NC Archives: TranscribeNC

Help improve access to historic documents by transcribing lists, forms, diaries, letters, and other materials from the collections of the State Archives of North Carolina. Some projects will include current or future additions to the North Carolina Digital Collections, while others focus on indexes to be added to the online catalog. All projects are hosted on From the Page.

Join our community of transcription volunteers.

Learn tips to decipher handwritten documents.

Sample Transcription Guides

Overview of TranscribeNC's crowdsourcing goals and sample Transcription Guides.

Current Projects

Five Palmer Institute Teachers courtesy of the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum

African American Education

Documents related to African American education in North Carolina before 1950 drawn from the collections of the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum and the State Archives of North Carolina.

Cropped version of a record from the Vice Admiralty Court, 1770

Colonial Court Records

Help transcribe materials regarding the court records of North Carolina, created during the colonial period (late 1600s through the 1700s) when the colony was controlled by the lords proprietors and later the crown.

World War I Poster reading 'Stop--Look--Listen--Volunteer'

Local Draft Board Records

Lists compiled by the local county draft boards in North Carolina of men who enlisted or were drafted during World War I.

Photo labelled 'Bermuda, 1921' of a ship

Travel Perspectives

Transcribe diary entries written by North Carolinians traveling at home and abroad. These materials are from the Travel Perspectives digital collection.

World War I letter from Walter Clark, April to June, 1919

World War I Letters

Transcribe correspondence sent by North Carolinians during World War I.

Cover of the Wartime Diary of Robert Gregg Cherry

World War I Diaries

Diaries written by North Carolinians during and shortly after World War I.

Nurses Are Needed Now poster from the State Archives of North Carolina

World War II Letters

World War II letters from the Military Collection of the State Archives of North Carolina.

Women's History

Letters provides a glimpse into the lives of North Carolina women as they changed history in our state and the nation during the 20th century.

Veterans Oral History Transcription Project

Help the State Archives and State Library transcribe oral history interviews.

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What Does that Say?

More help deciphering documents is available, including a transcription training session, articles, and documents. Although these resources are focused on reading Colonial Court materials, they could be helpful for any project involving hand-written documents.

View Colonial Court transcription resources

Digital Collections

Links to digital collections, online research tools, and other online content

State Archives Building Update (3/17/2020)

OBHC Update (3/17/2020)

Western Regional Archives Update (3/17/20):

TranscribeNC