Citizen Archivist Missions

**The National Archives Catalog is currently offline. We apologize for the inconvenience. In order to thoroughly analyze and test the functionality, we expect the Catalog to be back up by 6am Monday, June 18th. Thank you for your continued patience.** 

We've curated these missions to help you jump in and contribute! Click on a topic that interests you, and it will bring you right to those records in our Catalog where you can begin transcribing or tagging. 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 get started. 

Citizen Archivist Road Trip

We're traveling the country this summer to bring you a series of citizen archivist missions from each National Archives field office. Join us for each stop on our Road Trip to discover incredible records from across the National Archives. Check back each week as we feature a different location.

Third stop: Kansas City!

The National Archives at Kansas City holds permanent records created by Federal agencies and courts in the following states: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

This week, you can help us tag and transcribe Native American photographs, Leavenworth Inmate Case Files, Slave Compensation Records, Bankruptcy Records, and much more!

Help enhance these records to help make them more discoverable online. Click within this box to bring you right to records from Kansas City in the Catalog and get started contributing.

 

Betty Ford

Celebrate the centennial of First Lady Betty Ford’s birth by transcribing her memorandums, remarks and speeches.

Records of Divisions, 1917 - 1920

Transcribe unit histories, station lists, operations reports, messages, field orders, correspondence, general orders, special orders, bulletins, and memorandums that document the service of each American Expeditionary Forces combat division during its participation in World War I.

Protection from Pirates

Transcribe records related to Mediterranean Passports, which were certificates issued by the Secretary of State in an attempt to ensure safe passage of American vessels in areas threatened by Barbary pirates.

Sightings of Unidentified Flying Objects

Help us transcribe information the Air Force gathered about specific UFO sightings. Each file contains reports from UFO observers, correspondence between these observers and the Air Force, newspaper and magazine clippings, and reports of analysis of photographs and physical evidence.

Toasts

Transcribe toasts given at dinners and receptions during President Bill Clinton's administration.

Pentagon Papers

Transcribe the Pentagon Papers, officially titled "Report of the Office of the Secretary of Defense Vietnam Task Force", was commissioned by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in 1967. In June of 1971, small portions of the report were leaked to the press and widely distributed.

1970s America

Tag details and features in photographs taken for the EPA's Documerica program.

 

Amnesty Papers

Transcribe these case files of application from former Confederates for pardon and amnesty in response to President Andrew Johnson's proclamation of May 29, 1865. The individual files often contain considerable information on a pardon applicant's background, his activities during the war years, and his attitude in defeat.

Don't Leave Us Hanging

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

 

World War I Missions

As we commemorate the U.S. entry into the Great War, we ask for your help tagging and transcribing a rotating offering of records.  All of these contributions help make the records of the National Archives more discoverable. Visit the National Archives' World War I Centennial page to learn more about the war.

Artists

Help us by tagging details and features found in these artists supporting the war effort.

Enemy Alien Registration Affidavits

Following the onset of hostilities during World War I, non-naturalized "Enemy Aliens" by definition, were required to register with United States authorities as a national security measure. Under the provisions of a Presidential Proclamation of April 6, 1917, non-naturalized female aliens were likewise registered as an additional national security measure that included those women of American birth that were married to enemy aliens. Help us transcribe these affidavits.

 

Featured Records

Jump in and help us transcribe these individual records. Documenting events throughout United States history, you are sure to find something new and interesting in these featured records!​

• Program Planning Report, Project 1794 Extension Program, 4/1957  Transcribe this record.
• Report of the Master, 11/1839 Transcribe this record.
• Oswald, Lee Harvey - Post Russian Period - 5 Employment Jan 1964-  Transcribe this record.
• Wed: Wedge, D. THRU Weizard, Hester  Transcribe this record.
• Point Hope, Alaska Transcribe this record.
• Monthly Report of Military Governor, U.S. Zone, No. 3: Reparations and Restitutions, 10/20/1945 Transcribe this record.
• 1993 Browns Park NWR   Transcribe this record.
• 501 German Consultants-Education Branch Librarians, 1946-1949 Transcribe this record.
• CCC - Safety, R-10  Transcribe this record.
• 1203495 - Vacuum Tube - William D. Coolidge  Transcribe this record.
• Printed Copy of Documents Entered into Evidence in the Case of People of the State of Illinois v. Illinois Central Railroad Company and City of Chicago, 6/2/1887 Transcribe this record.
• Brief History of the Kischineff Petition together with Classification, Analysis, and List of Signatures by the Independent Order B'nai B'rith, 1903 Transcribe this record.
• USCG Point Glover, 02/01/1967 - 02/28/1967   Transcribe this record.
• Directory of Field Activities of BBS, and List of Permanent Projects, 1938-39  Transcribe this record.
• 206-01 Combat Artist Team I 1966  Transcribe this record.