The Historical Records Survey is a nation-wide project under the W.P.A., administered from Washington, D.C., under the direction of Dr. Luther H. Evans. The general purpose is the inventory of all existent non-federal source materials in American History, whether of public or private nature. Under public papers are included the official records of states, counties, and municipalities, while the private papers of value embrace not only the archives of churches, lodges, labor organizations, business firms, newspapers and political bodies, but also diaries, journals, letters and private manuscripts of individuals. An attempt is being made to list these, no matter where they may chance to be located. The bold idea of attempting a nation-wide survey of historical materials by the utilization of relief labor, although it had attracted the attention of many individuals and organizations, did not culminate in action until the meeting of the American Historical Association in 1933. Under the C.W.A., and later under the F.E.R.A., a survey of legal and military records was begun, but no systematic work was possible without a national coordinating agency, and a lack of funds prevented further progress. Not until 1935 did Dr. Evans, at the suggestion of Professor Raymond Moley, propose the present arrangement to Mr. Harry L. Hopkins, Works Progress Administrator. Dr. Evans visited the 1935 meetings of the American Historical Associa-