Footnote Press Room

Footnote.com and the National Archives and Records Administration announced today the release of the first ever interactive World War II collection, which includes an interactive version of the USS Arizona Memorial, WWII Hero Pages, and WWII photos and documents previously unavailable on the internet. 

“We can’t afford to forget this period in our history,” says James Hastings, Director of Access Programs at the National Archives. “Our ongoing partnership with Footnote.com helps ensure that the stories contained in these photos and documents are accessible to everyone, particularly those who cannot travel to our facilities to study the original records. This partnership complements our mission of making National Archives holdings as widely available as possible.”

Included in the WWII collection is the first-ever interactive version of the USS Arizona Memorial. Similar to the Vietnam War Memorial project that Footnote.com released last March, the USS Arizona Memorial is a fully searchable digital image of the national monument.   

The USS Arizona Memorial allows Footnote.com users to search for people they know by simply typing in a name.  The image viewer will zoom in to the specific area of the wall where that name appears. By placing the cursor over the name, users can access an interactive box featuring additional information about the sailors including a place to contribute photos and stories about that individual. 

In January 2007, Footnote.com partnered with the National Archives and other archives to digitize valuable records that contain the collective story of the United States.  Now featuring over 47 million documents and photos on the site, Footnote.com tools bring history to life by allowing users to connect with their past and with each other. 

For a limited time, Footnote.com is providing free access to their National Archives WWII collections that include:

•    Pearl Harbor Muster Rolls
•    Missing Air Crew Reports
•    U.S. Air Force Photos
•    Submarine Patrol Reports
•    Japanese Air Target Analysis
•    Army JAG Case Files
•    Navy JAG Case Files
•    Naval Press Clippings
•    Allied Military Conferences

“There’s more than just names, dates, and places,” explains Ted Young, a WWII Veteran, whose oldest brother died on the USS Arizona as a result of the Pearl Harbor bombing. “I hope that someday our grandsons or great grandsons will see this and have a better picture of what was going on in our time.” To see a video of Mr. Young explaining how he preserved his brother’s WWII experience on Footnote.com, click here.

In addition to the USS Arizona Memorial, Footnote.com is also releasing Hero Pages, an easy way to create a tribute or memorial to our war heroes. These Hero Pages feature an interactive timeline and map, a place to upload photos, documents and letters, and a place to share stories about individuals who fought in WWII. 

“These pages will tell a story that is not included history text books,” says Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “What we find is the Hero Pages add to history with stories that were not always documented, but rather passed down from generation to generation. These Hero Pages are a great way to involve the entire family and bring them together to add their pieces of the puzzle that make up their history.”

Footnote.com and the National Archives have already created over 9 million Hero Pages from the Army Enlistment Records. Footnote.com invites those who were impacted by World War II to come and find or create a Hero Page, and preserve those memories that are disappearing too quickly.


Click here to see the WWII content including the USS Arizona and Hero Pages.

About Footnote, Inc.
Footnote.com is a subscription website that features searchable original documents, providing users with an unaltered view of the events, places and people that shaped the American nation and the world. At Footnote.com, all are invited to come share, discuss, and collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues. For more information, visit www.footnote.com.

About The National Archives
NARA alone is the archives of the Government of the United States, responsible for safeguarding records of all three branches of the Federal Government. The records held by the National Archives belong to the public – and it is the mission of the National Archives to ensure the public can discover, use, and learn from the records of their government. 

NARA Contact:
The National Archives Public Affairs staff
 (202) 357-5300

Footnote.com Contact:
Justin Schroepfer
Marketing Director
(801) 494-6517
Justin@footnote.com

San Francisco -- September 10, 2008 Losing a loved one can result in a range of emotions, from the grief and sorrow to comfort, which often comes from reminiscing stories and memories with family and friends. The challenge arises when there is no single place where all of these stories can easily come together to be shared, enriched and preserved.

Now at Footnote.com, anyone can find or create Footnote Pages where users connect and share stories, photos, and information about the people important to them.

To kick-off the new Footnote Pages, Footnote.com today released over 80 million of these pages created from data from the Social Security Death Index. Most visitors will find existing pages about several deceased friends and family members already on the site.

Footnote.com was selected from over 1,000 applicants to launch Footnote Pages at this year’s TechCrunch50 held in San Francisco. Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote, demonstrated Footnote Pages to an audience of over 1,500 investors, bloggers, and major media outlets.
“We encourage people to upload their personal shoeboxes of photos and documents to Footnote.com,” explains Wilding. “Now with Footnote Pages, friends and family can come together to share stories and memories about the people they care about.”

Described as Facebook for the Deceased, these pages feature a photo gallery, an interactive timeline and map, and other tools that bring people together to create a more colorful and rich picture of the past. “Social networking is not only for the younger generations any more,” explains Wilding. “We are seeing Baby Boomers contribute and connect online in increasing numbers. Footnote Pages are an easy way for this audience to interact with each other and learn things they would not otherwise know about deceased friends and family.”

Beyond profiling people, Footnote pages can also be used to document and discuss historical events or places including: the Vietnam War, the Assassination of JFK and the Lincoln-Douglas Debates.

Unlike other social networking sites, Footnote.com provides content that enables users to tell and share stories from the past. Through its partnership with the National Archives, Footnote.com has digitized over 43 million documents including historical newspapers, military records, photos and more. Footnote.com adds about 2 million new records to the site every month.

Visit Footnote.com to learn more about Footnote Pages and get a new perspective on the lives of your own friends and family who have passed away.

In Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the FBI, Footnote.com Opens Its FBI Collection Featuring over 2 Million Original Records

Espionage, bootlegging, war crimes, illegal aliens, and political wrongdoing.  
While this may sound like the latest Hollywood blockbuster it’s actually a review of some of the investigations the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has carried out over its 100 year history.

In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the FBI, Footnote.com announced their entire collection of FBI Case Files  will be freely accessible by the public through the end of August.  The collection contains over two million records featuring some very surprising hidden stories.

A few examples include, J. Edgar Hoover opening an investigation into actor Charlie Chaplin for allegedly making a contribution of $100,000 for socialist propaganda.  Baseball great Babe Ruth was investigated for draft dodging and newspaper mogul William Randolph Hurst was investigated for suspicion of funding the Mexican-American War.

The FBI Case Files date from 1908 to 1922 and feature cases involving espionage during WWI, investigations into German aliens who were politically suspect, reports of violations of prohibition and more.  Serious, as well as far-fetched accounts provide a fresh insider’s perspective to the history of this time period.

“Original documents are not only interesting but also provide a way to verify historical facts that may have been previously considered conspiracy theories,” says Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “It’s important to have records like these available so people can understand and appreciate our nation’s history as well as the circumstances that lead to the actions taken..”

Through their partnership with the National Archives, Footnote.com has digitized and indexed over 41 million original records; the majority of which have never been seen on the Internet before.  Footnote.com continues to add millions of new documents to the site every month.

With easy to use tools and a social component to the site, Footnote.com is changing the way people access and interact with history.  “We’re more than just an online repository of historical records,” continues Wilding. “We’re an outlet where people can go to add their own viewpoints on history and to share their own insights and discoveries.”

 
Footnote.com also enables people to upload their own shoeboxes of photos, letters and other documents - adding to the ever-changing face of history.

Visit Footnote.com  today to view the FBI Case Files  and the millions of additional historical records.

Today, Footnote.com announced the addition of the 1860 US Census to their Civil War Collection. This project was a joint effort with FamilySearch, who provided the images to the 1860 Census.  From those images, Footnote created a index enabling visitors to simply type in a name and search the millions of names contained in this collection.

As the largest online collection of original Civil War documents, this new addition to Footnote.com provides a snapshot of America before the bloodiest war in its history. The 1860 US Census reveals many details about individuals at that time. What was their occupation? Where were they born? What was their marital status? Did they attend school? Could they read or write? Was your ancestor insane, idiotic, or a convict? The 1860 US Census will let you know.

“Is the 1860 US Census already on the internet? Yes,” says Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “But what makes the census different on Footnote is that these documents become interactive.”

Footnote.com has developed tools that enable visitors not only to find someone in the census, but also to enrich the records by adding photos, linking related documents, and contributing insights to any name on the record. “Now they’re not merely names on a document,” explains Russ Wilding. “They become people as the contributions start to tell a story about that person.”

This past March, Footnote.com released a similar project using the same technology with an interactive version of the Vietnam War Memorial. For each name on the Wall, a visitor can view military service information, attached photos and comments. The success of the project is overwhelming as priceless contributions are added to the Wall. Footnote expects similar results with the launch of the 1860 US Census.

At Footnote.com, it’s more than just looking at a historical document. History becomes a living subject on Footnote.com as documents from archives come together for the first time on the Internet. Visitors to Footnote.com can add their own contributions and upload their own shoeboxes of information. Letters, documents, and photos from the past create a view of history that few have seen before.

Every month, two million new documents are added to the site and over a million people visit the site. Footnote promises to continue to deliver new discoveries for those whose interests range from the serious historian to the casual visitor looking for something entertaining.

Collection Features More than 80,000 Photos from WWII and Vietnam Now Freely Accessible at Footnote.com

Lindon, UT May 22, 2008 – In commemoration of Memorial Day, Footnote.com today announced their entire collection of military photos will be made permanently free on the site.  The collection features over 80,000 photos from WWII and Vietnam making it the largest collection of its kind on the web.

Through their partnership with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), Footnote.com has digitized and indexed the photos, which include images of downed aircraft, aerial photos of bombings, fighter groups and combat photos.  What makes the photos unique are the short captions included with the photos, which provide interesting details about the events and people featured.

The announcement follows closely behind Footnote.com’s recent release of an interactive version of the Vietnam War Memorial.  The online memorial is one of the largest images on the web and features a full-size photo of the memorial in Washington, DC.  Visitors to the interactive memorial can search for names of fallen veterans, connect with other people, and create tributes by adding their own photos and stories to the site.  To view the Vietnam War Memorial, go to www.footnote.com/thewall/.  

“Making history accessible is only one facet to our mission,” explains Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com.  “Our goal is to create a site that enables people to interact with history; to add their own ‘footnote’ to history.”

Footnote.com encourages everyone to upload their own shoeboxes containing photos, letters and documents.  Members then can add their own comments, insights and create web pages highlighting their discoveries.   The web pages can also be used to create online memorials where family and friends can also contribute.

Footnote.com features over 35 million images on the site with two million new historical records being added each month.    To view the unique content on Footnote.com and see what the Footnote Community has been doing, visit www.footnote.com.

Footnote.com and the National Archives and Records Administration held a press conference at the Archives in Washington DC to announce the release of an online interactive photo of the Vietnam War Memorial.

In addition to releasing this unique version of the Wall, Footnote.com enables visitors to search the Wall for people they know and pay tribute by adding photos, comments and stories of those who lost their lives during the Vietnam conflict.

“The Wall is more than just 58,000 plus names,” explains Richard Schroepfer, a Vietnam War Veteran. “Many of these people were my friends. And now Footnote.com helps me create a remembrance of these fine gentlemen.”

Footnote.com started the project by contracting the expertise of Peter Krogh, a National Geographic photographer, who was given the challenge to photograph the entire wall. Creating this online version of the Wall required almost 1,500 individual photos that were stitched together to create one single image.

The process took over five months and resulted in an image that is nearly five gigapixels in size. Despite the immense size, just about anyone can view the image on Footnote.com via an Internet connection.

Footnote.com partnered with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to link the service records and casualty reports to each name on the Wall. “The records of the Vietnam War in the National Archives are essential resources for veterans to revisit their history and establish their rights,” explains Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein. “These extensive files are mined by scholars every day as they continue to interpret and understand this pivotal period in American history.”

Footnote.com will also be digitizing National Archives photos from the Vietnam War. Finding someone on the Wall is as simple as typing a name into a search box and letting Footnote.com quickly locate and zoom into the area of the Wall where the individual name can be viewed. Once the name is located, visitors can see the soldier’s service record and view comments, stories and photos that have been contributed by other visitors.

“Footnote.com is about discovering, discussing, and sharing the stories of our past,” says Russell Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “We know that there are many untold experiences represented on that Wall, and we hope that this interactive version of the memorial helps those affected by the war by sharing their stories.”

Footnote.com also provides a way for visitors to create a tribute page dedicated to the brave men and women who served in Vietnam, who may not be on the Wall. These pages become a way for veterans, family and friends to share experiences and feelings about this event that has had a great impact on so many.

Footnote.com hopes that this interactive Wall becomes a means for healing and paying tribute to those whose sacrifice and service have been underappreciated for so long.

Footnote.com announced today a new partnership with SmallTownPapers, Inc. that will add millions of pages of historical newspapers to the site. With over 28 million images of original documents already on Footnote.com, the historical newspapers will prove to be a valuable addition, providing a unique view of our nation’s history.

After using Footnote.com, SmallTownPapers President Paul Jeffko quickly realized the two companies had a natural synergy. "Our unique and exclusive small-town newspaper content is a boon for any researcher, and with Footnote.com providing high quality viewing, printing, and downloading, visitors are going to discover a new dimension and relevance to online history and genealogy research."

Unlike many of the major newspapers, small town newspapers give a glimpse into what day-to-day life was like for many Americans during that time. Visitors can browse articles of local news content, historic photos, and birth, marriage, and obituary announcements.

The image viewer on Footnote.com enables visitors to see images of the newspapers exactly as they were printed, dating back to the mid-19th century. “These newspapers can be found in other places, but what makes Footnote.com so different is the social networking component we offer,” explains Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “Social networking isn’t just for young people on MySpace or Facebook anymore. People of all ages with different interests, including history, are now interacting with each other on the internet. Footnote.com has created an engaging and fun experience with content like historical newspapers, that enables people to discuss their discoveries with others.”

Visit www.footnote.com/smalltownpapers to access free samples of these newspapers and to see what Footnote members have contributed.

Footnote.com today announced free access to select databases during February in celebration of Black History Month. These databases include original historical records from the Amistad case, the program for the 1963 March on Washington and the Southern Claims Commission records from the Civil War.

“The Southern Claims Commission records document the experiences of former slaves during the Civil War and in the days immediately after,” says Toni Carrier, Founding Director of the USF Africana Heritage Project. “They often contain information that cannot be found anywhere else. Family historians should plan to spend some quality time with this collection.”

The majority of the records on Footnote.com come from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Since partnering with NARA a year ago, Footnote.com has been working aggressively to digitize and make these original source documents available online.

To date, Footnote.com has digitized over 26 million images. Each month, approximately 2 million new records are uploaded to the site. "Our partnership with Footnote has brought millions of our documents to far more researchers than ever before possible,” says James Hastings, Director of Access Programs at NARA. “Now researchers can come to any or our research rooms across the country and use the online indexes and records free of charge. And for a small fee they can have access to this rich historical collection in their own homes. We look forward to many years of working together to help Americans understand their history."

In addition to the records Footnote.com uploads to its site every month, members of the site are also making contributions by adding records from their files at home and creating their own web pages dedicated to topics that interest them. Member pages pertaining to African American history include topics such as slavery, African American war heroes and Civil Rights.

“We love to see people get involved and take an active interest in history,” said Russ Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. “There are so many historical treasures contained in shoeboxes that have been tucked away and forgotten in closets and attics. We encourage everyone to upload their shoeboxes of letters, documents and photos to Footnote.com to preserve and share their own histories.”

Footnote.com is the place where history comes alive. The site has something for everyone from avid researchers to those with a casual interest in the stories of our past. Visit Footnote.com today and see the future of history.

- Evidence Explained can now be obtained on Footnote.com

Lindon, Utah %u2013 August 15, 2007 %u2013Today, Footnote.com announced a partnership with Elizabeth Shown Mills to distribute her new book, Evidence Explained. This definitive guide to citation and analysis of historical resources features over 1,000 citation models and is now available in digital format on Footnote.com.

"The world of research is changing in exciting new ways" says Roger Bell, President of Footnote.com, "Evidence Explained is a great tool to help academics, students and genealogists use these new resources."

Mills was the long-term editor of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and has delivered over 500 lectures globally, appeared on radio and TV talk shows on three continents, and was featured on the BBC's (British Broadcasting Corporation) 20th anniversary special on the novel Roots and the PBS-KBYU series Ancestors: Second Season. A recipient of the NGS President's Citation and the APG Graham T. Smallwood Jr. Award, Mills has been cited by her peers as "the genealogist who has had the greatest impact on American genealogy in the post-Roots era."

Historical and genealogical research has come a long way since the days of using encyclopedias and card catalogs. The digital age has added valuable resources including websites like Footnote.com, digital books, podcasts and more. Genealogical research can be challenging and Evidence Explained will help provide a better understanding of how to properly use these new resources.

For more information on Evidence Explained, visit www.footnote.com/evidenceexplained.

About Footnote, Inc.
Founded in 1997 as iArchives, Inc., Footnote.com is a subscription-based website that features searchable original documents that provide users with an unaltered view of the events , places and people that shaped the American nation and the world. At Footnote.com all are invited to come to share, discuss, and collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues. For more information, visit http://www.footnote.com.

Today, Footnote.com announced that they have digitized the entire Project Bluebook, a collection of official records covering the United States Government's investigation of UFO phenomenon from 1947%u20131969. From Alaska to Florida, Project Bluebook features fascinating accounts of UFO sightings from every state. Now for the first time, the entire collection of case files is available on the internet at Footnote.com for free.

This collection provides a rarely seen view into a subject that has captured the attention and imagination of millions over the decades. Project Bluebook also allows users to determine for themselves if the UFO phenomenon is all a conspiracy theory, hallucinations or solid evidence supporting the fact that we are not alone in the universe.

"The collections on our site illustrate how Footnote.com is changing the way people access and interact with history," said Russell Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. "Through our social networking tools people from around the world can come together to discuss their findings and provide their own unique insights through annotations and creating their own web pages."

There is more evidence to consider, including accounts from around the country such as, "Definitely not a weather balloon," and "The university students were allegedly taken to the third moon of Jupiter in a saucer manned by good-looking seven-foot-tall giants." Who knows what new secrets will be exposed? Click here to learn more about Project Bluebook on Footnote.

In addition to free access to Project Blue Book records, Footnote.com offers a seven-day free trial to all of the original records that have been digitized and indexed from some of the largest archives in the United States, including the National Archives. Click here to learn how to start your free trial to Footnote.com today.

About Footnote, Inc.
Founded in 1997 as iArchives, Inc., Footnote is a subscription-based website that features searchable original documents that provide users with an unaltered view of the events , places and people that shaped the American nation and the world. At Footnote.com all are invited to come to share, discuss, and collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues. For more information, visit www.footnote.com.

--Original Records Include Rarely Seen Hand Written Letters From George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Other Founding Fathers--

Lindon, Utah %u2013 June 28, 2007 %u2013 Today Footnote.com announced the official launch of the company and its Web 2.0 historical social networking site.

As part of the launch, Footnote.com is making a significant portion of their millions of original Revolutionary War documents available for free from today until the end of July. Included in these records are secret journals, intercepted letters from the British military and letters written by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and other founding fathers. Click here to see samples of these Revolutionary War documents.

With the ability to view these original records on the web, people are now discovering a new side of history few have seen before. For example, the 4th of July has always been considered as the day we celebrate our nation's independence. However, in a letter to his wife, John Adams wrote that July 2nd would be "the most memorable epoch in the history of America... it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival."

"Many people may know the high level details of American history, however, information about specific events and the heroic individuals involved are often overlooked " said Roger Bell, President of Footnote.com. "Documents included in our Revolutionary War collection provide valuable insights about our nation's history that appeal to professional historians while making history fun for anyone with even a casual interest"

In addition to providing historical records, Footnote.com provides tools such as Story Pages and Spotlights that let users upload and share their own insights and discoveries. The future of history is on Footnote.com. To view these records please visit the Footnote.com web site www.footnote.com.

About Footnote, Inc.
Founded in 1997 as iArchives, Inc., Footnote is a subscription based website that features searchable original documents that provide users with an unaltered view of the events , places and people that shaped the American nation and the world. At Footnote.com all are invited to come to share, discuss, and collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and colleagues. For more information, visit www.footnote.com.