history research volunteer

Citizen Archivist Dashboard

Citizen Archivist Missions

Welcome, virtual volunteers! Through our Citizen Archivist program, you can help unlock history within the documents of the National Archives. Transcribing and tagging primary sources improves our ability to read these documents, search for them, and use the information they contain.

New to our Citizen Archivist program? Learn how to register and get started , and take a look at our Resources for how-to videos and instructions.

We've handpicked these missions especially for our newest volunteers. Choose a Tagging or Transcription Mission that interests you from one of the boxes below. It will bring you right to those records in our Catalog, where you can begin transcribing records or tagging features and keywords.

America's Scenic Byways

Tag details in features you find in these photographs of 150 roads located throughout the United States designated as National Scenic Byways or All-American Roads.

Emancipation Papers

Help us transcribe petitions filed with the court as required by the District of Columbia Emancipation Act of April 16, 1862. Information recorded in the files varies, but generally identifies the slave owner (the petitioner) and slave and may include physical descriptions of the slave or slaves.

Mathew Brady Photographs of Civil War-Era Personalities and Scenes

Mathew Brady endeavored to record the progress of the war with his camera. He and his associates traveled throughout the eastern part of the country and photographed many of the battlefields, towns, and people touched by the war. Brady also photographed many of the distinguished political and military personalities who visited his Washington, DC studio. Tag details and features you find in these photographs.

JFK Assassination - Key People

Transcribe records of persons of interest to the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, including the witnesses who testified, gave depositions, or made affidavits, and for other persons who were involved in the investigation to a significant extent.

Be sure to check out our Resources page where you can learn How to Tag and Transcribe Records , What Makes A Good Tag and our Transcription Tips .

Looking for more records to tag or transcribe? Check out our rotating Citizen Archivist Missions .

Need help? Contact us at [email protected] .

What are other Citizen Archivists talking about on History Hub?

Did the military branches have a memorandum of understanding (MOU) where they would send pregnant enlisted folks to a military site a thousand miles away from their home in order to have a baby?
Rev. War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 10478, for Robert Tharp, Georgia: 8th line up from the bottom, "Count Gillaspey was **** his men on horses" ; 4th line up from bottom, "Derby and Clark and**" and 2nd line up
Seeking help transcribing a letter from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant, File W 14925, Stephen Homer, Mass. NAID 54915289: what are words before signature "James Gregory + Son"?
Arecibo Observatory
Evariste A. Talbot

Find answers to your research questions at History Hub

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Digital Volunteers

The Smithsonian benefits from the work of thousands of passionate volunteers who support the organization on-site in our museums, zoo, and other facilities.

Digital technology makes it possible for people who believe in the Smithsonian mission to make significant contributions online. "Digital Volunteers" can take on important assignments to expand access to the Smithsonian's massive collections and participate in a variety of research programs. Some roles require special knowledge or skill, but many do not.

Select opportunities are described below.

Smithsonian Transcription Center

Launched in July 2013, the Smithsonian Transcription Center seeks to engage the public in making our collections more accessible. Digital volunteers are invited to transcribe historic documents, including diaries and working papers of prominent Americans, and records associated with the Smithsonian's vast scientific collections. Transcription makes these important materials more accessible to researchers around the world as well as the general public.

Our community of "volunpeers" have collaboratively transcribed and reviewed more than a million pages of field notes, diaries, ledgers, logbooks, currency proof sheets, photo albums, manuscripts, biodiversity specimen labels, and historic audio recordings.

To learn more about this opportunity, visit the Smithsonian Transcription Center .

Archives of American Gardens: Help Us Solve a Mystery

Do you love gardens and the thrill of the hunt? The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens has images of numerous gardens across the United States that need a bit of sleuthing to be positively identified. Some images belonged to slide lectures that were dismantled over time or simply never were labeled. Regardless of how it happened, they are a mystery!

To learn more about this opportunity, visit the Archives of American Gardens Mystery Project .

Encyclopedia of Life (EOL)

Our knowledge of the many life-forms on Earth—of animals, plants, fungi, protists and bacteria—is scattered around the world in books, journals, databases, websites, specimen collections, and in the minds of people everywhere. Imagine what it would mean if this information could be gathered together and made available to everyone—anywhere—at a moment’s notice. This dream is becoming a reality through the Encyclopedia of Life.

To learn more about this opportunity, visit the Encyclopedia of Life Translation Project .

Smithsonian Wikipedian Volunteer Program

The Smithsonian seeks digital volunteers to assist in contributing content to Wikipedia related to our collections and areas of expertise. Improving the quality and quantity of reliable information on Wikipedia, as well as usage of Smithsonian resources on the site, helps meet our mission, the "increase and diffusion of knowledge." We seek experienced and motivated Wikipedia editors who are technically proficient in both the software and the norms of the Wikimedia community. To find out more about how to become a Wikipedia volunteer for the Smithsonian, visit the Smithsonian Institution's WikiProject .