The United States of America is turning 250, but its National Archives is turning only 92. Government agencies preserved (or lost) their own records before the establishment of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in 1934. Telling our ancestors' stories while working to genealogy standards behooves us to learn about our national repository: its functions, holdings, organization, and accessibility. Join us to learn about all NARA has to offer online, by correspondence, and in person. By engaging in this learning, we will empower ourselves to access our national archival wealth for solving family history research problems, and come to more deeply appreciate the work of government archivists, archival technicians, and historians.
Ryan Johnson, MAT completed the National Genealogical Society's Advanced Skills in Genealogy Course and researches for clients in the Midwest. As the great-grandchild of eight 20th century US immigrants, he has special research interests in French Canada, Sweden, Italy, France, and the Baltic states.