Last week I made reference to an online research tool that is free to use with all kinds of folks available to help - History Hub. The National Archives launched this platform in 2016 with “the idea is to bring all the resources, including the National Archives' vast holdings nationwide and the archivists who oversee it, to bear on a topic someone is interested in.” A tall order but you have to start somewhere and it is still going strong 8 years later.
For many researchers, starting with a search box is the most familiar (post Google keyword searching). Put anything in the search box and see what comes up. That is typically not how archives work so this method provides much wider access. Without an account you can type your question in and the site will post similar questions and their answers. As I have mentioned before, there are common themes in research and often someone else has asked your question or something related. If the results do not meet your needs, you can create an account and post your own question. “National Archives staff, other archives, libraries, museums, and a community of genealogists, history enthusiasts, and citizen experts” will respond to your question with suggestions and links to resources online.
Since there is a wide variety of “experts” the results are not wholly based on one collection or one archives. It is still focused on government archives and records, but government does impact many parts of our lives. The History Hub Communities might provide some insights into the kinds of records you can find.
There are currently 19 different topical communities from Genealogy to Military to African American and Native American records to Legislative records. I generally prefer to browse, mostly because I am curious. Actually, I am always curious to know what’s out there or more precisely what’s in there. I feel overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of information available. I can’t even think what to look for as an example. This is part of the reason I love to help other people find what they are looking for, it gives me focus.
A related tool that helps me is the National Archives newsletter.1 I have saved several in recent months because I was interested in the topics. One focused on “Exploring the Records of the Dawes Commission”2 and the other one covering “Two Hundred Years of Native Relations.”3
There are links galore! Links to individual digital records available in the National Archives. Links to groups of records about a specific topic like American Indian Treaties. Links to Finding Aids like the one regarding Bureau of Indian Affairs Photographs.4
The thing is no archivist can know and share everything that is in a collection. The collections are overwhelming, but having a focus even if it changes helps light the path.
How to get Started on History Hub
There are four different newsletters available. The National Archives Catalog is amazing and DocsTeach is fun for the individual records. Learn more about each of them here.
“The records relating to the Dawes Commission concerning enrollment and allotment remain among the most popular records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. These records are used by tribal members and tribal governments to prove tribal lineage. Genealogists use the records to document family history. In this week's newsletter, we'll look at why these records were created and give researchers a few tips on getting started.”
“The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) was established on March 11, 1824, to manage the United States government's relationship with federally recognized Native American tribes. Over its 200-year history, the BIA has created many records documenting its interactions with Native tribes and individuals. Many of these records are at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and they can be a rich source of information for family history, academic, and legal research.”
Love the audio - how did I miss this?
Oh, cool! I had no idea. I've been wanting to do intentional research for indigenous and other minorities for an upcoming book. So often the "official historical record" only records the POV of the so-called winners, leaving out other sides of the same story. I'll check into this. Thank you!