{"id":2691,"date":"2019-03-21T16:05:32","date_gmt":"2019-03-21T16:05:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk\/hcalibrarian\/?p=2691"},"modified":"2019-05-03T09:06:07","modified_gmt":"2019-05-03T09:06:07","slug":"spotlight-on-fbi-files","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk\/hcalibrarian\/2019\/03\/21\/spotlight-on-fbi-files\/","title":{"rendered":"Spotlight on: FBI Files"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is part of an occasional series highlighting some of the digital resources available at the Library that will be of interest to students and staff in History, Classics and Archaeology.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Federal Bureau of Investigation [Public domain]<\/p><\/div>The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was formed in 1908 by then Attorney General, Charles Bonaparte, under President Theodore Roosevelt. Initially known as the Bureau of Investigation (it added “Federal” in 1935) over the next 110 years the FBI’s remit and influence grew considerably and they are synonymous with American cultural, social and political history in the 20th century and beyond.<\/p>\n

The FBI have been involved in a large number of famous, not so famous and infamous cases dealing with organised crime, terrorism, civil rights, white collar crime, espionage, violent crime and more. And did you know that through the Library you have access to a range of digitised files from the FBI?<\/p>\n

FBI Files in Archives Unbound<\/h1>\n

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Through the Library’s subscription to Archives Unbound<\/strong> (an enormous digital primary source database) you have access to over 20 collections of digitised material direct from the FBI, covering over 70 years of American history. You’ll spot some famous cases and names within these but possibly also some less known. However, between them they provide a fascinating insight into the political, cultural and social climate of the United States in the 20th century.<\/p>\n

FBI File: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg<\/h2>\n

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were a nondescript couple accused in 1950 by the U.S. government of operating a Soviet spy network and giving the Soviet Union plans for the atomic bomb. The trial of the Rosenbergs, which began in March 6, 1951, became a political event of greater importance than any damage they may have done to the United States. It was one of the most controversial trials of the 20th century. Their guilt and the harshness of their sentences continue to be vigorously debated to this day.<\/p>\n

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Screenshot from File No.: 65-58236: Volume No. 1. May 29, 1940 – June 16, 1950. FBI File on Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Federal Bureau of Investigation Library. Archives Unbound. Web. 21 Mar. 2019.<\/p><\/div>\n

This collection consists of subsections of the greater case file on Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. The file deals specifically with the investigations of Julius and Ethel, with the bulk devoted to Julius. It establishes the Rosenbergs’ relationships with the other key characters in the case: David and Ruth Greenglass, Morton Sobell, and Harry Gold. Also included is a case summary.<\/p>\n

This is an extremely useful source for scholars of the Cold War, the Red Scare, the McCarthy Era, espionage, political science, and legal studies.<\/p>\n

Archives Unbound<\/strong> – more FBI Files on individuals:<\/p>\n