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Citizen Archivist Missions

Ready to start tagging and transcribing? We've curated these topical missions to help you jump in and contribute! Click on a topic that interests you, and it will bring you right to those historical records in our Catalog. Tagging and transcribing makes these records more accessible to everyone. New missions are added and updated regularly, so check back often to see what’s new.

New to our Citizen Archivist program? Learn how to register and get started.

Looking for a previous mission? Visit Mission History

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Revolutionary War Pension Files Transcription and Tagging Missions

The stories of over 80,000 men and women who lived through the American Revolution are waiting to be told. Will you help us tell them?

Join the transcription mission! Join the tagging mission!

Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs)

Help us transcribe records about Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) from the U.S. Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration. Records include civilian and military eyewitness reports, case files, transcripts and interviews.

Closure Files, 1957 - 1983

Transcribe materials loosely related to the closure of Mount Edgecumbe Boarding School at Sitka, Alaska in 1983. There is correspondence related to the closure as well as general correspondence having to do with physical property needs, personnel management, recreation supplies and other administrative matters.

Native American Patriots

While their pension files may not mention race, through extensive research the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) have identified Native American Revolutionary War Veterans. Help us transcribe the pension files of these patriots.

Files of Charles H. Jennings, 1924 - 1930

Help us transcribe the files of Charles H. Jennings, the Attorney General's representative on the Pueblo Lands Board. The files consist of records relating to the Board's work in investigating title disputes between Native Americans and non - Native Americans on the patented lands of the Pueblo Indians in New Mexico.

Records of the Committee on Fair Employment Practice

Cultural Resource Management Records, 1955–2014

Help us transcribe National Park Service cultural resource program management records relating to historic, architectural, archaeological, environmental and other aspects of national parks, military parks, historic structures, and historic sites.

Inmate Case Files

Help us transcribe individual inmate case files. The files vary from inmate to inmate, nearly all include a "Record Sheet" that gives the inmate's name; registration number; alias; crime; sentence in years, months, and days; court fines and costs; and more. Most files include a "mug shot" photograph of the inmate with front and profile views.

Index to Photographs of Personalities in the General Photographic File of the Department of Navy, 1941 - 1945

Help us transcribe a name index to informal and candid individual and group photographs of U.S. Navy service personnel.

Case Files of Japanese American Prisoners Sent to the U.S. Penitentiary, McNeil Island, 1935–1949

Help us transcribe correspondence and case files relating to Japanese-Americans interned at Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming. Files document Japanese-American men convicted of violations of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 by refusing to register and report for the draft.

Don't Leave Us Hanging

Help us complete these records that have not been fully transcribed.

Questions? Email us at citizenarchivist@nara.gov

Outside the Box Missions

Up for a challenge or something different? We often have records that require special work in order to make them more accessible.

New to our Citizen Archivist program? Learn how to register and get started.
Already have an account? Login here.

Chinese Heritage

Help us transcribe and tag records related to the Chinese Exclusion Era. We need your help transcribing these immigration records and tagging very specific details that will help provide greater access to these records. Please read the instructions on the mission page carefully and begin contributing.

Join the mission

Featured Court Case

The International Union, United Automobile Workers of America, a Voluntary Association vs. John L. Carey, Mayor of the City of Dearborn; Carl A. Brooks, Chief of Police of the City of Dearborn; the Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford and Harry Bennett

Transcribe an equity case that involves a dispute between the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the Ford Motor Company, the mayor and chief of police of Dearborn, Michigan, and Henry Ford and Harry Bennett, the internal security agency chief. The UAW was attempting to distribute their union newspaper, the United Automobile Workers, to employees leaving the Ford Dearborn plant, and were assaulted and prevented from distributing it by the defendants.

Start transcribing now

Transcriber Task Force

Seeking expert transcribers! We’ve gathered records that have tricky elements for our expert transcribers. You may find only a few pages that are difficult or the whole record. If you’d like to join our Transcriber Task Force and get emails for special projects, send us an email citizenarchivist@nara.gov

Get started transcribing!

1950 Census Transcription Projects

The 1950 Census is here! We're looking for help transcribing the initial name index for the 1950 Census. While you can transcribe any name or any page within the 1950 Census, we've identified several specific areas where we'd like your help transcribing.

Help refine the 1950 Census name index!

Featured Records

Jump in and help us transcribe these individual records. Documenting events throughout United States history, transcribers of all skill levels are sure to find something new and interesting in these featured records!

Beginner

Promotional Documentary--MA-6 Transcribe this record.
74-3471: William L. Calley, Jr. v. Howard H. Callaway, Etc., et. al. [9 of 16] Transcribe this record.
Public Law 87-370: An Act to Amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 and Incorporate Therein Provisions for the Payment of Annuities to Widows and Certain Dependents of the Judges of the Tax Court of the United States, and for Other Purposes Transcribe this record.
Winston Churchill to Franklin D. Roosevelt Transcribe this record.
Transcript of the Meeting of the President's Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services Transcribe this record.
Letter from E. W. Kenworthy to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Dan A. Kimball Transcribe this record.
Memorandum to Assistant Attorney General Holmes Baldridge Transcribe this record.
Memorandum, Racial Breakdown of Civilian Personnel According to Civil Service Classification Transcribe this record.
HRC Speeches 6/95-8/95: [Women in Military Service for America 6/22/95] Transcribe this record.
Report, Report on Japanese Assets in Manchuria to the President of the United States Transcribe this record.

Intermediate

Memorandum for the Record (MFR) of an Interview with a Person Affiliated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Conducted by Team 6 Transcribe this record.
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Athens, Greece, 1837-1906, Despatches: July 1, 1890 - November 28, 1898 Transcribe this record.
Gemini VII Air-to-Ground Transcript Volume II Transcribe this record.
M179 - Miscellaneous Letters of the Department of State, 1789-1906, January 3, 1806 - December 31, 1807 Transcribe this record.
Despatches from U.S. Ministers to the Italian States, 1832-1906, Italy: Apr. 15-Dec, 27, 1899 Transcribe this record.
U.S. v. Volney Davis Transcribe this record.
Re: Japanese Immigration Transcribe this record.

Advanced

USCG Sherman, 11/01/1970 - 11/30/1970 Transcribe this record.
General Records of the Department of State, 1763 - 2002, Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Liverpool, England, 1790-1906, Despatches: July 1 - December 23, 1863 Transcribe this record.
1910-1920: Incoming Miscellaneous Executive Bureaus: Fuel Administration, 03/09/1918 To Railroad Administration, 11/15/1919 Transcribe this record.
General Index to Appointments, 7/1932 - 6/1935, General Index Book 1 Transcribe this record.
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Athens, Greece, 1837-1906, Despatches: January 16, 1898 - June 30, 1904 Transcribe this record.
Records of Hospital Supplies Transcribe this record.
Journal of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon Transcribe this record.
Case No. 2 Dall. 1; 2 Dall. 19 - Miller v. The Ship Resolution - Pennsylvania , 1781 Transcribe this record.

Questions? Email us at citizenarchivist@nara.gov

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