It’s National Donut Day! While we hope you celebrate with a few tasty glazed treats, maybe refrain from celebrating with donut hole target practice. That’s right, the National Dunking Association celebrated the donut and its all-important hole at their October 1941 New York conference. Still taken from Universal Newsreel Volume 14 Release 38 (Local ID: … Continue reading Do-Nut Try This At Home: Celebrate Donut Day with the National Dunking Association
The Works Progress Administration or Work Projects Administration (WPA) was the largest New Deal agency. Created by the United States government in 1935, the agency provided jobs to unemployed workers during the Great Depression. During its tenure, the agency employed millions of job seekers to carry out public works projects such as constructing public buildings, … Continue reading The Federal Theatre Project Presents: “Voodoo Macbeth”
Still taken from 306.6536 We are continuing our celebration of National Library Week by highlighting films from our collection featuring stories about libraries. Check out Part One here and use this tool to help you find your local library. The films featured in this post were made for different reasons and audiences, but both highlight … Continue reading Happy National Library Week Part Two!
This month marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima. The American invasion, codenamed Operation Detachment, sought to capture Iwo Jima’s two airfields, South Field and Central Field. After five weeks of intense battle and considerable losses for both Japanese and American soldiers, the Americans secured the island. This provided the United States … Continue reading Link Roundup: The Battle of Iwo Jima
Original Caption: "Pfc. Omer Pelletier, 31392497, Lowell, Massachusetts, Quartermaster Corps, Camp Lee, Virginia, and his dog "Snooks" are shown entertaining at the Valentine Party held for the Port personnel and their guests at the Port Gymnasium, HPE, Newport News, Virginia. Official photograph U.S. Army Signal Corps, Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation, Newport News, Virginia. February … Continue reading Happy Valentine’s Day From the Still Picture Branch
Matthew Henson was an African American explorer most known for accompanying Robert Peary on multiple expeditions to the Arctic, and in 1909 they claimed to be the first team to reach the North Pole. It has been long debated whether or not Peary and Henson actually reached the North Pole - there was even a … Continue reading Spotlight: Matthew Henson, Explorer
This post was created in collaboration with Sarah Bseirani, Archivist, and Hilda Gitchell, Archives Technician, in the Still Picture Branch. Former President Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29, 2024 at his home in Plains, Georgia at the age of 100. At the time of his passing, President Carter was the longest-lived president in U.S. … Continue reading Remembering President Jimmy Carter
In 1945, the U.S. Government faced low morale and growing frustration over undelivered mail amongst those serving in Europe. It was decided the large backlog of undistributed mail would be dealt with by the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. The battalion, nicknamed the “Six-Triple Eight," was a multi-ethnic unit of the Women's Army Corps (WAC) comprised … Continue reading The Six Triple Eight Link Roundup
Original Caption: Meeting in Paris after a two-year separation, Lt. Col. Barney Oldfield and his wife, Cpl. Vada M. Oldfield, initiate their reunion by signing each other’s “short snorters” in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. The Oldfields come from Lincoln, Nebraska. France, 7/20/45. Local Identifier: 111-SC-210020. Going to war is never easy. Going to … Continue reading Short Snorts, Long Legacies: The World War II Club of the “Short Snorters”
For over a century, school traditions, pride, and rivalries have fostered a sense of community within college football, contributing to its popularity and making it one of America’s favorite sports. As the popularity of college football grew in America during the interwar period, newsreels started covering the sport as part of their regular news releases. … Continue reading Spotlight: Go! Fight! Win! College Football in Universal Newsreel
