Citizen Archivist Dashboard

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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19th Amendment Centennial

Petitions of Citizens of California in Favor of a Suffrage Amendment

The 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, but this landmark event was not the beginning or the end of the story for women and the struggle for the right to vote. Join us and transcribe newly digitized records that document the suffrage movement. These records include petitions to Congress for and against suffrage for women, resolutions, letters, telegrams, endorsements, resolutions, and memorials.

Get started transcribing!

Transcription Challenge

Ready for another #ArchivesAtHome challenge? Help us transcribe this 1868 case in which the will of Sylvia Ann Howland contested by niece, Hetty Robinson. Find a page without a blue tag and begin transcribing!

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

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

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!

Precedent Case Files, ca. 1907 - ca. 1973

Transcribe civil and criminal precedent case files submitted for inclusion in the annual report of the Attorney General of the United States. The cases were considered by the U.S. Attorneys who reported them as being of unusual or historical interest, unique, important, or precedent setting.

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.

Bureau of Public Roads Historical Photograph 1896 - 1963

Bureau of Public Roads 1896 - 1963

Help us tag details and features you find such as vehicles (can you identify the model and make?), highway structures, buildings, tourist cabins and motels, car washes, shopping centers, bus terminals, and parking garages.

Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant

Help us transcribe records relating to the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant in Seabrook, New Hampshire from the National Archives at Boston. They cover 1973-1979, a period when there was a great deal of legal activity with the Clamshell Alliance, an anti-nuclear power citizens' group.

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.
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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

Presidential Libraries Road Trip

Earlier this year, in honor of Presidents Day, we virtually traveled the country to bring you a series of Citizen Archivist missions featuring records from the Presidential Libraries across the National Archives.

We still have records left to transcribe. Will you help us complete the missions? .

Start the Road Trip!

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

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

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

Fireside Chat on the Currency Situation, 10/22/1933 Transcribe this record.
Telegram from Loy Henderson to Secretary of State Dean Acheson, 4/15/1950 Transcribe this record.
Records of the U.S. Forces in Southeast Asia, 1950 - 1976, 206-01 Interviews - Combat After Action 1967 Transcribe this record.
Zinnamon v. Board of Education of the Pulaski County Special School District, Supplemental Decree, 5/1/1973 Transcribe this record.
67-H-333: Muhammad Ali, et. al. v. John B. Connally, et. al. Transcribe this record.
Cambridge Plating Co., Inc. v. Napco, Inc., Memorandum of the Defendant, Napco, Inc., in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment, 8/29/1991 Transcribe this record.
Classified Visa Files, 1946-1951, Case File for Louis Fernando da Costa Transcribe this record.
Public Law 87-141: An Act Making Appropriations for Sundry Independent Executive Bureaus, Boards, Commissions, Corporations, Agencies, and Offices, for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1962, and for Other Purposes, 8/17/1961 Transcribe this record.
Letter from the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America, with Attached Pamphlet and Related Material, 7/11/1949 Transcribe this record.
William Bennett v. Francis Roach et al., Memorandum in Support of Defendant, William Dunn's, Motion for Summary Judgment, 8/1/1995 Transcribe this record.

Intermediate

United States of America v. Adam Richetti 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, Reclassification of the Aleutian Canada Goose [1 of 2] 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

Letter from Captain J. B. F. Russell Including Suggestions Relative to an Early and Efficient Course to Raise an Extensive Emigrating Party of Indians, 1/26/1836 Transcribe this record.
Lady Bird Johnson's Daily Diary Entry, 7/7/1965 Transcribe this record.
Records of the Forest Service, Historical Files, 1901 - 1962, F – Studies – General, 1949 Transcribe this record.
San Francisco Branch Evacuee Property Files, 3/18/1942 - 6/30/1946, [R1A.04] Pomona Field Representative File 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 Mattie Victoria Bailey, Widow of James Bailey, Company I, 75th Ohio Infantry Regiment (WC-752571)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.

Questions? Email us at citizenarchivist@nara.gov

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