Archives – Page 6 – The UncommonWealth

“Tenths of an Inch”: Examining a 19th-Century Object on the Eastern Shore

African American Genealogist Selma Stewart can remember the time she came to the Library of Virginia to view the “Free Negro Registers” in person in…

Lydia NeurothOctober 30, 2024

Archives Conservation Manuscripts & Special Collections The Stacks

One Step Up and Two Steps Back: 25 Years of Addressing the Library of Virginia’s Archival Backlog

2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the 1999 Virginia state budget amendment that funded 17 new Library of Virginia positions “to eliminate the 54-year backlog…

Roger ChristmanOctober 23, 2024

Archives

The Library Lost and Found

It isn’t every day that long-lost state government records make their way back the state archives - especially those dating from the 18th century -…

Paige NealOctober 16, 2024

Archives

Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike Authority

Recently I processed the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike Authority Records, 1954-1983 , documenting the building of the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike from 1955 to 1958. The collection is arranged…

Renee SavitsOctober 9, 2024

Archives

Commonwealth v. Witch

I I stumbled across a newspaper article in the September 18th issue of the Virginian Herald, dated September 13, 1822. Its title?I was confused. The…

Courtney ThompsonOctober 7, 2024

Archives Digital Projects

Mother Knows Best: A Tale of 2 Brothers

Like Jonathan Ramey of Scott County, Virginia, whose story we previously explored on UncommonWealth, brothers James and William Temple of Bath County joined the trek…

Callie FreedOctober 4, 2024

Archives Digital Projects Education & Programming Manuscripts & Special Collections The Stacks

Express Yourself: Virginia Archives Month 2024

October means Halloween, pumpkin spice lattes, and most importantly Archives Month! This Virginia Archives Month we are highlighting the relationship between self-expression and archives with…

Mary Ann Mason, They/ThemOctober 2, 2024

Archives The Stacks

Records Room Road Trips: June 2024

My previous Circuit Court Records Preservation Program (CCRP) Road Trip post covered locality travel for May, so this is June’s travelogue. Back in late April…

Tracy HarterSeptember 25, 2024

Archives

Are You Smarter than a Literacy Test?

In 1920, Cora Cottman joined scores of other American women applying to vote for the very first time following the ratification of the 19th Amendment.…

McKenzie LongSeptember 23, 2024

Archives Digital Projects Manuscripts & Special Collections The Stacks

Findability: The Role of Catalog Records and Finding Aids

The Library of Virginia has more than 50,000 collections and continues to grow. The Library’s archivists preserve those collections for future generations and then make…

Karen KingSeptember 16, 2024

Archives Digital Projects

Visualizing WWII Data: Making History Accessible

When we think of history, we often picture grand narratives and compelling stories that have shaped the world. Yet the way we engage with history…

Maitri PathakSeptember 11, 2024

Archives

Newly-Available Archival Accessions, April 1-June 30, 2024

The Library of Virginia maintains the most comprehensive collection of information about Virginia’s history, culture, and government. We hold more than 200 million manuscript items,…

Trenton HizerSeptember 6, 2024

Archives Digital Projects

The Coroners’ Inquisitions Digital Collection is Now Live & Available for Transcription

Given the popularity of true crime documentaries, movies, and podcasts, it’s not surprising that researchers have likewise found the Library of Virginia’s Coroners’ Inquisitions a…

Mary Ann Mason, They/ThemSeptember 4, 2024

Archives

Spirits, Freeholders, and Aliens: Contested Elections in 18th Century Virginia

I recently came across the records of Contested Elections, and with the 2024 elections right around the corner, my interest was piqued. The cases span…

Dawn TinnellSeptember 2, 2024

Archives Digital Projects Education & Programming The Stacks

Inclusive Indexing: Gabriel’s Conspiracy Documents in Virginia Untold

Editor's Note: This summer, Transforming the Future of Libraries and Archives intern Kade McGrail assisted in several different projects for the Library’s Virginia Untold project.…

Lydia NeurothAugust 28, 2024