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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.

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Escape and Evasion Reports

Transcribe reports that typically include typed or handwritten narrative that documents the escape and evasion experience of the escapee or evader. Reports can also include a brief questionnaire concerning the use of escape and evasion (E&E) training and equipment; an interrogation form with unit designation, target information, number of missions flown, date considered missing in action, date returned to U.S. or allied control, country of escape or evasion, and more.

"United States Colored Troops" - American Civil War

Help us transcribe the military service records of Union volunteer soldiers who served during the American Civil War. Records include jackets (folders) containing cards on which information relating to individuals, companies, and regiments of the Volunteer Service of the United States during the Civil War have been copied from original records such as muster rolls, returns, descriptive books, and morning reports.

Correspondence Related to Trails, 1974 - 1981

Help us transcribe correspondence; economic and historic studies and summaries; working papers; and occasional maps of trails in Alaska being considered for conservation and recreation purposes.

Franklin D. Roosevelt's Message Files

Transcribe messages sent or received by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and by his immediate family and advisors. These messages record the actions taken personally by President Roosevelt and his staff on the major diplomatic and military questions of World War II.

James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger Jr.- Alcatraz Number 1428

Transcribe the inmate file of "Whitey" Bulger, incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary, Alcatraz, California (USP Alcatraz).

Newspapers, 1960 - 1970

Transcribe school newspapers from Bureau of Indian Affairs schools throughout Alaska. The newspapers include news about school activities such as sports; dances; special projects by different classes; and programs including plays, 4-H club events, and student council affairs. Don't try to recreate the layout of the newspaper, just capture the text in a logical fashion.

Historical Nurse Files, ca. 1916 - ca. 1959

Help us transcribe case files on American National Red Cross nurses who served during the First and Second World Wars. Individual case files vary greatly in their contents, but they may include some or all of the following: correspondence, applications, letters of reference, military orders, efficiency reports, invoices, press clippings, reports, completed Red Cross forms (including biographical questionnaires), and memoranda.

Confidential Cablegrams, 1917 - 1919

Help us transcribe World War I confidential cablegrams sent from General John J. Pershing to the Adjutant General.

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.

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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

MISSION COMPLETED! Thanks to the contributions of Citizen Archivists, more than 18,000 photographs from the Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) have been tagged with topical subject tags. These contributions helped to create the Bureau of Indian Affairs Photographs Finding Aid where the records can be viewed by Tribal Nation, Topic, or State.

Explore the Bureau of Indian Affairs Photographs Finding Aid

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

Civil Case Files, 1938 - 1995, Contemporary Arts, et al vs. Arthur M. Ney, et al Transcribe this record.
Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685 - 2009, Criminal Case Files, 1873 - 1991, The United States of America vs. Joseph C. Calandra, Moreno L. Keplinger, Paul L. Wright, and James B. Plank, Filed transcript of proceedings Transcribe this record.
Memorandum from James Cooley to Roy J. Bullock with Attached Report by Robert N. Golding, Report on East-West Trade Security Controls, 10/2/1951 Transcribe this record.
Records of the Department of State Relating to Internal Affairs of the Ukraine: 860E.00/108 THRU 860E.652/1: 1930-1939 Transcribe this record.
Memorandum, Charles Ross to Matthew Connelly, 3/11/1948 Transcribe this record.
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Athens, Greece, 1837-1906, Despatches: July 1, 1904 - August 6, 1906 Transcribe this record.
Records of the U.S. Forces in Southeast Asia, 1950 - 1976, 228-03 15th MED - Medical Evacuation within the 1st CAV DIV - SEP1965-FEB1970 Transcribe this record.
Records of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1868 - 2008, Narrative Reports, Valentine NWR, 1968 Transcribe this record.
Report, Summary of United States Government Economic and Military Aid Authorized for China Since 1937, 1/1950 Transcribe this record.
Records of the National Park Service, 1785 - 2006, Central Subject Files, 1919 - 1981, C34 Santa Fe Railway Transcribe this record.

Intermediate

M179 - Miscellaneous Letters of the Department of State, 1789-1906, March 10 - 18, 1902 Transcribe this record.
United States of America vs. James W. Lewis, also known as Robert Richardson, Transcripts Transcribe this record.
Records of the Patent and Trademark Office, 1836 - 1978, 2455575 - Pickup Unit for Stringed Instruments - Clarence Fender and Clayton Kauffman Transcribe this record.
Official Military Personnel File for Ernest L. Wrentmore Transcribe this record.
Despatches from U.S. Ministers to Japan, 1855-1906, Aug. 3, 1880 - Jan. 22, 1881 Transcribe this record.
Folder, "Cables, [Cables, memos, reports, and other material, 11/63-5/67] Vol. XVI, 8/16‑31/64, 1 of 2," Vietnam Country File, NSF, Box 7 Transcribe this record.
Despatches from U.S. Consuls in Osaka and Hiogo (Kobe), Japan, 1868-1906, Despatches: Volumes 11 - 12: May 6, 1901 - May 20, 1905; September 27, 1905 / Despatches: Liege: Volume 6 (part): June 6, 1905 - July 26, 1906 Transcribe this record.
Records of the National Park Service, 1785 - 2006, Central Subject Files, 1919 - 1981, C34 Fred Harvey Transcribe this record.
M179 - Miscellaneous Letters of the Department of State, 1789-1906, January 13 - 19, 1906 Transcribe this record.
Despatches from U.S. Ministers to the Italian States, 1832-1906, Italy: Apr. 15-Dec, 27, 1899 Transcribe this record.

Advanced

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.
Index to Hawaiian Certificates of Identity Transcribe this record.
1910-1920: Incoming Miscellaneous Executive Bureaus: Fuel Administration, 03/09/1918 To Railroad Administration, 11/15/1919 Transcribe this record.
Bankruptcy Act of 1898 Dockets, 1898 - 1979, Reading Company, 1971 Transcribe this record.
Logbooks of Ships and Shore Installations, 1948-1972, USCGC Eastwind (WAG-279/WAGB-279), January 1956 - December 1956 Transcribe this record.
Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793 - 1999, District Files: Northern: 1908 - 1911 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.
General Index to Appointments, 7/1932 - 6/1935, General Index Book 1 Transcribe this record.
Naval Records Collection of the Office of Naval Records and Library, 1691 - 1945, Letters Received from Commissioned Officers Below the Rank of Commander and from Warrant Officers, 1802 - 1886, Letter(s) received from Southworth, Edward B Transcribe this record.
Logbooks of U.S. Navy Ships and Stations, 1941 - 1988, Logbook of the USS Monterey, Monterey (CVL-26) - October 1944 Transcribe this record.

Questions? Email us at citizenarchivist@nara.gov

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