Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Conference on Federal Government Involvement in Electronic Computing Documentation

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.1298
Creators:
National Museum of History and Technology
Dates:
1976-1979
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1 Cubic foot
1 box
Repository:
Papers and recordings relating to a conference held at the National Museum of History and Technology (now called the National Museum of American History) on October 23, 1978. The Conference was a joint effort by the Smithsonian, the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery, the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Data Processing Management Association, and the Washington, D.C.chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The collection includes: a program signed by participants; photographs taken at the conference; planning documents such as invitations to speakers to participate and responses to them, proposed guest lists, proposed agendas, press releases, minutes of the planning committee for the Conference; documents relating to budgeting for the conference; and audiocassette and reel-to-reel tapes of the conference.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection is currently unprocessed.

Arrangement

Arrangement
1 series

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The concept for this conference was developed by Sol Rosenthal and Bill LaPlante, both considered pioneers in the field of computing. The conference was planned to honor the upcoming 20th anniversary of the Washington chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery in 1979. An additional impetus was the awareness that many of the original members of the chapter were at advanced ages, and the fear that early computer history would become lost if not recorded. A committee was formed with Rosenthal and Smithsonian Curator Uta Merzbach as chairs, a program was developed, and speakers and participants invited. The conference, held on October 23, 1978 was considered very successful as participants provided a wealth of historical detail. Notable participants include Grace Murray Hopper, former NASA astronaut Michael Collins, and Jacob Rabinow, among others.

Administration

Author
NMAH Staff
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
Custodial History
Collection transferred to the Archives Center from the Division of Medicine and Science (now Division of Medicine and Science), National Museum of American History, in 2012.
Processing Information
Collection is unprocessed.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Collection open for research on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
Preferred Citation
Conference on Federal Involvement in Electronic Computing Prior to 1954 Records, 1976-1979, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Programs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Budgets Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Minutes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs -- 1970-1980 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Press releases Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Computers -- History Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Conferences -- Washington (D.C.) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Audiocassettes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Audiotapes Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Merzbach, Uta C., 1933- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hopper, Grace Murray, 1906-1992 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Collins, Michael, 1930-2021 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Medicine and Science Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Data Processing Management Association Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Association for Computing Machinery. Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rosenthal, Solomon Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rabinow, Jacob, 1910- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-3270
Fax Number: Fax: 202-786-2453
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