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Ancestry.com and National Archives Join Forces to Make Millions of Historical Documents Available Online to Americans Wanting to Research Family History This Memorial Day and Beyond
WASHINGTON andPROVO, Utah, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Archives
and Records Administration (NARA) and The Generations Network, Inc., parent
company of Ancestry.com, today announced an agreement that makes millions of
historical records more easily available to the American public. The
agreement, which will be signed today at the NARA headquarters inWashington,
D.C. and celebrated with a military theme in honor of this Memorial Day,
allows for the ongoing digitization of a wealth of historical content,
including immigration, birth, marriage, death and military records.
The new agreement provides critical access to these important historical
records at a faster rate than ever before due to the placement of Ancestry.com
technicians and scanning machines at NARA to continually digitize content for
online access. The initial NARA collections to be digitized under the new
agreement include INS Passenger and Crew Arrival and Departure Lists from
1897-1958 and Death Notices of U.S. Citizens Abroad from 1835-1974, which have
not been available to the public outside of NARA research rooms before now.
"The mission of the National Archives and Records Administration is to
provide access to the nation's historical records, and we are proud to have
The Generations Network among our valued partners," said Professor Allen
Weinstein, Archivist ofthe United States. "With this new agreement, citizens
can discover and learn from these records in remote locations faster than ever
before."
For more than a decade, Ancestry.com and NARA have collaborated to make
important historical records available to the public, demonstrating their
dovetailing commitment to preserving America's heritage. Ancestry.com
currently has the largest online collection of digitized and indexed NARA
content, including the complete U.S. Federal Census Collection, 1790-1930,
passenger lists from 1820-1960 and WWI and WWII draft registration cards.
Through this new agreement, Ancestry.com and NARA have greatly enhanced their
working relationship. More on the agreement and the long-term relationship
between Ancestry.com and NARA can be found at http://www.ancestry.com/nara.
"We are honored to be a part of NARA's progressive vision to provide
access to our nation's historical records through this kind of public-private
partnership," said Tim Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of The Generations
Network, Inc. "We hope the Ancestry.com-NARA relationship can help millions
more Americans learn about their own family's history and then pass these
stories to their children and grandchildren."
Formal Signing Ceremony at NARA
Ancestry.com and NARA will celebrate their new agreement with a formal
signing ceremony at NARA headquarters at 10 a.m. today. In keeping with the
Memorial Day theme, veterans as well as Ancestry.com members who have made
important family discoveries in the NARA military documents already digitized
and available on Ancestry.com will also be in attendance and on hand to share
their stories.
Free Public Access on Ancestry.com
To commemorate the NARA-Ancestry.com agreement on the eve of Memorial Day,
Ancestry.com is making its entire U.S. Military Collection -- the largest
online collection of American military records -- available for free to the
public. From May 20 through May 31, people can log on to
http://www.ancestry.com/military to view more than 100 million names and 700
titles and databases of military records, the majority of which come from
NARA, from all 50 U.S. states.
About the National Archives
The National Archives and Records Administration, an independent federal
agency, is the nation's record keeper. Founded in 1934, its mission is unique
-- to serve American democracy by safeguarding and preserving the records of
our Government, ensuring that the people can discover, use, and learn from
this documentary heritage. The National Archives ensures continuing access to
the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions
of their government. It supports democracy, promotes civic education, and
facilitates historical understanding of our national experience. The National
Archives meets a wide range of information needs, among them helping people to
trace their families' history, making it possible for veterans to prove their
entitlement to medical and other benefits, and preserving original White House
records. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide
network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries, and on the
Internet at http://www.archives.gov.
About Ancestry.com
With 25,000 searchable databases and titles and nearly 3 million active
users, Ancestry.com is the No. 1 online source for family history information.
Since its launch in 1997, Ancestry.com has been the premier resource for
family history, simplifying genealogical research for millions of people by
providing them with many easy-to-use tools and resources to build their own
unique family trees. Ancestry.com is part of The Generations Network, Inc., a
leading network of family-focused interactive properties, including
http://www.myfamily.com, http://www.rootsweb.com, http://www.genealogy.com and
Family Tree Maker. In total, The Generations Network properties receive nearly
8.5 million unique visitors worldwide. ((C) comScore Media Metrix, March
2008). To easily begin researching your family history, visit
http://www.ancestry.com.
SOURCE Ancestry.com
Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze,
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