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Citizen Archivist Missions

Contribute!

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.

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Case Files of Attorneys, Agents, Pensioners, and Othersca. 1886 - 1933

Case Files of Attorneys, Agents, Pensioners, and Others 1886 - 1933

Help us transcribe case files relating to attorneys who were disbarred for misconduct and files relating to notaries public, justices of the peace, postmasters, and others authorized to administer oaths who committed either inadvertent or intentional misconduct in executing pension vouchers.

Submarines

Submarines

Help us transcribe records relating to submarines including patrol reports, reports of sinking enemy submarines, and more. Are you a submarine expert? Share any additional details you many know about the record in the comments field.

African American History

African American History

The National Archives holds a wealth of material documenting the African American experience. Explore our records documenting African American History and help transcribe these records to make them more searchable and discoverable in the Catalog. More information about African American research can be found on our website, archives.gov/research/african-americans

TVA Family Removal and Population Readjustment Case Files, 1937 - 1948

TVA Family Removal and Population Readjustment Case Files, 1937 - 1948

Transcribe case histories and family surveys of individuals affected by the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) acquisition of land for dam and power production projects. Find a page without a blue tag and start transcribing. Thanks to Citizen Archivist Alex for the suggestion!

Index to Final Pension Payment Vouchers, 1818 - 1864

Index to Final Pension Payment Vouchers, 1818 - 1864

Transcribe these index cards that include name, agency of payment, date of act, date of payment and date of death.

Award Cards, 1942 - 1963

Award Cards, 1942 - 1963

Help us transcribe this large series of index cards for awards that include the Purple Heart, Air Medal Decoration, Commendation Medal, Distinguished Service Cross, and Distinguished Flying Cross. Information included consists of: name, service number, rank, general order number, order date and issuing organization, award type, date awarded and more.

Word War II Posters

World War II Posters

Help us make these posters more accessible by tagging key features and details such as: solider, war worker, children, Uncle Sam, factory, and anything else you can identify. You are welcome to transcribe any additional text not found in the poster's title.

 

Ratified Indian Treaties

Ratified Indian Treaties

Help us transcribe handwritten treaties, attested Senate resolutions of ratification, printed copies of the treaties, and manuscript copies of Presidential ratifications and confirmations of the treaties.

Don't Leave Us Hanging

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

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

Native American Photographs Tagging Mission

Native American Photographs Tagging Mission

More than 18,000 photographs from the Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) are now available in the Catalog. We are looking for Citizen Archivists to add specific topical subject tags to each photograph in the Record Group.

Adding tags will help increase access to these rich records

Join the mission and get started tagging!

 

Record Group Explorer Missions

The National Archives recently launched a new pathway to view and explore our records: the Record Group Explorer. You can use this tool to see an overview of the scans of records currently available in our Catalog, organized by Record Group and format. 

To celebrate the launch of the Record Group Explorer, we’ve created special missions for each Record Group. Give the Explorer a try while contributing as a citizen archivist! Jump in and help tag and transcribe:

We’ll feature additional Record Groups for future missions. Each of your contributions to these records will help unlock history and make them easier to find in our Catalog for other users. 

 

Transcriber Task Force

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!

Zooniverse

African American Civil War Soldiers

Give voice to American soldiers and help transcribe records from the National Archives on the Zooniverse platform:

  • The American Soldier: Transcribe this remarkable collection of more than 65,000 handwritten reflections by U.S. soldiers who fought during the Second World War.
  • African American Civil War Soldiers: Transcribe military records of over 200,000 African Americans soldiers who fought for their freedom in the American Civil War.

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

  • Criminal Case 5660: U.S. versus William K. Hale and John Ramsey, Order to Transport - John Ramsey and William K. Hale Transcribe this record.
  • Speeches of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933 - 1945, Fireside Chat on the Unemployment Census, 11/14/1937 Transcribe this record.
  • Certificates of Registry for Livestock-- Harry S. Truman, 1907-1916, Pedigree Registration Form, American Short-Horn Breeders' Association, 7/7/1909 Transcribe this record.
  • Records of the U.S. Courts of Appeals, 1891-1992, Case Files, 1891-1997, 15927: Jackson v. Rawdon, Petition to Stay Judgment of Fifth Circuit, 9/5/1956 Transcribe this record.
  • CA 1384: Hermino Hernandez, et al v. Driscoll Consolidated Independent School District (DCISD), et. al., Plaintiffs' Original Petition, 11/22/1955 Transcribe this record.
  • Records of the U.S. Forces in Southeast Asia, 1950 - 1976, 701-24 Individual Reference Paper Files 1967 Transcribe this record.
  • Zinnamon v. Board of Education of the Pulaski County Special School District, Response to Motion to Consolidate, 3/4/1987 Transcribe this record.
  • Cambridge Plating Co., Inc. v. Napco, Inc., Motion of the Defendant, Napco, Inc., to Supplement Summary Judgment Papers, 10/1/1991 Transcribe this record.
  • Vietnam Country Files, 11/22/1963 - 1/20/1969, Folder, "Gulf of Tonkin (Miscellaneous), 1964, Folder, "Gulf of Tonkin (Miscellaneous), 1964, 2 of 3," Vietnam Country File, NSF, Box 228 Transcribe this record.
  • Memorandum for the Record (MFR) of an Interview with a Person Affiliated with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Conducted by Team 4, 12/10/2003 Transcribe this record.


Intermediate

  • Records of the Bureau of Animal Industry, 1864 - 1953, Diaries and Correspondence, 1915 - 1932, Diary of Work. Transcribe this record.
  • Records of the Office of Policy Development (Clinton Administration), 1993 - 2001, Carolyn Gatz's Files, 1993-1994, Book Drafts (3) Transcribe this record.
  • Approved Pension File for Ellen Fields, Widow of Private George Fields (alias George Nesbin; alias George Nesby), Company D, 10th U.S. Cavalry Regiment; Company C, 67th U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment; and Company H, 65th U.S. Colored Troops Infantry Regiment (WC-9898) Transcribe this record. 
  • Alice Bobo v. ITT Corporation and Continental Baking Company Transcribe this record.
  • Endangered Species Delisting Files, 1975 - 2000, Complaint Transcribe this record.
  • San Francisco Branch Evacuee Property Files, Sacramento Field Representative File (Part 5 of 10) Transcribe this record.
  • Esther Williams et. al. v. City of Kansas City, Missouri et. al. Transcribe this record.
  • Records of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1868 - 2008, Narrative Reports 1911-2001, Imperial NWR, 1946 Transcribe this record.
  • Folder, "Cables, [Cables, memos, reports, and other material, 11/63-5/67] Vol. XV, 8/1964," Vietnam Country File, NSF, Box 7 Transcribe this record.
  • San Francisco Branch Evacuee Property Files, 3/18/1942 - 6/30/1946, [R7.03] Farm Equipment File Transcribe this record.


Advanced

  • Logbooks of Ships and Shore Installations, 1948-1972, USCGC Eastwind (WAG-279/WAGB-279), January 1956 - December 1956 Transcribe this record.
  • The United States vs. Albert Horn: The United States vs. Albert Horn: Deposition of Jose Curvelo Paez., 8/27/1862 Transcribe this record.
  • Records of the Forest Service, Historical Files, 1901 - 1962, F – Studies – General, 1949 Transcribe this record.
  • Folder, "Presidential Decisions-Gulf of Tonkin Attacks of August 1964-Volume I, Tab 9, 1 of 2," NSC Histories, NSF, Box 38 Transcribe this record.
  • U.S. v. Douglas Chandler in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Boston, May 29, 1947 Transcribe this record. 
  • Records of the Public Buildings Service, 1801 - 2000, Letters Sent, 1/1858-1/1930, Vol. 2: Pages 950-1047: Letters 181-209 Transcribe this record.
  • Criminal Case Files, 1879-1987, The United States v. Fremont Weeks Transcribe this record.
  • Approved Pension File for Margaret Filson, Widow of Corporal John W. Filson, Companies D and H , 13th Ohio Infantry Regiment (WC-719646)Transcribe this record. (Scanned by Citizen Archivists in the Innovation Hub!)
  • Bankruptcy Act of 1898 Dockets, 1898 - 1979, Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, 1970 Transcribe this record.
  • Records of Hospital Supplies, 11/13/1815 - 3/3/1817 Transcribe this record.

 

Questions? Email us at citizenarchivist@nara.gov

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