare helps uncover the mystery of the disappearance of one of Chicago's famous "Christmas tree ships" and its skipper, "Captain Santa" in one of the great legends of Great Lakes maritime history. Also available as a free download on our Scribd page!

The Flip Side of History

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

What's on the back of Declaration of Independence? What about other historic documents like General Robert E. Lee's letter regarding the Battle of Gettysburg?

Looking for Last Minute Gifts?

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Shopping for that history buff or genealogist in your family? Stop by the National Archives shop, either in person or online and find the perfect gift!

"Two Japans": Japanese Expressions of Sympathy and Regret in the Wake of the Panay Incident

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

This article from the Prologue vaults recalls the great outpouring of sympathy from the Japanese public in 1937, 4 years before Pearl Harbor, after Japanese forces sank a U.S. Navy gunboat.

Fala and the Barkers for Britain

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Pieces of History looks at how FDR's "best friend" helped in the war effort.

The Search for the Site of the Sand Creek Massacre

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Using archival research, archaeological excavation, and tribal memory, the National Park Service explored the site of a 145 year old massacre of a Cheyenne and Arapaho village.

Changing Channels: The Civil Rights Case That Transformed Television

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

When you sit down to watch some TV after a feast this Thursday, consider the current landscape of equal rights as they appear on television. It wasn't always that way: this 2004 Prologue article tells of the 15 year legal fight to bring the civil rights to the airwaves.

The Hours before Dallas: A Recollection by President Kennedy's Fort Worth Advance Man

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Forty six years ago this week, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on a clear Dallas morning. This is the story of the hours before the fateful shots were fired, as told by one of Kennedy's advance men.

LBJ: Still Casting a Long Shadow

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The legacies of the Great Society and the Vietnam War buildup that shape history's assessment of the nation's 36th President.

A Victor in Defeat: Chief Gall's Life on the Standing Rock Reservation

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Lakota Chief Gall, a leader at the Battle of Little Big Horn, had to adopt a new status as an agency Indian following his surrender to the U.S. Army in 1881. This is his story.

Winema and the Modoc War: One Woman's Struggle for Peace

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Winema Riddle was one of the few women to earn a government pension for her courage in battle. Stranger still, she was a woman of the Modoc nation. Through brave ambition, she sought to foster better relations between her tribe and the U.S. Government.

"Jitterbugs" and "Crackpots": Letters to the FCC about the "War of the Worlds" Broadcast

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Almost 70 years ago, Orson Welles threw the nation into a panic with tales of killer aliens taking over planet earth. This is how the public responded.

Archival Vintage for The Grapes of Wrath

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Daniel Nealand examines the real-life characters behind John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath.

Forty Years Ago

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

From our Prologue vaults, we look back at October 1962 when America was on the brink of all out war with the Soviet Union. From the documents of the JFK Presidential Library, retrace the history of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Reclaiming Pieces of Camelot: How NARA and the JFK Library Recovered Missing Kennedy Documents and Artifacts

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Prologue investigates how the National Archives and JFK Presidential Library recovered stolen parts of our American archives.

An Extraordinary President and His Remarkable Cabinet

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

150 years ago this Friday, the unofficial start of the Civil War occured when John Brown made his raid on Harpers Ferry. Lincoln and his carefully constructed cabinet would play a large part in reshaping the landscape of America following this conflict. Ellen Fried takes a closer look at these influential men in an interview Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of the popular book, Team of Rivals.

Enhancing Your Family Tree with Civil War Maps

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

As we approach the sesquicentennial of the start of the Civil War, Prologue revisits Trevor K. Plante's advice on bringing your family tree to life with Civil War-era maps.

Nazi Looted Art: The Holocaust Records Preservation Project

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

As the decades pass since the end of World War II, the National Archives remains an important reminder of all that was lost in such a turbulent period. This tells the story of the art and artifacts that were lost, and sometimes found, after the war.

Revisiting Korea: Exposing Myths of the Forgotten War

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Fifty-nine years ago this week, United Nations forces cross the 38th parallel in one of the bloodiest moments of the Cold War. Rediscover the Forgotten War, as Prologue exposes the myths of this conflict on the Korean peninsula.

Jefferson Buys Louisiana Territory, and the Nation Moves Westward

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

At four cents an acre, the Louisiana Purchase remains one of the best real estate deals in history, and like all land purchases, took a great deal of paperwork. Now that paper trail, and the story it tells, is housed at the National Archives.

"Incited by the Love of Liberty": The Amistad Captives and the Federal Courts

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

One hundred seventy years ago this week, the rebellious slaves aboard Amistad were indicted for piracy. Their quest for freedom played out on the high seas, and later within the U.S. Federal court system.

Catch Harry S. Truman's Lobster Joke on YouTube

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

This Fall, Prologue is publishing for the first time the letters of Bess Truman to her husband, President Harry Truman. To celebrate one of the most endearing marriages in presidential history, the National Archives is posting rarely seen footage of Harry and Bess on our YouTube channel, lobster joke included.

Rich, Famous, and Questionably Sane

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Psychiatric records from a government hospital provide a peek into the private lives of wealthy and prominent families and their squabbles over sanity.

The Emancipation Proclamation

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

One hundred forty seven years ago Tuesday, Abraham Lincoln put pen to paper and freed a nation with the Emancipation Proclamation. Prologue celebrates this landmark moment in civil rights with a look at this historic document.

Voices of Emancipation: Union Pension Files Giving Voice to Former Slaves

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

After the Civil War, African American citizens provided an oral history of their lives in bondage. Celebrating the 147th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, and the 150th anniversary of John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry this October, Prologue looks back on stories of the newly emancipated.

Mutual Admiration and a Few Jokes: The Correspondence of Harry Truman with Groucho and Harpo Marx

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Letters in the Truman Library reveal the unlikely relationship between the President and two of the Marx Brothers.

The First Proposal or What a Future President of the United States Did When He Was Rejected by the Woman He Loved

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

As Prologue gets ready to release some of Bess Truman's rarely seen letters to Harry, Prologue looks at the rough start to this long and happy marriage.

Harry Truman, Poker Player

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The 33rd President often looked forward to a game of cards to relax and enjoy the company of friends or his staff � and even a visiting British legend.

De Smet, Dakota Territory, Little Town in the National Archives

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

35 years ago this week, the Little House on the Prarie premiered on televisions across America. Prologue takes a look at the paper trail left by the Charles Ingall and Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Adventures with Grandpa

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

As Prologue gets ready to release some of Bess Truman's rarely seen letters to Harry, grandson Clifton Truman Daniel recalls what is was like growing up with the Man from Independence.

To Protect and to Serve: The Records of the D.C. Metropolitan Police, 1861�1930

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

A look at the men and women who protected and served our nations's capital, Washington, D.C., all the way from the Civil War to the Great Depression.

Sage Prophet or Loose Cannon?

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

A sharp Navy intelligence officer predicted Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor while earning the ire of the top brass.

Opening the Files on War Crimes

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

After opening 8.5 million pages of previously sealed documents, a final report from the panel that made public documents on Nazi and Japanese actions during World War II.

American POWs on Japanese Ships Take a Voyage into Hell

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Five separate stories from the survivors of Japan's "Hell Ships" as told through the holdings of the Access to Archival Database.

Beyond the Box Score

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

This week marks the anniversary of the first televised Major League Baseball game. Explore a wealth of information about baseball and its illustrious past found in an unlikely place�the records of the National Archives.

Documenting the Struggle for Racial Equality in the Decade of the Sixties

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Forty-six years ago this week, Marting Luther King, Jr. gave his historic "I Have a Dream" speech. This archived Prologue article provides an overview of NARA records relating to the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

Monuments, Manifest Destiny, and Mexico

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexican boundary line is drawn, and redrawn, amid politics and turmoil on both sides of the border.

Sixty Years Later, the Story of PT-109 Still Captivates

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

His boat destroyed, John F. Kennedy eludes the Japanese and challenges the sea to lead his crew to safety and becomes a war hero.

Ike's Interstates at 50: Anniversary of the Highway System Recalls Eisenhower's Role as Catalyst

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Young Dwight Eisenhower's views on the importance of good roads later served as a catalyst in creating today's half-century-old interstate highway system.

The Frozen Sucker War

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

In pre-air-conditioning America, Good Humor and Popsicle square off in search of market share in the growing frozen sucker market.

The National Archives is now on Facebook

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

First YouTube, then Flickr, now Facebook! The US National Archives is going Web 2.0. Look at historic pictures, find out what's on at an Archives location near you, and interact with our nine billion documents, all from the comfort of your computer.

A Heavy Sea Running: The Formation of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, 1846-1878

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

August 4, 2009, marks the 219th birthday of the U.S. Coast Guard. In the mid-18th century the Coast Guard worked with another organization, the U.S. Life-Saving Servce, to save those in need off America's coastline. This is the fascinating story of the first federal service devoted to saving victims of shipwrecks.

The "Z Plan" Story

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

In 1944, Japan's plans for a final decisive counterattack against allied forces in the Pacific, called "The Z Plan," fell into the hands of American military intelligence personnel, giving the allies the advantage in what would become the largest aircraft carrier battle in world history: the Battle for the Phillippine Sea.

From Pearl Harbor to Elvis: Images That Endure

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Out of the nine million images in our Still Pictures section, these eleven images are the most popular. See them here, or on our new U.S. National Archives Facebook page.

A Time to Act: The Beginning of the Fritz Kolbe Story, 1900 - 1904

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The first in a five part series from our archives, Greg Bradsher explores how German diplomatic officer Fritz Kolbe - code named George Wood - fed the United States and its allies valuable information about the Nazi Third Reich from his post in the German foreign office. The information went to Switzerland, where it was received by the American spymaster, Allen Dulles. Dulles, who would later head the CIA, called Kolbe "our best source in Germany". This is his story.

Tear Down This Wall

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

How four simple words became one of Ronald Reagan's best lines in one of his most memorable speeches.

The "Fast Mail:" A History of the U.S. Railway Mail Service

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

As the railroads speeded America's westward movement, post office cars made the nation's mail move faster, too. Here's a new perspective on the nation's expansion to the Pacific.

The NHPRC: Extending the Archives's Reach

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) plays an integral role in preserving American history through providing assistance to state and local governments, colleges and universities, and nonprofit institutions. Since its creation the NHPRC has funded 4,500 projects and invested 185 million dollars across the country.

Lead the Way: Researching US Army Indian Scouts

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The story of how President Ulysses S. Grant became the first, and so far, only U.S. president to testify voluntarily in a criminal trial. The testimony was found, properly filed many years ago, was rediscovered in 2000 by a NARA staff archivist. The testimony was part of the Whiskey Ring trials, which involved charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. treasury. The trial captured widespread media attention and helped to hang the "scandal-ridden" tag on the Grant Administration.

Prologue is now on Scribd!

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Interested in purchasing single articles from Prologue Magazine? Now you can on Scribd.com for just a dollar!

Bridging the Mississippi: The Railroads and Steamboats Clash at the Rock Island Bridge

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

In the 1850s, there was intense competition for the first railroad bridge across the Mississippi River, a key portal to the opening of the West. Northerners and Southerners competed for the honor. The battle pitted the Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis, against an Illinois railroad lawyer named Abraham Lincoln. Read of their first meeting in this award-winning article from the Prologue archives.

Lead the Way: Researching US Army Indian Scouts

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Expert Trevor K. Plante guides readers through researching US Army Indian Scouts in this genealogy feature.

Safeguarding Hoover Dam during World War II

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The U.S. Government took major steps during World War II to protect Hoover Dam, a major source of electricity for southern California and seen as a possible target for Japanese bombers. And they considered a number of other proposals to protect the dam, including a decoy.

When the "Enemy" Landed at Angel Island

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

The story of hostile aliens and deported resident radicals interned at San Francisco's Angel Island during World War I

The Panama Canal: The African American Experience

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

45 Years ago this month, Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act. Prologue looks back with an archived article highlighting the African American experience in the Panama Canal.

Black Domestics During the Depression: Workers, Organizers, Social Commentators

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

In this article from the Prologue's 1997 issue, the story of African Americans in the New Deal is told through the documents of the National Archives.

In the King's Service

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Benjamin Franklin wasn’t the only one who played a part in establishing our postal system. Learn more about Hugh Finlay and the postal system in Colonial America

Hemingway on War and its Aftermath

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

110 years ago this July one of America's greatest writers, Ernest Hemingway, was born in a small Chicago suburb. Read about Hemingway and how his involvement in two world wars, and a handful of other conflicts, affected his writing.

Listening to Nixon: An Archivist's Reflections on His Work with the White House Tapes

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Five men were arrested in June 1972 at the National Democratic Headquarters in the Watergate hotel complex, kicking off a series of events that would eventually lead to the resignation of President Nixon two years later. Read about Watergate, the "smoking gun" tape recording, and other lesser–known moments caught on audio tape here.

Our Story

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Prologue reflects on the National Archives' 75 years

Wearing Lipstick to War

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Her gravestone sits on Omaha beach where 65 years ago this June allied troops landed as part of D-Day, history's largest amphibious invasion. Before and after the assault on Normandy, American Red Cross volunteers like Elizabeth Richardson provided respite to war-weary soldiers back in England.

LBJ Champions the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

45 years ago this month, Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race and gender. Learn how President Johnson laid the groundwork for this historic legislation and battled fellow southerners for its passage here.