Videos

This was a 1912 film on the construction of the Panama Canal.

The Birth of a Nation is a 1915 three-hour silent film which traces the history of the Civil War and Reconstruction with a sympathetic view of the southern cause. Based on the novel The Clan…

The Birth of a Nation is a 1915 three-hour silent film which traces the history of the Civil War and Reconstruction with a sympathetic view of the southern cause. Based on the novel The Clan…

This silent newsreel film from 1915 shows passengers boarding the RMS Lusitania, which was sunk by a German U-Boat six days later off the coast of Ireland.

Footage from a 1917 newsreel by the Ford Motor Company was shown of Civil War veterans at a reunion in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on October 17, 1917, and army recruits training at Camp Custer …

In this 1918 animated film, animation pioneer Winsor McCay painstakingly recreated the May 7, 1915, German attack on RMS Lusitania. The longest animated movie ever made at the time, the film…

A silent film clip of World War I uniform production at the Quartermaster Supply Building in New York City.

This 1922 U.S. Army Signal Corps silent film of the dedication of the Grant Memorial, held on the U.S. capitol grounds, included marching bands and a parade of American Civil War veterans.

Scenes were shown from the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial on May 30, 1922.

President Woodrow Wilson delivered a radio address from his home in Washington, D.C., on November 10, 1923. It marked the 5th anniversary of the end of World War I, or Armistice Day, which i…

This silent film documents the March 4, 1925, presidential inauguration of Calvin Coolidge.

Clip from the Prelinger Archives of silent home movies of a family vacation in the nation’s Capitol.

This silent film documents the March 4, 1929, presidential inauguration of Herbert Hoover.

This early documentary showed lumbering operations. The silent film, later reconstructed with voice, was created by the Machias Lumber Company of Washington County, Maine, in 1930. Reel Amer…

Will Rogers spoke about unemployment and the economy during a KFI radio broadcast.

Newsreel with partial sound depicting New Year’s Eve celebrations in New York, Chicago, and Havana, Cuba.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered his first inaugural address after being sworn in by Chief Justice Charles Hughes on March 4, 1933. It was the last inaugural ceremony held in March.…

This Universal Newsreel shows scenes of Franklin Roosevelt’s March 4, 1933, presidential inauguration and an airplane rushing film of the event from Washington, D.C., to New York City.

Franklin Roosevelt was sworn in as the 32nd president of the United States on March 4, 1933. This program includes his oath of office, administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Eva…

During Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, he delivered a number of radio broadcasts which became known as fireside chats to inform and build public support for his administration’s efforts …

In the first of his 30 “fireside chat” national radio addresses, President Franklin Roosevelt talked about the bank crisis affecting the country and encouraged citizens to be patient during …

The Fighting President was a 1933 film from Universal Pictures about the life and career of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Consisting of narrated film, it included scenes with actual sound…

Newsreel coverage was shown of F.D. Roosevelt campaigning for the Democratic Party in the 1920s.

This U.S. Interior Department film documents efforts to improve housing and living conditions on Native American reservations, and shows how tribes are preserving cultural practices while ad…

This Better Housing News Flash video from 1935 showed short pieces on then-current event and lifestyle topics from that year, including the renovation of the Washington Monument, commercial …

This Better Housing News Flash video from 1935 showed short pieces on then-current event and lifestyle topics from that year, including government assistance for building modernization. Reel…

This Better Housing News Flash film from 1935 showed short pieces on news and lifestyle topics from that year, including including efficient kitchen layouts and home improvement suggestions.…

This 1935 film is a survey of the work being done by the Civilian Conservation Corps on national and state parks in California’s giant redwood territory.

This clip is from a 1952 Social Security Administration film promoting Social Security and shows President Franklin Roosevelt signing the Social Security Act.

This 1936 Universal News documentary chronicles the activities and methods of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). FBI director J. Edgar Hoover introduces the film.

This 1936 Chevrolet Motor Company film documents the process of making an automobile at an assembly line in Flint, Michigan. The film was selected in 1999 for preservation by the Library of…

This 1936 documentary was made in cooperation with the National Tuberculosis Association to travel throughout the United States and portray efforts to combat tuberculosis and show gains that…

This Interior Department film highlights infrastructure and conservation work by young men during the Great Depression and promotes the Roosevelt administration’s Civilian Conservation Corps…

The 1936 U.S. Resettlement Administration documentary The Plow That Broke the Plains tells the history of the great plains region from the 1880s to the Dust Bowl of the early 1930s in order …

President Franklin Roosevelt spoke from his home in Hyde Park, New York, about the observance of Brotherhood Day. He urged Americans to dedicate themselves to the values that unite everyone.

In this archival footage, President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke about the agonies of war and his efforts to keep the U.S. out of world conflicts by his declaration of a “good neighbor policy…

This 1937 Federal Works Agency film was a New Deal documentary the promoted programs to put unemployed black Americans to work on federal projects.

Two years after President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in 1935, this 1937 film described the benefits that an unemployed Louisiana workman would receive through the state program…

This 1937 Works Progress Administration (WPA) film celebrates New Deal programs designed to help the Buckeye State. Highlighted projects include airport construction, flood control, new scho…

This U.S. Interior Department film shows young men in the Civilian Conservation Corps doing infrastructure and maintenance work in New Jersey state parks. The conservation work was part of a…

This year marks the 75th Anniversary of the Hindenburg disaster, when on May 6th, 1937 the Zeppelin caught fire while docking at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station in New Jersey. 35 people on t…

This documentary and New Deal promotional film describes the importance of the Mississippi River Valley to the United States while arguing that poor farming and lumbering practices have resu…

This independent film by American Andre de la Varre shows everyday life in Damascus and Jerusalem just before the start of World War II. This program was part of Mr. de la Varre’s “The Scree…

This 1938 New York Port Authority film entitled “Conquest of the Hudson” covered the planning, construction, and operation of the Lincoln Tunnel, which connected New York to New Jersey and o…

Newsreel footage of the historic match race between West Coast star Seabiscuit and Triple Crown winner War Admiral at Pimlico Race Course. The audio does not include the track announcer.

This dramatized film in vivid technicolor follows a mid-Western family as they visit the Westinghouse exhibit at the 1939 World’s Fair. Made by Westinghouse during the Great Depression, the …

This 1939 Department of Interior film examines the origins of the Civilian Conservation Corps and profiles various accomplishments of the group in helping to build state and national parks d…

This 1939 documentary argued that modern cities had become unhealthy and that planned communities more like pre-industrial small-town America were preferable. The film was produced for the 1…

In this 1939 Universal Newsreel, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt speaks at the opening of the 1939 New York World’s Fair.

This 1940 classroom film depicts the basics of colonial life, from household cooking and crafts, to farming, fishing, game hunting, and home construction methods.

This 1940 educational film uses demonstrations to give lessons in hygiene and to show how sickness is spread.

This 1940 educational film shows how communities and individuals can prevent the spread of disease through safe drinking water, vaccinations and practicing good hygiene.

Washington Parade: The Archives was a Columbia Pictures short subject documentary detailing the activities of the National Archives a few years after the building on Pennsylvania Avenue was …

This Ford Motor Company film documents exhibits at the 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair in Queens, NY. In 1962, Ford donated thousands of films to the U.S. Government. The films were preserve…

This campaign film supporting 1940 Republican presidential candidate Wendell Willkie includes scenes at historic locations in Philadelphia where the nominating convention was held. It also i…

The Truth About Taxes is a 1940 campaign film for presidential candidate Wendell Willkie which argues that President Roosevelt’s New Deal policies waste money and weaken the nation. The film…

This 1941 Castle Films newsreel summarizes the life of President Franklin Roosevelt up to and including his third inauguration on January 20, 1941.

This Works Progress Administration film showed nation-wide projects such as sewer construction, medical services for the poor, education programs, and nursery schools. Reel America is an Ame…

On December 7, 1941, first lady Eleanor Roosevelt talked about the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor at the beginning of her regularly-scheduled weekly radio program on NBC.

The program featured a newsreel report on the December 1941 Japanese attack on the U.S. Navy’s Pacific fleet.

President Roosevelt addressed a Joint Session of Congress on December 8, 1941, the day after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt denounced the attack and asked Congress …

An audio recording was heard of House members debating the Declaration of War on Japan immediately after President Roosevelt’s speech declaring war. Still shots of Speaker Sam Rayburn and ot…

President Roosevelt in his State of the Union Address, talked about the efforts of the United Nations against the armies of Germany and Japan in World War II.

This U.S. Agriculture Department film profiles the history, culture, and farm produce of the Caribbean territory of Puerto Rico. The film emphasizes the self-reliant nature of Puerto Rican f…

This 1942 U.S. Department of Agriculture film promotes Victory Gardens and provides instructions to help citizens grow their own fruits and vegetables at home during World War II.

This 1942 RCA Victor Corporation film showed the process of how records are made, including making the master plate and additional pressings. It was released as “Command Performance.” Reel A…

This 1942 War Department film presented instruction on how pilots can perform aerobatic moves such as loops, rolls, and spins. Reel America is an American History TV series featuring 20th ce…

Originally a Soviet film on the World War II Battle of Moscow titled Rout of the German troops near Moscow, this English language version was widely distributed in American theaters. Narrate…

This 1942 Defense Department film stressed the dangers of unintentionally giving up information to the enemy through diaries, letters, and talk about military matters. Reel America is an Ame…

This Penn School film highlights its role educating African Americans in domestic skills and professional trades since it was established in 1862 on St. Helena Island in South Carolina. When…

This 1942 U.S. Navy film showed life at the Naval Academy, sailors aboard aircraft carriers, submarines, and planes, as well as enlisted recruits training after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. …

A newsreel report on the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor including U.S. Navy film of the aftermath.

Narrated by actor Henry Fonda, this film dramatizes the gradual realization by a town’s citizens that they must contribute to the war effort. Prior to Pearl Harbor, the local National Guard …

Hollywood director John Ford made an 18 minute documentary for the U.S. Navy about the Battle of Midway in June of 1942. The Battle of Midway presented a victory in vivid color to an America…

A brief film produced by the Navy about the Battle of Midway.

This U.S. government newsreel includes the following stories: U.S. Marines push back Japanese forces on Guadalcanal; the cruiser Boise docks and Admiral King decorates members of the crew; P…

The World at War was a film released in theaters in 1942 that uses newsreel footage and captured Axis film to document Nazi and Japanese military action leading up to the December 7, 1941, a…

This is the first of seven films in the “Why We Fight” series, covering the outbreak of World War II to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The documentary explores the rise of authoritarianism in G…

This short 1942 U.S. Agriculture Department film is a World War II propaganda effort celebrating the contributions of African Americans to the war effort. Narrated by actor and civil rights …

A film summarizes Adolph Hitler’s plan for world conquest and Germany’s preparations in pursuit of this end. On September 1st, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. It proved to be the act of aggres…

A short from the War Relocation Authority highlighting the 442nd infantry that was comprised of Japanese Americans.

This animated short film was a cautionary tale designed to instruct service personnel about security. Part of a series, it was written by Dr. Seuss, voiced by Mel Blanc, and distributed by t…

This 1943 U.S. Office of War Information film that explores British culture and details events of the United Kingdom’s war against Nazi Germany. This is one in a series of training films des…

This was a short portion of a biweekly newsreel originally intended for servicemen only. This report focused on the training of railroad workers for war zone activities.

This 1943 U.S Navy documentary depicts life in Hawaii before, during, and after the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The Navy refused to release this 82 minute film during World War II …

Milton Eisenhower hosted and narrated this 1943 film that attempts to justify the need to move Japanese Americans from their West Coast homes to internment camps in isolated areas of the wes…

The fourth of seven films in the World War II “Why We Fight” series, this U.S. War Department film was seen by service members before they were deployed overseas. It details the fight in the…

This 1943 Office of War Information film showed how historically black colleges contributed to the WW II effort by training scientists, doctors, nurses, and soldiers. It featured Tuskegee In…

This 1943 Army Air Forces film depicted the survival of a downed military aircraft pilot in arctic conditions. The pilot demonstrated how to stay warm, make shelter, and signal for help. It …

This “Film Bulletin” produced by the U.S. Army Signal Corps shows how training, informational, and Hollywood films were distributed by ship, airplane, train, truck, and sometimes camel to th…

This 1943 Office of War Information film showcased the different ways women contributed to the war effort. Reel America is an American History TV series featuring 20th century archival films…

Narrated in first person by a Jeep, this 1943 Office of War information film talked about wartime production and uses of the vehicle. Reel America is an American History TV series featuring …

Excerpts of Ronald Reagan starring as a Roman Catholic priest in the 1943 U.S. Army training film For God and Country. In the film, his character trains to be an Army chaplain before serving…

Short archival film about why rationing was important during World War II. A call to arms film for American citizens to take part in rationing goods.

This documentary tells the story of the early stages of the Aleutian Islands Campaign during World War II and depicts the harsh weather and living conditions faced by U.S. forces.

The Battle of Russia is one of seven films in the Why We Fight series created during World War II by Hollywood director and U.S. Army Major Frank Capra. The films were produced by the U.S. O…

This 1944 Office of War Information film showed how a small town in Alabama, crowded with war industry workers, comes together to build a community. It followed town committees working to fi…

Why We Fight: The Battle of China is a 1944 U.S. Office of War Information film that surveys the geography, people, and history of China and details their defensive war against Japan, beginn…

This 1944 film is a short profile of Charles McGonegal, who lost both hands in World War I. The film shows him using hooks to shave, tie his shoestrings, eat breakfast and drive to work and …

This U.S. Navy training film from 1944 described the history of balloon experimentation and development for military use. Reel America is an American History TV series featuring 20th century…