The U.S. National Archives has published a Revised Guide to
Genealogical Research. This is the third edition of the popular Guide
to Genealogical Research in the National Archives. The new version of the
classic reference book is completely revised and updated. I had a chance to
read the new edition this week.
The 420-page third edition of the guide helps you discover the
many treasures to be found among the records of the National Archives of the
United States (NARA). It tells how to find all sorts of records stored at the
National Archives: census, immigration, and military service — or the lesser
known: lighthouse keepers, Cherokee freedmen, or War Relocation Authority. The
guide will tell you how the records are organized, what information they contain
about individuals, and the dates they cover.
The volume also contains references to information available through
the NARA Web site, as well as illustrations and photographs, citations to many
new and previously cited microfilm publications, and expanded and clarified
descriptions of the relevant records held by NARA.
Highlights of the new edition include:
- New information on the 1920 census
- Increased coverage of naturalizations
- Citations to more than 300 new microfilm publications
- Descriptions of many records accessioned since the last edition
- A comprehensive, greatly expanded index
- Enlarged chapters on African Americans and Native Americans
- More coverage of records in NARA’s regional archival facilities
As I thumbed through the new guide, I was impressed by the many
illustrations. Not only does the book describe many types or records available,
it also gives pictures of typical examples. The pictures include American Indians,
immigrants at Ellis Island, maps of early Western towns, World War I draft records,
and a lot more.
The 420-page book is available in softcover for $25 and hardcover
for $39 (plus shipping and handling) from the National Archives Trust Fund,
1-800-234-8861. You can find more information about the Revised Guide to
Genealogical Research at: www.nara.gov
Dick Eastman Online
