Materials from Microfilms and Authentic Records Have Been Transformed into Digital Forms Through the Collaboration of Our Digitization Teams
In a significant move to make historical records more accessible, major genealogy platforms such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and Fold3.com have partnered with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to digitize various microfilm publications and original records from NARA's holdings.
These digitized records will be made available through the National Archives Catalog, offering genealogists and history enthusiasts a wealth of information at their fingertips. However, it's important to note that the specific complete sets available on Ancestry.com from NARA microfilms are not explicitly detailed in the search results.
One notable example of a partially digitized microfilm series is the Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company Records (NARA series M816), which comprises 27 rolls of microfilm covering depositor data from the Freedman’s Bank (1865-1874). While not all of this series is digitized, portions of it can be found on platforms like FamilySearch.org, with the coverage of states detailed in NARA PDFs.
Despite the ongoing digitization efforts, it's important to note that NARA's microfilm holdings are not fully digitized yet. Many of these digitized records are accessible through multiple portals, including Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and NARA's databases.
If you are specifically interested in fully digitized NARA microfilm series on Ancestry.com, it is recommended to search Ancestry’s catalog directly using NARA series numbers or titles or consult NARA’s website and related documentation for updated digitization statuses.
Here are some examples of digitized microfilm publications available through these platforms:
- The microfilm publication number for Alien and Chinese Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at Charleston, South Carolina, from June 16, 1907, to April 26, 1913 is A3646.
- The microfilm publication number for Passenger and Crew Manifests of Airplanes Arriving at Burbank, California, from September 1958 to July 1959 is A3645.
- The microfilm publication number for Alien Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Savannah, Georgia, from June 5, 1906, to June 20, 1948 is A3638.
- The microfilm publication number for Passenger and Crew Manifests of Airplanes Arriving at Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale), Florida, from December 1, 1957, to November 8, 1969 is A3635.
- The microfilm publication number for Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Pascagoula, Mississippi, from July 15, 1903, to May 21, 1935 is A3632.
- The microfilm publication number for Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at Pascagoula, Mississippi, from January 1, 1907, to September 5, 1928 is A3633.
- The microfilm publication number for Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Charleston, South Carolina, from April 9, 1906, to August 21, 1948 is A3648.
- The microfilm publication number for Alien Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at Savannah, Georgia, from 1901 to November 30, 1954 is A3640.
- The microfilm publication number for Passenger and Crew Manifests of Airplanes Arriving at Portland, Maine, from April 13, 1946, to November 24, 1954 is A3636.
- The microfilm publication number for U.S. Citizen Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Savannah, Georgia, from June 5, 1906, to June 20, 1948 is A3639.
Original records that have been digitized but have no microfilm will have "Original records" listed in the microfilm publication number column. A spreadsheet of the digitized materials can be downloaded for viewing on a computer by clicking the column headings.
Free access to Ancestry.com and Fold3.com is available in all National Archives Research Rooms. FamilySearch.org is a free site, but requires registration to access all material. Ancestry.com and Fold3.com are subscription services with free search options for some or all index terms for each title.
To report issues with the information on the page, email [email protected]. The list of digitized materials can be found on the partners' websites, and it will be updated as more materials are digitized.
Data-and-cloud-computing technologies have played a crucial role in the digitization process of historical records, making them more accessible through platforms like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.com. These digitized records, including microfilm publications from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), offer technology-enthusiasts and researchers a wealth of information about genealogy and history.
