@ReclaimTheRecs

Cheerfully introducing government agencies, archives, and libraries to Freedom of Information laws since 2015.

 An archive near you
ReclaimTheRecords.org/
Joined August 2015
  • Tweets7K
  • Following2.3K
  • Followers7K
376Media
We were awarded an in-kind grant from Google to run $10,000 worth of ads per month on their search results pages, to promote our website and our mission to bring public records back to the public. We're going to have a lot of fun with this.
Screenshot of potential Google AdWords ad: "One weird trick for genealogy - Government agencies hate them"

ALT Screenshot of potential Google AdWords ad: "One weird trick for genealogy - Government agencies hate them"

13
38
6
318
Happy New Year, you guys! It's time for our 2025 Year in Review, and a look ahead to 2026 -- what records are going online next?! reclaimtherecords.org/about/…

Reclaim The Records Year in Review 2025 - Reclaim The Records

reclaimtherecords.org
1
2
17
1,152
Amazing resource!! Thank you RtR!
Reclaim The Records@ReclaimTheRecs3 Dec 2025
YOU GUYS! IT'S FINALLY ONLINE! IT'S TOTALLY FREE! IT'S THE NEW YORK STATE DEATH INDEX, 1880-2017! NewYorkDeathIndex.com/

The New York State Death Index (1880-2017) - a FREE database from Reclaim The Records

Search more than ten million historical records of people who died in New York State, from 1880 to 2017

newyorkdeathindex.com
1
1
1,347
YOU GUYS! IT'S FINALLY ONLINE! IT'S TOTALLY FREE! IT'S THE NEW YORK STATE DEATH INDEX, 1880-2017! NewYorkDeathIndex.com/

The New York State Death Index (1880-2017) - a FREE database from Reclaim The Records

Search more than ten million historical records of people who died in New York State, from 1880 to 2017

newyorkdeathindex.com
4
11
1
34
2,377
For 'Giving Tuesday' we're giving YOU GUYS a gift: IT'S THE NEW YORK STATE DEATH INDEX, 1880-2017! Ten and a half million records, now finally free and online and very very searchable! - mailchi.mp/reclaimtherecords…

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to...

mailchi.mp
2
13
529
For Giving Tuesday *YOU* got a gift: THE NEW YORK STATE DEATH INDEX, 1880-2017 - FREE! - mailchi.mp/reclaimtherecords…

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to...

mailchi.mp
1
1
9
386
What's a #FOIA Appeal? What's some good language to use when you want to argue with the government about why they should be giving you the file you asked for, instead of some "genealogy letter"? We got you. Check out our advice in our latest newsletter: mailchi.mp/reclaimtherecords…

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to...

mailchi.mp
1
3
1
14
2,099
✊ Always Appeal! ✊ Did the VA refuse to send you a full copy of a C-File (claims file) that you requested under #FOIA for a deceased veteran? Well, we now have some attorney-approved sample texts you can use to fight back! Check out BIRLS.org/appeals for the latest!

Search the BIRLS Database - over 19.5 million records about deceased US veterans, from the US...

Search the BIRLS Database - over 19.5 million records about deceased US veterans, from the US Department of Veterans Affairs, now online and FREE from Reclaim The Records

birls.org
5
14
678
Always Appeal! Here's what to do if the VA won't give you a C-File from BIRLS - mailchi.mp/reclaimtherecords…

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to...

mailchi.mp
2
9
553
We just published 1.5 million NEW BIRLS records for 2020-2023, ALL FREE -- but now the VA doesn't want you to see any of them! - mailchi.mp/reclaimtherecords…

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to...

mailchi.mp
3
8
24
1,356
First we fight and win a four year public records lawsuit, but *then* we really get to work making the data free and usable... *cracks knuckles, goes back to coding*
Screenshot of geocoding in progress for the New York State Death Index 1880-2017

ALT Screenshot of geocoding in progress for the New York State Death Index 1880-2017

3
6
1
61
1,844
BTW, we wrote the custom software seen here processing the state gazetteer. And we plan to open source it GPLv3! In case any of you also want to geocode enormous data sets of locations, some of which are tiny hamlets, possibly w/ spelling mistakes, maybe no longer extant. Fun!
2
21
853
We just got notice that a Freedom of Information request we made for a certain state's vital records index in August 2020, heard as a contested case in August 2021, was finally decided in our favor... That's nearly five years. FIVE YEARS! 😤 But we won. New data coming soon. 😊
9
8
1
102
1,982
A HINT for our long-time fans: Did you know that some states keep the ONLY copy of their official data in FoxPro, a database system that has been defunct for DECADES? And when the clerk who knew how to use it retired, the state pretended no more data could be exported from it? 🙃
7
2
1
37
1,137
Reclaim The Records retweeted
Irish Heritage News
@heritage_irish11 Jun 2025
Missed our Irish genealogy news round-up last month? The 1926 census will go online 18 Apr 2026. New records have been added by Ireland Genealogy Projects, Registry of Deeds Index Project, RootsIreland + more! Lots of talks & workshops planned. More 👇👇👇 irishheritagenews.ie/irish-g…

Irish genealogy news round-up, May 2025

Highlights of our Irish genealogy news round-up include updates on the 1926 census, new church and headstone records and upcoming workshops.

irishheritagenews.ie
9
13
2,064
OUR BILL PASSED the New York State Assembly yesterday -- UNANIMOUSLY! 🤩 It's still not a done deal yet. It has to go to the governor, and be signed, and not have last-minute line-item edits or a veto. But we are now SO much closer to reforming New York's vital records access!
7
12
2
89
2,255
UPDATE: The proposed state bill we're supporting to put millions of scanned-and-indexed older New York vital records online PASSED the NYS Senate today, 50-9! Now it needs to go through the Assembly... You can subscribe to the bill's progress here: nysenate.gov/legislation/bil…
2
3
45
1,099
Reclaim The Records retweeted
Geneanet@geneanetdotorg12 Jun 2025
Our Indexing Week gathered 100 Geneanet members who together indexed 19,000 new names in the New York City Geographical Birth Index! This brings the total to 182,000 in this little-known collection liberated by Reclaim the Records @reclaimtherecs en.geneanet.org/genealogyblo…

Indexing Week: 19,000 new names in the NYC Geo Birth Index!

From May 31st through June 8, we asked the Geneanet community to help us transcribe index cards from the New York City Geographical Birth Index....

en.geneanet.org
3
15
640
Here's the official video of our intrepid attorney-by-day (and genealogist-by-night) Michael Moritz bravely arguing (and winning!) our case at the NY Court of Appeals, in case you want to see an episode of "Law and Order: Special Genealogy Unit". youtube.com/watch?v=kEFfWITN…
3
3
30
1,665
We won the New York State Death Index, 1880-2017! A big, big win for open records in New York State! - mailchi.mp/reclaimtherecords…

Reclaim The Records

We’re Reclaim The Records, a new not-for-profit activist group of genealogists, historians, researchers, and open government advocates. We identify important genealogical records sets that ought to...

mailchi.mp
2
6
2
37
936
Replying to @ReclaimTheRecs
That is incredible, huge congratulations!! 🎉👏 What an amazing victory for access, transparency, and genealogists everywhere. 💪📜 From all of us at the Genealogical Society of New Jersey, we’re cheering you on and celebrating this win right alongside you!
1
7
496
Load more