Browse Projects
North Carolina Field Offices, Office of the Assistant Commissioner, Issuances, Special Orders Issued, July 1865–May 1867, Part 2
The Bureau of Refugees, Freemen, and Abandoned Lands, often referred to as the Freedmen’s Bureau, was established on March 3, 1865. The duties of the Freedmen’s Bureau included supervision of all affairs relating to refugees, freedmen, and the custody of abandoned lands and property. These documents come from the Records of the Field Offices for the State of North Carolina, Series 2.1: Office of the Assistant Commissioner: Issuances. Please help us transcribe these records to learn more about the experiences of formerly enslaved men and women in North Carolina during the Reconstruction Era. Have questions about how to transcribe tables in these documents? View special directions here.
Princeton University Poster Collection - Catalog Sheets, Binder 29
The Princeton University Library donated the Princeton University Poster Collection documenting World War I and World War II posters to the Smithsonian Institution in 1963 and 1967. The collection represents one of the largest and most complete collections of United States war posters produced. The collection is also rich in non-US materials that include French government proclamations, British Army recruiting posters, and civil defense posters from smaller US allies such as Canada and New Zealand. Also included are non-government produced posters reflecting pre-war as well as wartime patriotic, anti-German, and pro-refugee sentiments. Together these provide a broader picture of public attitudes. The breadth of public and charitable agencies, images, and slogans represented in the collection make it valuable not only as single items, but as a comprehensive expression of the support and sentiment for war during these two periods. The collection provides a unique opportunity for diverse use of the material for research (social, military, media, ethnic, and political), exhibitions, and educational purposes. Help us transcribe these catalog sheets containing information about each poster in this important collection. Find instructions for transcribing these projects here . Your work will help the Archives Center staff make the collection more widely accessible through the Smithsonian�s Online Virtual Archives.�
Proceedings of the Board of Regents Meeting held on February 1, 1988
Blast back to early rumblings of plans for the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy facility. Despite efforts to be more selective in its collecting, deaccession irrelevant items, and loan large objects to other institutions, the Museum was running out of space at an alarming pace. And it was not only running out of room for large shuttles and planes. The Museum was out of space for people, too. As a result of overcrowding, it was forced to stop accepting help from much-needed fellows and volunteers. Assist a group of volunpeers in transcribing these Board of Regents meeting minutes, which reveal the necessity of what what would eventually become the Udvar-Hazy Center.
Admiral Albert C. Read, USN (Curtiss NC-4) Collection - Scrapbook
Rear Admiral Albert C. Read (1887-1967) graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1907 and became Naval Aviator #24 in July 1915. In 1919, Read was the commander of the Curtiss NC-4, the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic. The NC-4 covered 2150 nautical miles, from Nova Scotia to the Azores. The NC-4 was joined in the flight by the Curtiss NC-1 and Curtiss NC-3, but both the NC-1 and NC-3 were forced to land in the open sea.
Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Collection - Individual Flight Record - Davis, Benjamin O. 1206-A. (1)
Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr. was born in Washington, DC on December 18, 1912. He attended Western Reserve University and the University of Chicago before gaining admission to the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. He graduated in the Class of 1936 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry. After serving in the infantry for several years Davis was posted to the newly-established Tuskegee Army Air Field, AL for pilot training in 1942. He commanded the 99th Fighter Squadron, the first unit of “Tuskegee Airmen.” Two units of Tuskegee Airmen saw combat during World War II: the 99th Fighter Squadron and the 332d Fighter Group. Davis, promoted to Colonel in 1944, commanded both of these units in turn, leading the 99th and 332d in combat in Europe and earning the Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, and Silver Star for his own actions and a Distinguished Unit Citation for the 332d Fighter Group. Davis was responsible for the success of the 477th, as he quickly brought the unit up to deployment requirements, in spite of racial tensions that had previously left the unit lacking training. The performance of the units under Davis' command had laid to rest questions regarding the abilities of the "negro race" and in 1948 the Air Force determined that the efficient use of its manpower required the integration of its units. As a result the Air Force rapidly complied with President Truman's order for the integration of the United States military. The integration procedure, however, resulted in the deactivation of Davis' command as its personnel were dispersed among the rest of the Air Force; Davis himself was assigned to attend classes at the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, AL. After completing the course of study at the Air War College, Davis was posted to a variety of command and staff positions both within the United States and abroad. Davis was promoted to Brigadier General in October 1954, after ten years as a Colonel. He was promoted to Major General in June 1959 and to Lieutenant General in April 1965. Despite persistent rumors of his impending promotion to full General, no such promotion was pending by the time of his retirement on January 31, 1970. On December 9, 1998, Davis was promoted to General on the Retired List, receiving his fourth star from President William Clinton in a ceremony held in the Presidential Hall of the Old Executive Office Building in Washington, DC. The promotion came only after the Tuskegee Airmen approached Senator John McCain of Arizona, who agreed that the promotion was warranted by Davis' service.
Playbill for Sarafina!
One of the time-honored traditions of the theater is the playbill. From local community theaters to Broadway, playbills provide the audience with information about the story being told on stage and the artists who bring it to life. After the show, playbills often become cherished souvenirs. "Playbill," a monthly magazine distributed at major theaters in New York and nationwide, presents details about particular productions along with articles about current happenings in the theater world. The Museum's collection of playbills, which spans from the nineteenth century to the present, offers insight into the roles African Americans have played in the development of American theater as actors, playwrights, directors, producers, costume designers, choreographers, and more. Help us transcribe this Playbill from Sarafina! to discover and share the history of African Americans taking the stage.
Princeton University Poster Collection - Catalog Sheets, Binder 28
The Princeton University Library donated the Princeton University Poster Collection documenting World War I and World War II posters to the Smithsonian Institution in 1963 and 1967. The collection represents one of the largest and most complete collections of United States war posters produced. The collection is also rich in non-US materials that include French government proclamations, British Army recruiting posters, and civil defense posters from smaller US allies such as Canada and New Zealand. Also included are non-government produced posters reflecting pre-war as well as wartime patriotic, anti-German, and pro-refugee sentiments. Together these provide a broader picture of public attitudes. The breadth of public and charitable agencies, images, and slogans represented in the collection make it valuable not only as single items, but as a comprehensive expression of the support and sentiment for war during these two periods. The collection provides a unique opportunity for diverse use of the material for research (social, military, media, ethnic, and political), exhibitions, and educational purposes. Help us transcribe these catalog sheets containing information about each poster in this important collection. Find instructions for transcribing these projects here . Your work will help the Archives Center staff make the collection more widely accessible through the Smithsonian�s Online Virtual Archives.�
Proceedings of the Board of Regents Meeting held on September 28, 1987
The tragic fire at Notre Dame brings the issue of emergency preparedness and collections care to the forefront. In this 1987 Board of Regents report, the Regents discuss such threats to the National Museum of Natural History. For instance, due to asbestos throughout the building, artifacts needed to be moved off site. The project, however, would not be completed for another three to five years. Additionally, the report noted that the majority of the HVAC systems were old and unable to regulate temperatures in storage spaces. Fire protection tactics, like adding sprinklers and alarm systems, were also addressed in this plan. Assist us in transcribing these proceedings to learn how museums consider caring for collections.
North Carolina Field Offices, Office of the Assistant Commissioner, Issuances, Special Orders Issued, July 1865–May 1867, Part 1
The Bureau of Refugees, Freemen, and Abandoned Lands, often referred to as the Freedmen’s Bureau, was established on March 3, 1865. The duties of the Freedmen’s Bureau included supervision of all affairs relating to refugees, freedmen, and the custody of abandoned lands and property. These documents come from the Records of the Field Offices for the State of North Carolina, Series 2.1: Office of the Assistant Commissioner: Issuances. Please help us transcribe these records to learn more about the experiences of formerly enslaved men and women in North Carolina during the Reconstruction Era. Have questions about how to transcribe tables in these documents? View special directions here.
Admiral Albert C. Read, USN (Curtiss NC-4) Collection - Report of Transatlantic Flight of NC-4
Rear Admiral Albert C. Read (1887-1967) graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1907 and became Naval Aviator #24 in July 1915. In 1919, Read was the commander of the Curtiss NC-4, the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic. The NC-4 covered 2150 nautical miles, from Nova Scotia to the Azores. The NC-4 was joined in the flight by the Curtiss NC-1 and Curtiss NC-3, but both the NC-1 and NC-3 were forced to land in the open sea.
