“This is the Voice of America,” 1950
This March 25, 1950, audio recording describes the work and the mission of the Voice of America (VOA) across the world. It is one of the largest collections of sound recordings held by the Moving Image and Sound Branch. The recording explains how and why the work of the VOA was important, especially after the aftermath of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War. In addition to news and informational broadcasts, NARA’s VOA holdings also feature music and other cultural programming.
Listen to and download “This is the Voice of America” in the National Archives Catalog. The recording is from Record Group 306, Records of the U.S. Information Agency, Series: Production Library Audio Recordings described in the National Archives Catalog. Descriptions of other VOA recordings can also be found in other series from Record Group 306 and Record Group 517. Earlier audio recordings that predate VOA’s incorporation into the U.S. Information Agency can be found in Record Group 208, Office of War Information, and Record Group 59, Department of State.
You can explore more sound recordings held by the Moving Image and Sound Branch through the National Archives Catalog, through the Special Media Records Division blog, The Unwritten Record, on History Hub, or in person at our research room in College Park, MD.