Happy 4th of July! Once you finish celebrating Independence Day with a parade or a barbecue, take a moment to learn about today’s Feel Good Friday organization, the National Archives Foundation.
The purpose of the Foundation is to support the Archivist of the United States in developing programs, technology, projects, and materials that “educate, enrich, and inspire a deeper appreciation of our country’s heritage through the collected evidence of its history.”
Historic documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights are housed in the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC. There are also regional archives, records centers, and Presidential libraries and museums where you can view pieces of our history. Even a virtual visit to the regional archives is pretty interesting. The National Archives at San Francisco has historic military records, genealogical resources, and a list of former Alcatraz inmates.
Online you’ll find educational resources for students and teachers in a program called Civics for All of US. The goal of this initiative is to promote civic literacy and engagement. You can also explore the Women’s History programming or take a look at America’s 100 docs. The Foundation is inviting people to vote on which documents they feel are most important to US history. The top 16 records will go head-to-head before the United States’ anniversary in 2026! This gallery shows all 100 documents in the competition. 19th Amendment anyone?
Finally, for those of you who like to plan, the Foundation already has events on the calendar to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary next year. Learn more at America 250.
If this post got you feeling all patriotic and you want to know how you can help the Foundation, here’s how. Make a donation, or shop to support National Archives exhibits, public programs, and educational initiatives. You can buy copies of historic documents, books, games and socks!
As always, help spread the word on social media. Follow the National Archives Foundation on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel. Happy 4th!
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