Guide to Federal Records

Records of the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration [ARBA]


(Record Group 452)
1965-77

OVERVIEW OF RECORDS LOCATIONS

Table of Contents

  • 452.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
  • 452.2 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION BICENTENNIAL COMMISSION 1965-73
  • 452.3 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION BICENTENNIAL ADMINISTRATION 1966-77
  • 452.3.1 Records of the Office of the Administrator
  • 452.3.2 Records of the Office of General Counsel
  • 452.3.3 Records of the Office of Congressional Liaison
  • 452.3.4 Records of the Office of Design and Exhibits
  • 452.3.5 Records of the Communications and Public Affairs Division
  • 452.3.6 Records of the Resources Development Division
  • 452.3.7 Records of the Programs, States, and Communities Division
  • 452.3.8 Records of the International Division
  • 452.4 RECORDS OF THE ARBA REGIONAL OFFICES 1971-76
  • 452.4.1 Records of the Atlanta regional office
  • 452.4.2 Records of the Boston regional office
  • 452.4.3 Records of the Chicago regional office
  • 452.4.4 Records of the Dallas regional office
  • 452.4.5 Records of the Denver regional office
  • 452.4.6 Records of the Kansas City regional office
  • 452.4.7 Records of the New York regional office
  • 452.4.8 Records of the Philadelphia regional office
  • 452.4.9 Records of the San Francisco regional office
  • 452.5 MOTION PICTURES (GENERAL)
  • 452.6 VIDEO RECORDINGS (GENERAL)
  • 452.7 SOUND RECORDINGS (GENERAL)
  • 452.8 STILL PICTURES (GENERAL)

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452.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

Established: As an independent agency by an act of December 11, 1973 (87 Stat. 697).

Predecessor Agencies:

  • American Revolution Bicentennial Commission (ARBC, 1966-73)

Functions: Planned and developed an overall program for commemorating the bicentennial of the American Revolution (1976).

Abolished: September 30, 1977, pursuant to provisions contained in its establishing act.

Finding Aids: Preliminary inventory in National Archives microfiche edition of preliminary inventories.

Related Records: Record copies of publications of the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government.

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452.2 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION BICENTENNIAL COMMISSION
1965-73

History: Established as an independent agency by an act of July 4, 1966 (80 Stat. 259). Superseded by ARBA, 1973. SEE 452.1.

Textual Records: Central file, 1965-73. General organizational records, 1969-72. Correspondence, 1967-73. Minutes, agendas, and transcripts of meetings of the full commission, 1967-73; and of the Executive Committee, 1970-73.

Sound Recordings (59 items): Commission meetings, 1971-73. SEE ALSO 452.7.

Related Records: Record copies of publications of the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission in RG 287, Publications of the U.S. Government.

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452.3 RECORDS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION BICENTENNIAL
ADMINISTRATION
1966-77

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452.3.1 Records of the Office of the Administrator

Textual Records: General office records, 1974-76. Correspondence with local bicentennial groups and ARBA regional organizations, 1974-76; with ARBA Advisory Council members, 1975-76; and concerning ARBA dissolution, 1976-77. Reading file, 1974-76. Memorandums, 1974-77. Weekly activity reports, 1974-77. Records of the National Bicentennial Conference, 1974-75. Trip itineraries, 1974-75. Records of meetings attended by the Administrator, 1974-76. General records relating to the ARBA Advisory Council, 1975-76. Minutes of meetings of the ARBA Advisory Council, 1975-76.

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452.3.2 Records of the Office of General Counsel

Textual Records: Records of the General Counsel, 1969-77. Minutes of the American Revolution Bicentennial Board, 1974-77.

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452.3.3 Records of the Office of Congressional Liaison

Textual Records: Correspondence with Members of Congress, 1969- 76.

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452.3.4 Records of the Office of Design and Exhibits

Textual Records: Program records, 1970-76. Correspondence on the adoption of the official bicentennial logo, 1969-76; and on the exhibit, "USA '76: The First 200 Years," 1973-76. Correspondence and press clippings concerning the "World of Franklin and Jefferson" exhibit, 1973-77.

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452.3.5 Records of the Communications and Public Affairs Division

Textual Records: Program records, 1970-77. Publications, 1969-77. Microfilm copy of newspaper clippings, 1966-76 (100 rolls). News releases of ARBC and ARBA, 1970-77. Speeches by ARBC and ARBA officials, 1972-76. Records of the Bicentennial Information Network (BINET), consisting of program files, 1969-77; and a microfiche copy of a master list of programs, events, and projects ("BINET Master List"), 1977 (124 fiche), with index (27 fiche). Applications for the National Applications for the National Bicentennial Media Recognition Program, 1976. Subject file on the Bicentennial Information Media program, "4th of July Weekend, 1976," 1972-76.

Motion Pictures (29 reels): Created or acquired by ARBA to document and publicize bicentennial activities, 1971-76.

Sound Recordings (70 items): Radio interviews, press conferences, inauguration of Operation Sail, proceedings of the 1975 National Bicentennial Conference, a radio kit encouraging voter registration in 1976, public service announcements, a recording of "Get into America" (the official bicentennial theme song), and a conversation between Administrator John W. Warner and the head of the U.S. Sesquicentennial celebration, 1971-73. SEE ALSO 452.7.

Photographs (18,000 images): Individuals and bicentennial activities, 1971-76 (G). SEE ALSO 452.8.

Photographic Prints (4,224 images): Submitted with accompanying textual materials by bicentennial organizations and Government agencies for inclusion in BicentennialTimes, 1975-76 (BA, 1,500 images). ARBA Administrator John W. Warner engaged in various activities designed to promote the bicentennial celebration, 1974-76 (JW, 27 images). Produced by ARBC and ARBA, and collected from other sources, for use in Bicentennial Newsletter and Bicentennial Times, 1972-76 (PB, 197 images). Daily activities of top-level ARBA officials, 1976 (PR, 2,500 images). SEE ALSO 452.8.

Color Slides (1,457 images): Historic buildings, famous Americans, and bicentennial activities, 1971-76, (S, 685 images), with accompanying sound recordings of captions, 1971-76, and biographical information sheets, 1974. Created for use in the "Bicentennial U.S.A." multimedia presentation, 1975 (B, 712 images). SEE ALSO 452.8.

"Horizons on Display - Part of the Continuing American Revolution," a program cosponsored by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and ARBA, featuring community projects developed to correct problems or enrich life, 1976 (HD, 60 images).

Posters (20 images): Designed or acquired by ARBA, and distributed as part of a campaign to encourage citizen participation in the bicentennial and to provide the media with information, 1973-76 (P). SEE ALSO 452.8.

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452.3.6 Records of the Resources Development Division

Textual Records: Correspondence of Assistant Administrator Sydney H. Eiges, 1974-76. General correspondence, 1974-76. Memorandums, 1974-76. Records concerning the symbol licensing program, 1971- 76. Symbol licensing cease and desist files, 1975-76. Records relating to the travel industry participation project, 1975-76. Memorandums of the director and program records of the Youth and Education Section, 1974-76.

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452.3.7 Records of the Programs, States, and Communities Division

Textual Records: Office records of the assistant administrator, 1974-76; and of deputy assistant administrators, 1973-77. Correspondence, 1969-77. Records regarding liaison with the District of Columbia Bicentennial Commission, 1974-76. Regional office reports ("Status Reports"), 1972-77. Transcripts of proceedings of advisory committees, 1970-74. Records concerning nationally recognized programs, 1972-77; the communities program, 1974; the ethnic-racial program, 1974-76; the Native American program, 1974-76; special programs, 1972-76; the bicentennial alliance programs, 1975-76; and the Heritage, Festival, and Horizons programs, 1971-76.

Video Recordings (6 items): Project Civic, 1976. SEE ALSO 452.6.

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452.3.8 Records of the International Division

Textual Records: Program records, 1970-76. Correspondence, 1970- 76.

Video Recordings (1 item): New Zealand's celebration of the American bicentennial, St. Paul's Cathedral, Wellington, New Zealand, 1976. SEE ALSO 452.6.

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452.4 RECORDS OF THE ARBA REGIONAL OFFICES
1971-76

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452.4.1 Records of the Atlanta regional office

Textual Records (in Atlanta): General correspondence, 1973-76. Correspondence with local federal agencies, 1974-76. Memorandums sent to ARBA headquarters, 1972-76, and to state officials, 1973- 76. Monthly reports, 1972-75. Status reports, 1974.

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452.4.2 Records of the Boston regional office

Textual Records (in Boston): General correspondence, 1971-76. Correspondence relating to state and local bicentennial organizations ("States Files"), 1972-76; and to designated bicentennial communities ("Community Files"), 1973-76.

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452.4.3 Records of the Chicago regional office

Textual Records (in Chicago): General correspondence, 1973-76. Letters received by Deputy Director Rae Moore, 1975-76. Correspondence with states included in other ARBA regions, 1972- 75; ARBA headquarters, 1975-76; institutions in Washington, DC, 1973-75; and the general public, 1974-75. International correspondence, 1972-76. Monthly reports, 1972-73. Project records, 1972-76. Records of the Bicentennial Ethnic-Racial Council workshop, 1975-76.

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452.4.4 Records of the Dallas regional office

Textual Records (in Fort Worth): General correspondence, 1971-76. Program correspondence, 1972-76. Correspondence with bicentennial communities, 1974-76.

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452.4.5 Records of the Denver regional office

Textual Records (in Denver): General and program correspondence, 1971-76.

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452.4.6 Records of the Kansas City regional office

Textual Records (in Kansas City): General correspondence, 1974- 76.

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452.4.7 Records of the New York regional office

Textual Records (in New York): General records, 1974-76. Completed questionnaires on the programs and activities of bicentennial communities, with related materials, 1976.

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452.4.8 Records of the Philadelphia regional office

Textual Records (in Philadelphia): General correspondence, 1974- 76. Program correspondence, 1974-76. Monthly reports, 1974-75. "Philadelphia '76" project records, 1973-76.

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452.4.9 Records of the San Francisco regional office

Textual Records (in San Francisco): Correspondence with state and local bicentennial commissions, 1973-76; bicentennial communities, 1973-76; federal agencies, 1972-76; and associations and firms, 1974-76. International correspondence, 1975-76. Project records, 1973-76. Public relations records, 1973-76. Records relating to meetings, 1973-76. Program records, 1973-76.

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452.5 MOTION PICTURES (GENERAL)

SEE UNDER 452.3.5.

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452.6 VIDEO RECORDINGS (GENERAL)

SEE UNDER 452.3.7 and 452.3.8.

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452.7 SOUND RECORDINGS (GENERAL)

SEE UNDER 452.2 and 452.3.5.

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452.8 STILL PICTURES (GENERAL)

SEE Photographs UNDER 452.3.5.
SEE Photographic Prints UNDER 452.3.5.
SEE Color Slides UNDER 452.3.5.
SEE Posters UNDER 452.3.5.


Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.

Ordering information

This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.


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