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The hidden stories within the National Archives | 60 Minutes
This week on 60 Minutes, Norah O’Donnell takes a trip through America’s past by going inside its archives. Functioning like the country’s safety deposit box, the National Archives stores the priceless original records that made America what it is, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
But beyond the founding documents students read about in history books, the National Archives also preserves less well-known artifacts that tell the story of America — and all its citizens.
Among the more than two billion documents that are stored at Archives headquarters in Washington, D.C., 60 Minutes saw petitions from two famous American women who played prominent roles in the Civil War. As the documents show, the women later beseeched the U.S. government to pay them what they felt they were owed.
One petition is from Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of President Abraham Lincoln and the first widow of an assassinated president. In 1869, she wrote to then-Speaker of the House Schuyler Colfax to explain that she should receive a pension from the federal government, just as Civil War soldiers’ widows were given one. Up to this point, no former first lady had ever received a pension.
The following year, Congress passed an act granting her a $3,000 a year pension and establishing a precedent for widowed future first ladies to receive an annual payment from the federal government, regardless of whether their husband died while in office. Presidential widows today are granted $20,000 annually, based on a 1958 federal law.
A second Civil War-era petition 60 Minutes saw had been filed by Harriet Tubman. An abolitionist who brought enslaved people through the underground railroad, Tubman acted as a nurse, a scout, and a spy for the Union Army. But more than two decades after the Civil War ended, she had to ask for help from the nation she had served.
In the petition Tubman filed with the federal pension office, she explained that she was destitute and, at 67 years old, still working odd jobs to support herself. She was, she said, in debt for everyday essentials like groceries and coal.
Prominent American women in the Archives
Her request was for an increase in the meager pension she had begun receiving after her husband died. Because her husband, Nelson Davis, had served in the Civil War, Tubman was eligible to receive a widow’s pension. Now she was asking to be compensated for the work she had done in service to the country during the Civil War herself.
After further petitions to Congress, both from Tubman and other prominent Americans, Congress in 1899 passed a bill upping her pension to $20 a month in consideration of her service as a nurse during the war.
Finding your family in the National Archives
But the pages in the National Archives do not just tell the stories of famous Americans; they also preserve the records of everyday citizens. Within the 13.5 billion paper documents, just about everyone can find records from their own family history.
In the microfilm reading room, Norah O’Donnell saw a name meaningful to her within the passenger lists of the S.S. California: her grandmother, Mary Monaghan, who immigrated from Belfast when she was 23 years old. A hem stitcher with just $20 in her pocket, Monaghan planned to visit an aunt in Jersey City — information that O’Donnell learned for the first time.
Any American who wants to explore their own family’s history can use the National Archives. To start the research, go to archives.gov, which explains how to explore the different types of genealogy resources. Think of the ways your ancestors may have interacted with the federal government, like serving in the military, appearing in the census, or buying and selling land.
For the United States’ Archivist Colleen Shogan, making these documents accessible is a vital part of protecting the nation’s story — whether it’s a petition from a first lady, or just the first stop on an immigrant’s journey in America.
“It enables the public to learn about the history of the United States,” Shogan told 60 Minutes. “And that can be someone learning about their personal history, their local history, their community history. It can be someone that wants to learn about a particular era of American history or a particular president. We want to be accessible not only for professional researchers, which are very important to us, but also to the high school student.”
The video above was produced by Brit McCandless Farmer and edited by Scott Rosann.
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How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
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How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Detroit Lions will face off against the Indianapolis Colts today. The Lions enter this game as top contenders with a near-perfect record of 9-1 so far this season. The Colts, who are 5-6 this season, could have a tough game on their hands against the Lions but will be looking to rack up another win after prevailing over the New York Jets in a tight game last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Colts vs. Lions game today, whether or not you have cable.
Here’s how and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Lions vs. Colts game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Experience NFL action like never before with Fubo’s comprehensive sports streaming platform. From Sunday showdowns to primetime matchups, catch every NFL game across major networks including CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. Choose the Pro package to unlock 200+ channels and limitless DVR storage, or elevate your game-day experience with the Elite with Sports Plus package, featuring NFL RedZone’s commercial-free scoring highlights and stunning 4K quality.
Test drive the service with a no-commitment seven-day free trial, and share the excitement with family and friends — Fubo supports simultaneous streaming on up to 10 devices, so everyone can watch their favorite teams.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games, and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.