Memoranda have been with us for decades. While their purpose remains the same, their form and appearance have changed over the years. This presentation gives you a brief overview of how memoranda found in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution Archives evolved over time. For a more dynamic presentation see the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er6QGM95Nf4a You can find out more about the history of the Smithsonian on our website: http://siarchives.si.edu/history.

1. Evolution of the Memo
1849-2011

3. Memoranda have been with us for
decades.
While their purpose remains
form
the same, their and
appearance have
changed over the years.
They evolved from being handwritten to
being digital.

4. February 1849
Coast Survey Memorandum to the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States
Record Unit 7053, Box 5, Folder: Coast Survey Correspondence, February 1849

6. 1852
Memorandum of Reptiles etc. collected during Capt.
R. B. Marcy’s expedition to the head of Red River
in 1852
Record Unit 305, Box 1, Folder: 048-Capt. R. B. Marcy

8. 1888
Memorandum to William Jones Rhess from O. T. Mason
Accession T90082, Box 1, Folder: Incoming Correspondence: 60519, 60572 and 60760

10. December 6, 1889
Memorandum from J. E. Watkins to Goode
Record Unit 297, Box 1, Folder: George Brown Goode, 1886-1891

12. July 24, 1891
Memorandum to Curators from George Brown Goode
Record Unit 297, Box 1, Folder: George Brown Goode, 1886-1891

14. July 6, 1894
Memorandum to Curators
Record Unit 105, Box 29, Folder: SI and USNM Directives and Orders

16. April 25, 1895
Memoranda from William Crawford Winlock, 1895
Record Unit 297, Box 1, Folder: William Crawford Winlock, 1895-1896

18. June 18, 1902
Memorandum from Frank Baker to Secretary Langley
Record Unit 31, Box 9, Folder 14: Baker, Frank, June 1902

20. March 22, 1904
Memorandum from Secretary Langley re. The National
Gallery of Art
Accession T90112, Box 1, Folder: Secretary Langley’s Letter of
December 8, 1904 re. NGA

22. September 29, 1910
Memorandum to Richard Rathbun from Frederick W. True
Record Unit 208, Box 48, Folder 3: William De C. Ravenel, 1907-1915,
1917-1924, 1926-1927

24. June 14, 1910
Memorandum from William de C. Ravenel to Dr. Frederick W. True
Record Unit 208, Box 48, Folder 3: William De C. Ravenel, 1907-1915,
1917-1924, 1926-1927

26. October 3, 1917
Memorandum to Richard Rathbun re. World War I
efforts at the Smithsonian
Record Unit 45, Box 67, Folder 10: Office of the Secretary: World
War I Relief Activities, 1917-1920

28. December 23, 1918
Memorandum to Secretary Walcott re. his son Stuart’s grave site
Record Unit 7004, Box 7, Folder 7: F-K, 1917-1925 and undated

30. May 3, 1919
Memorandum to Secretary Walcott re. his son
Stuart’s military service during World War I
Record Unit 7004, Box 8, Folder 1: T-Z, 1917-1925 and undated

32. March 19, 1923
Memorandum to Leonard Stejneger - Report of Trip to Walnut
Point, Virginia for purpose of securing whale skeleton
Record Unit 208, Box 48, Folder 3: William De C. Ravenel,
1907-1915, 1917-1924, 1926-1927

34. February 14, 1929
Memorandum re. the purchase of a new site for the Arts
and Industries Building
Record Unit 2, Box 3A, Folder 2: Minutes of the
Executive and Permanent Committees of the Board of
Regents, 1918-1933

36. May 23, 1934
Memorandum for Dr. A. S. Hitchcock
Record Unit 192, Box 456, Folder 3: 129701-129725

38. August 24, 1942
Memorandum from Secretary Abbott to Staff re. Smithsonian
contributions to the war effort during World War II
Record Unit 46, Box 154, Folder 6: Smithsonian War Effort –
Correspondence, 1941-1945

40. February 16, 1948
Office Memorandum No. 34 to the Heads of Bureaus,
Offices, and Divisions re. the importance of memoranda
Record Unit 7005, Box 18, Folder: Office Memoranda, SI, 1946

42. April 7, 1950
Memorandum to John E. Graf re. the modernization of
exhibitions
Record Unit 190, Box 89, Folder: Exhibits Modernization, 1950

45. December 2, 1958
Memorandum to Frank A. Taylor re. the creation
of a conservation lab
Record Unit 190, Box 27, Folder 5: Conservation
Analytical Laboratory – General, 1955-1965

48. April 3, 1964
Memorandum to Secretary Ripley regarding the
architecture of the National Air and Space Museum
Record Unit 99, Box 59, Folder: National Air and Space Museum

50. May 22, 1969
Memorandum from V. Clain-Stefanelli to Robert P.
Multhauf
Record Unit 276, Box 75, Folder 2: Numismatics, 1966-1969

52. May 23, 1969
Memorandum from Secretary Ripley to Mr. Callhan and Nate
Reingold re. catalog of all things related to the Secretary
and the Board of Regents
Record Unit 98, Box 4, Folder: Computer Services, Office of

54. May 14, 1971
Memorandum to John Jameson re. the publication of a
guide to the Smithsonian Institution Archives
Record Unit 99, Box 502, Folder: Smithsonian Archives

56. July 7, 1980
Memorandum from Joshua C. Taylor to Phillip S. Hughes
re. changing the name of the National Collection of
Fine Arts to the National Museum of American Art
Record Unit 477, Box 5, Folder: NCFA Name Change

59. April 25, 1980
Memorandum from Roger Kennedy to Charles Blitzer re.
changing the name of the Museum of History and
Technology to the National Museum of American History
Record Unit 477, Box 5, Folder: MHT Name Change

62. March 23, 1981
Memorandum to Dr. Harold D. Langley regarding replicas
of a ring being sold in the store
Accession 94-112, Box 7, Folder: Correspondence, 1968-1970, 1985-1987

64. February 26, 1986
Memorandum from John W. White to Douglas E. Evelyn
re. patent models
Accession 98-041, Box 5, Folder: USPMF: General correspondence, 1985

66. March 27, 1986
Memorandum from Richard E. Ahlborn re. the acquisition of
Japanese-American material culture for the National
Museum of American History
Accession 94-012, Box 4, Folder: Correspondence and memoranda,
1983, 1985-1987

68. October 11, 1991
Memorandum to Secretary Adams re. the Enola Gay
exhibition
Accession 96-140, Box 1, Folder 7

70. November 6, 1996
Memorandum from David Shayt re. the lighting protection of
the Smithsonian Anniversary Bell
Accession 97-069, Box 1, Folder: Smithsonian Anniversary Bell

72. April 26, 1994
Memorandum from Tom Crouch to Martin Harwit re.
Enola Gay exhibition
Accession 94-140, Box 3, Folder 17: Correspondence, 1994

74. January 30, 2001
Memorandum from Olga Viso to Hirshhorn Museum and
Sculpture Garden staff
Accession 03-083, Box 1, Folder: Wolfgang Laib: Correspondence (internal)

76. September 28, 2011
Memorandum from A. Sprightley Ryan re. the use of social
media at the Smithsonian
Office of the Inspector General, website [http://si.edu/OIG/InBrief_A-11-01]

78. Presentation
Mitch Toda, Assistant Archivist
Web
siarchives.si.edu