Historical Account of Space Missions
The National Archives offers a variety of Citizen Archivist missions for volunteers to participate in, transcription, and tagging projects that help enhance the discoverability of historical records. These missions can be found on the National Archives Catalog, the platform where records to work on are suggested and contributions made by volunteers are integrated into the records, improving their metadata and searchability.
While the National Archives does not assign or track "completed" missions in a formal sense, the Catalog reflects the progress of tagging and transcription work because the metadata added to records updates the Catalog in real time. Some of the completed missions currently available for browsing include:
- Copies of Petitions for Naturalizations, 1939 - ca. 1942 - View the records for Bureau of Indian Affairs Native American Photographs - View the records for WWII Looted Art - View the records for Martin Luther King, Jr. v. Mister Maestro, Inc. and Twentieth Century Fox Record Corporation - JFK Assassination Records - Records Relating to the Protection of the President, November 30, 1963-September 24, 1964 - View the records for Nuremberg Trials - View the records for Immigration and Naturalization Service Name Index - View the records for Submarines - View the records for "Precedent Case Files, ca. 1907 - ca. 1973" - View the records for State Department Briefs Files, 1945 - 1953 - View the records for World War II Posters - Historical Nurse Files, ca. 1916 - ca. 1959 - Reports of Clerks, Wagonmasters, and Printers Employed at Various Posts, 10/1865 - 12/1865 - Copy of Records of Japanese Relocation Centers, 1942-1946 - View the records for USS Fenimore Cooper - Truman White House Press Releases 1945-1953 - JFK Assassination Records - Depositions, 1964-1964 - View the records for Ratified Indian Treaties - The Witness Depositions in Support of Seamen's Protection Certificates - View the records for "Precedent Case Files, ca. 1907 - ca. 1973" - View the records for State Department Briefs Files, 1945 - 1953 - View the records for World War II Posters - Historical Nurse Files, ca. 1916 - ca. 1959 - Reports of Clerks, Wagonmasters, and Printers Employed at Various Posts, 10/1865 - 12/1865 - Copy of Records of Japanese Relocation Centers, 1942-1946 - View the records for USS Fenimore Cooper - Truman White House Press Releases 1945-1953 - JFK Assassination Records - Depositions, 1964-1964 - View the records for Ratified Indian Treaties - The Witness Depositions in Support of Seamen's Protection Certificates
To find ongoing Citizen Archivist missions, visit the National Archives Catalog and explore the available records. There is no separate page listing completed missions, but the Catalog's enhanced records reflect completed work by volunteers. For more details about how the program works, including how to find materials to work on and how tagging and transcription improve discoverability, consult the Citizen Archivist FAQs page.
Engaging in online education through the National Archives' Citizen Archivist program allows individuals to participate in various education-and-self-development opportunities, such as transcription and tagging projects on historical records. By visiting the National Archives Catalog, one can discover a wealth of learning resources that showcase completed projects, offering both a historical learning experience and a sense of accomplishment.
