The following is a press release written by the (U.S.) National Archives and Records Administration:

The National Archives Building has joined the distinguished ranks of National Park Service-designated National Historic Landmarks. This milestone—held by only 2,600 structures across the country—was achieved in December 2023, and the official plaque was unveiled with a ceremony today, August 22, 2024.

The accomplishment was a significant undertaking led by National Archives Historian Jessie Kratz over the past decade.

“When architect John Russell Pope designed the National Archives Building, he not only intended for it to be the first permanent home for historically valuable records of the federal government, but he also wanted it to be an inspiring structure to rival the great monuments of the nation’s capital,” Kratz said. “Today’s ceremony is recognition that he achieved his goal. This building’s art and architecture are unparalleled.”

Archivist of the United States Dr. Colleen Shogan provided opening remarks at the ceremony. 

“The National Archives, the building we are standing in right now, is equidistant between the White House and the Capitol, signifying that the National Archives is the repository of the records from both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue, representing all of the people, preserving the history of the United States,” Shogan said. “I'm very thankful that [Pope] thought of things in that way because it is functionally important that we are situated where we are, but it also is, of course, symbolically important for where we are. It is fitting, therefore, that this building joins its rightful place as a National Historic Landmark.”

Brian Joyner, acting superintendent of Rock Creek Park, served as a representative from the National Park Service, the federal agency that oversees the Landmark program, and spoke at the event. 

“This historic location we celebrate today physically represents the origins of this nation by both contributing to a more perfect union through access and education, by reminding us to look backwards and learn from our past while we look forward to a more perfect union,” Joyner said. “I am struck by the murals and paintings on the wall here, ‘study the past, and the past is prologue.’” 

Joyner continued, “The nomination for the National Archives was funded by the National Park Service. It's part of the [America] 250th initiative, and we are pleased to have worked with a partner like you all, the National Archives and Records Administration, to recognize this unique place. NARA has carefully stewarded this property since its construction, preserved its beauty and stories, kept it open as a place for the public to learn. The National Park Service and the Department of the Interior look forward to continuing our partnership with the National Archives as it continues to steward this special historic place and the peoples and stories reflected in it."

The process to gain National Historic Landmark status began in earnest in 2014 with an initial application. In 2021, the National Archives hosted Dr. Steven Bedford to present his completed National Historic Landmark study on the national significance of the National Archives Building, a critical step toward achieving Landmark status. On August 16, 2023, the National Park Service Advisory Board voted to recommend their approval on the National Historic Landmark nomination for the National Archives Building, moving the building another step closer to the status fully achieved later that year in December. 

As Kratz notes in her Pieces of History blog post regarding her process over the years:

“To become a Landmark, a site must have national significance. It must also demonstrate exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States in history, architecture, archeology, technology, and culture. A National Historic Landmark must possess a high degree of integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and meet one or more from six additional criteria.” 

An Archives.gov Special Topics page looks closely at the “most ornate structure in Washington, DC’s Federal Triangle.” 

National Historic Landmark records in our holdings document buildings coast to coast with proven intrinsic historic value. The record generated by the application will also provide future stakeholders with a concise history of the cultural and historical value of the National Archives Building. Now the National Archives’ own flagship building publicly displays its new plaque that testifies to its historical and architectural importance. 

“The National Archives is proud of this achievement, and to share it with visitors as one of the first and most prominent sights upon entering the National Archives Building from Constitution Avenue,” Shogan said.

More than eighty years ago, Japanese Canadians came together to sustain The New Canadian, the only newspaper specifically for the community that was allowed to be published through the Second World War.

Page 1 of The New Canadian newspaper from December 12, 1941, after the Pearl Harbour attack. More than eighty years ago, Japanese Canadians came together to sustain the New Canadian, the only newspaper specifically for the community that was allowed to be published through the Second World War.

More than eighty years ago, Japanese Canadians came together to sustain The New Canadian, the only newspaper specifically for the community that was allowed to be published through the Second World War.

Now the community has come together again — and may have saved the newspaper's archives from the digital scrap heap.

Supporters say the newspaper that published from 1938 to 2001 was a pillar of the community during the turmoil of the war when Japanese Canadians were interred, stripped of assets and had their patriotism questioned.

The New Canadian's digital archives had been facing deletion, after Simon Fraser University Library announced recently it would no longer host them on its servers from this fall.

But after the announcement sparked outcry — and more than 3,000 people signed an online petition calling for the archive to be saved — SFU said in a statement on Monday that it recognized the importance of preserving access to sources including The New Canadian, and it would continue to host the archive until an accessible online alternative is found.

You can read much more on the richmond-news web site at: https://tinyurl.com/muf7fdew

Screen Australia launches Where to Watch feature on the Screen Australia website.

The Screen Australia website is home to a wealth of information and data including The Screen Guide where users can search for Australian film, television, VOD titles and games. To further support Australian audiences to discover Australian titles, Screen Australia has implemented a content discovery function – Where to Watch – that will allow users to find Australian content anywhere in the world. The widget will help users to find local and international cinema session times and streaming opportunities for over 2500 Australian titles.

COO Screen Australia Grainne Brunsdon said, "We are committed to ensuring that our bold and distinctive Australian screen stories are celebrated at home and also discoverable on a global stage. Our new 'Where to Watch' feature is designed to bridge the gap between audiences and Australian content, making it easier than ever to find and enjoy our stories no matter where you are in the world. We invite you to explore this exciting new tool and share your feedback as we work to support and elevate Australian screen content globally."

Discover live cinema listings where you can book tickets for the newest Australian films in your local area - or watch old favourites at home with available streaming and on demand platforms in your country.

The program is in a trial phase for the next 12 months as we test its functionality. The database of film and television on the platform is constantly being updated and Screen Australia invites you to provide feedback via communications@screenaustralia.gov.au.  

For more information on the Where to Watch program, see the full story by Screen Australia at: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/screen-news/2024/08-22-where-to-watch.

As an archivist, Emma Prince often finds herself in dusty museum storage rooms and sometimes-moldy home attics.

She and her nearly all-women team of genealogists and historians build archives for museums, schools and other organizations through her St. Louis-based company, Backlog.

In her work organizing catalogs and tracking down lost ancestors, Prince also challenges popular notions about who does this kind of research.

“I think that people imagine old men in tweed jackets [as archivists],” Prince said. “That's definitely not our staff. [It’s] kind of fun to show up to meetings and be a little bit more modern and kind of move the profession forward.”

Since founding Backlog in 2021, Prince’s clients have included the City Museum, Walt Disney Hometown Museum and St. Louis University High. Backlog’s historians also connect with people virtually by hosting webinars about archiving digital work, or decoding old documents. Prince said the company’s specialized services often come into play when individuals get stuck.

“We do a lot of ‘brick wall’ research, like, ‘Hi, my family’s from St. Louis [and] we can't connect to this different generation. Can you help us?’ So archives [work] is more the organization of stuff, and the genealogy [work] is doing research sometimes with that stuff.”

The Guinness Archive has preserved records and artifacts, dating from 1759, including photos, and 20,000 individual personnel records of past employees giving a glimpse into the history of St. James's Gate and Guinness staff.

The Guinness Archive, housed by the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, collects, preserves, and makes accessible records and artifacts from the formation of the company in 1759 to the present day, including 20,000 individual personnel records of past employees.

The foundation document of the Guinness Archive is the 99,000-year lease signed by Arthur Guinness on the St. James’s Gate Brewery in 1759.

The Archive, a treasure chest of Guinness history, is the source of information on all aspects of the history of Guinness, focusing especially on the work and life of the St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin. Secure conditions and correct environmental controls ensure the continued preservation of a range of materials, including the advertising, brewing, engineering, social, and personnel records of the company.

Part of the Guinness Archive collection includes over 20,000 individual personnel records of past employees who worked at the Brewery from c. 1880s – early 2000s. Guinness first introduced pensions to all employees in the 1880s and as a result of this initiative, the company began maintaining detailed records on employees which now make up an amazing genealogy resource, unique to corporate archives.

The archive is the direct point of contact for all historical inquiries on the history of Guinness and the archive answers in excess of 5,000 inquiries from all around the world, most notably from consumers in the United States. By far the most requested topic relates to genealogy and such was the demand for genealogy inquiries that a few years ago the archives team undertook an exciting project to digitize a summary of each employee's work record on the line. This was an exciting innovation and as a result, of this project family, historians can now search the records of their loved ones and ancestors in the genealogy section of www.Guinness-Storehouse.com.

Researchers from all over the world simply type in the name of their relative and can instantly retrieve information such as the employee’s date of birth, date of death, the age at which they joined the brewery, and their occupation. The records also provide information on each department within St. James’s Gate, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like to work in the brewery whether in the brewhouse as an engineer or in the catering department.

For those interested in delving further into their family history, the Guinness Archive is also open by appointment to those who wish to view the original records of their direct relatives. Researchers come from all over the world to trace their ancestors and it is advised that an appointment is made in advance of a visit to the Guinness Archive. Genealogy researchers are accommodated on specific days and times in the Guinness Archive in the Guinness Storehouse.

You can read more in an article by Deirdre McParland published in the IrishCentral web site at: https://bit.ly/4dTuxbY.

A university is set to preserve digitally more than 20,000 pictures, prints and documents from the post-partition period in India. Led by Coventry University, two decades of India's history, from 1947, will be digitised from a collection housed at Hamilton Studios in Mumbai.

The collection contains more than 600,000 objects from nearly a 100 years of Indian heritage - including partition, which ended two centuries of British colonial rule and divided the subcontinent into two separate nations: India and Pakistan.The project will specifically preserve items - including passport photographs and invoices - for the period up to 1967.

The collection also includes film negatives, test prints, and legal documents.

The project was inspired by Coventry Digital - an online archive of the city containing more than 70,000 local images, videos and documents.

Ben Kyneswood, professor at Coventry University’s Research Centre for Creative Economies, will collaborate with Hamilton Studios to digitise the images. He said: "The success of Coventry Digital has demonstrated the power of digital technology in preserving and sharing cultural narratives. I am eager to extend this legacy to the preservation of India's cultural heritage, ensuring that future generations have access to these invaluable historical records."

A university spokesperson said the archive will aim to capture migration stories to "bridge historical divides, foster cultural preservation and illuminate how the partition continues to shape the stories of India and its people."

Digital methods for records keeping and document management have dominated debates at the 59th International Council on Archives’ Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Branch (ESARBICA) meeting in Arusha where board members from 14 countries have gathered for a two-day conference.

The meeting underscored a pivotal shift from traditional paper-based systems to advanced digital solutions aimed at improving efficiency and accessibility in government records keeping.

Announced yesterday by Xavier Daudi, Permanent Secretary in the President’s Office (Public Service Management and Good Governance) the conference highlights Tanzania’s strides in digital technology adoption.

Daudi noted that public institutions have achieved a 50 percent adoption rate of digital methods, a significant leap from the reliance on paper-based systems of the past.

"Historically, document management relied heavily on paper-based systems," Daudi remarked. "However, technological advancements now emphasize the transition to digital methods which are more efficient."

The focus of the conference reflects a broader trend toward digital transformation, emphasising the crucial role of accurate digital records in enhancing government efficiency and overcoming existing challenges such as the need for skilled personnel.

"Despite some challenges, including the need for skilled personnel, we are committed to leveraging technology to achieve our goals," Daudi added. "We encourage member institutions to adopt modern systems to facilitate quicker improvements." 

You can read more in an article in the ippmedia.com web site at: https://bit.ly/3YUGFp3.

Event Details

Sat, Sep 21, 2024 at 11:00 AM - 1:00 pm EST 

Pinellas Genealogy Society at the Largo Public Library, 120 Central Park Drive, Meeting Room/Jenkins B, Largo, FL 33771

Genealogy is the same the world around, yet there are some unique challenges when researching African American family history. For example, specific strategies are required to identify and work with records before 1860 and locating identifiable names among government records can raise the difficulty level. Even though it can be challenging, it can also be rewarding. Especially if you plan to volunteer for community projects like our Clearwater Colored Cemeteries program. We’ll provide research strategies to take you around the obstacles to help you find the records you seek. Presented by Taneya Koonce.

Taneya Koonce works extensively in the genealogy community with leadership roles in the USGenWeb Project and the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society (as National Treasurer and Nashville Chapter President). Through her Academy of Legacy Leaders Facebook community, Taneya facilitates education and inspiration for 2,500 family history enthusiasts. She is an active genealogy & family history blogger and author. Genealogy has been her passion since 2005 especially in technology, historical newspaper research, digital photo & file organization, and genetic genealogy all while keeping family history fun!

Note: FREE and open to the public. This is the monthly general membership meeting with educational program. The first 15 minutes of this program will include the Society meeting. This hybrid meeting will be held in-person at the Largo Public Library, 120 Central Park Drive, Meeting Room/Jenkins B, Largo, FL 33771 AND online via Zoom. Registration is only required for Zoom attendees.

New and Updated

• NEW Florida, U.S., State Prison Register, 1875-1959 08/19/2024
  
• NEW Savannah, Georgia, U.S., Savannah Morning News Obituary Index, 1916-1996, 2011 08/19/2024
• UPDATED Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., Tax Records Index, 1798-1808 08/19/2024
• NEW Idaho, U.S., Voter Registration Records, 1916-2020 08/14/2024
• UPDATED Nebraska, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1835-1987 08/08/2024
• UPDATED Tennessee, U.S., Naturalization Records, 1888-1992 08/08/2024
• UPDATED San Francisco, California, U.S., Registers of Chinese Laborers Returning to the U.S., 1882-1912 08/08/2024
• UPDATED Ohio, Roster of Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in World War I, 1917-191808/ 07/2024
• UPDATED Floyd County, Virginia, U.S., Births, 1873-1879 08/07/2024
• UPDATED Rockingham County, Virginia, U.S., Births, 1888-1890 08/07/2024
• UPDATED Amelia County, Virginia Births, 1853-1896 08/07/2024
• UPDATED Arkansas, U.S., Divorces, 1923-1973 08/05/2024
• UPDATED Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1972 08/05/2024
• UPDATED Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969 08/05/2024
• UPDATED Alabama, U.S., Naturalization Records, 1888-1991 08/05/2024
• UPDATED California, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1888-1991 08/05/2024
• UPDATED Illinois, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1991 08/05/2024
• UPDATED New Jersey, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1739-1991 08/01/2024
• UPDATED Washington, U.S., Naturalizations, 1853-1980 08/01/2024
• UPDATED Wisconsin, U.S., Federal Naturalization Records, 1848-1992 08/01/2024
• UPDATED Iowa, U.S., Marriage Records, 1880-1948 07/29/2024
• NEW Web: Charleston County, South Carolina, U.S., Voter Registration Roll, 1868 07/29/2024
• NEW Web: United States, Dead Fred Genealogical Photo Archive Index, 1816-2001 07/29/2024
• UPDATED U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current 07/25/2024
• UPDATED North Carolina, U.S., Birth Indexes, 1800-2000 07/22/2024
• NEW Rhode Island, USA, World War I Portraits, 1914-1918 07/17/2024
• NEW New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., Historical Notaries' Indexes, 1770-1966 07/11/2024
• UPDATED Illinois, U.S., Catholic Diocese of Joliet, Sacramental Records, 1800-1976 07/11/2024
• UPDATED Yarmouth, Massachusetts, U.S., Directory 1895 07/11/2024
• UPDATED Newton, Massachusetts, U.S., Directory 1929 07/11/2024
• NEW Rutherford County, Tennessee, U.S., Marriages, 1889-1940 07/10/2024
• UPDATED Wisconsin, U.S., Divorce Records, 1907-2015 07/10/2024
• UPDATED Wisconsin, U.S., Death Records, 1872-2004 07/10/2024
• UPDATED Wisconsin, U.S., Birth Records, 1812-1921 07/10/2024
• NEW California, U.S., Registrations of Motor Vehicles, 1905-1922 07/10/2024
• NEW Rhode Island, U.S., Birth Registrations 1846-1921 07/09/2024
• NEW Arlington, Virginia, U.S., Arlington National Cemetery, 1861-2024 07/08/2024

Apple Podcasts got the full Apple Music treatment with its own web app today. The UI is essentially the same as Apple’s native app but with the added flexibility of working on non-Apple devices. Apple says Podcasts works on all major browsers, including Safari, Chrome, Edge, and Firefox, and can be accessed in more than 170 countries and regions in their local language. If you’re an Apple Podcasts user, your progress will be synced from the web to your Apple devices, too.

Apple Podcasts' web app is nearly identical to the native version.

The web app strikes me as a win for both listeners and podcasters. Podcast fans now have more ways to enjoy their favorite shows, discover new ones, and share episodes with others. Suddenly, Apple Podcasts is cross-platform, which is still relatively rare among the most popular podcast apps, except for Pocket Casts.

Links opened on Apple devices will open in the native Podcasts app and in the browser on other devices, although on the Mac, it is possible to play episodes in a browser if you prefer. Here’s Comfort Zone playing on everyone’s current obsession, the Boox Palma:

You can read more in an article by John Voorhees published in the MacStories.net web site at: https://www.macstories.net/news/apple-podcasts-is-now-available-as-a-web-app/.