Evolution of the Memo

1849-2011

Memoranda have been with us for

decades.

While their purpose remains

the same, their form and

appearance have changed over the years.

They evolved from being

handwritten to being

digital.

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

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

1888

Memorandum to William Jones Rhess from O. T. Mason

Accession T90082, Box 1, Folder: Incoming Correspondence: 60519, 60572 and 60760

December 6, 1889

Memorandum from J. E. Watkins to Goode

Record Unit 297, Box 1, Folder: George Brown Goode, 1886-1891

July 24, 1891

Memorandum to Curators from George Brown Goode

Record Unit 297, Box 1, Folder: George Brown Goode, 1886-1891

July 6, 1894

Memorandum to Curators

Record Unit 105, Box 29, Folder: SI and USNM Directives and Orders

April 25, 1895

Memoranda from William Crawford Winlock, 1895

Record Unit 297, Box 1, Folder: William Crawford Winlock, 1895-1896

June 18, 1902

Memorandum from Frank Baker to Secretary Langley

Record Unit 31, Box 9, Folder 14: Baker, Frank, June 1902

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May 23, 1934

Memorandum for Dr. A. S. Hitchcock

Record Unit 192, Box 456, Folder 3: 129701-129725

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

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

April 7, 1950

Memorandum to John E. Graf re. the modernization of exhibitions

Record Unit 190, Box 89, Folder: Exhibits Modernization, 1950

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

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

May 22, 1969

Memorandum from V. Clain-Stefanelli to Robert P. Multhauf

Record Unit 276, Box 75, Folder 2: Numismatics, 1966-1969

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 11, 1991

Memorandum to Secretary Adams re. the Enola Gay exhibition

Accession 96-140, Box 1, Folder 7

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

April 26, 1994

Memorandum from Tom Crouch to Martin Harwit re. Enola Gay exhibition

Accession 94-140, Box 3, Folder 17: Correspondence, 1994

January 30, 2001

Memorandum from Olga Viso to Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden staff

Accession 03-083, Box 1, Folder: Wolfgang Laib: Correspondence (internal)

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]

Presentation

Mitch Toda, Assistant Archivist

Web

siarchives.si.edu