The Documents Behind Twelve Years a Slave

Students can see part of Solomon Northup’s story, told in his 1853 autobiography and the new movie, Twelve Years a Slave, in documents found in the National Archives.

More Primary Sources in DocsTeach!

Several new documents have been added to DocsTeach over the past few months. Our former intern shares some of her favorite new additions.

What Effect Did the WWII Fair Employment Practices Commission Have on the Civil Rights Movement?

Today’s post comes from Joel Walker, education specialist at the National Archives at Atlanta. On December 31, 1942, the Counter Intelligence Section of the Seventh Naval District based in Jacksonville, Florida, distributed its monthly summary of subversive activities.  On page two of the summary, under the heading "Activities Concerning Negroes," was printed a small paragraph … Continue reading What Effect Did the WWII Fair Employment Practices Commission Have on the Civil Rights Movement?

Considering Context in Primary Sources: The Art of John Trumbull

What is a Primary Source?  In the very simplest terms, a “primary source” is described as any record that was created at the time of an event by someone who was there.  In short, an eyewitness account of some kind.  Perhaps it is a photo, map, letter, or other document such as a census record.  … Continue reading Considering Context in Primary Sources: The Art of John Trumbull

Resources for Teaching about the Constitution

September 17th is Constitution Day! Here are resources from the National Archives and some of our partner organizations for teaching about the Constitution.

Letter from the Assistant Attorney General Regarding Lynching

Today we share a document just recently digitized by a teacher in our Primarily Teaching 2013 Summer Workshop in Washington, DC. Jen Johnson, a teacher at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago for the last 10 years, found it in the holdings of the National Archives last week, and scanned it so that we could add it … Continue reading Letter from the Assistant Attorney General Regarding Lynching

Recruitment Poster for the Union Army

Today we spotlight one of the most requested documents on DocsTeach, our online tool for teaching with documents. It's a Civil War recruitment poster titled "To Colored Men!" After President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, the U.S. Army began recruiting black men in earnest to fight for the Union Army. … Continue reading Recruitment Poster for the Union Army

A Baseball Patent

This is the patent application for an improvement in baseballs, from Benjamin Shibe of Bala, Pennsylvania. Benjamin F. Shibe, one of the original owners of the Philadelphia Athletics and for whom Shibe Park in Philadelphia was named, patented a cork-centered baseball on June 15, 1909. Use of this ball in all 1911 games led to … Continue reading A Baseball Patent