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What if...

I'm not a scholar or a historian:

You don't need to be a scholar, a history expert, or even an educator to participate. Community editors answer simple questions about MBDA documents, such as: Who is the document's author? When was it written? Is it handwritten or typewritten? If you can answer questions like these, you have the expertise we need!

I'm a student:

Welcome! We encourage participation from high school students as well as from college students. And we'd love to know how you think we can use MBDA letters in your history, English, and other classes. Please contact us if you have ideas!

I can'€™t read a document:

Take your time and try to decipher the text. If you can'€™t, simply scroll down and click Cancel and return to item to edit a different document.

I discover something important:

We hope you will! If you find a document that contains important content or for any reason requires staff review, please flag it for review and feel free to send us a message to tell us about it.

A document contains more than one date:

Use the date written by the document'€™s main author. Some documents contain a typed date in addition to the date written by the author. We'€™re interested in the date written by the document'€™s main author.

The document contains more than one author or recipient:

Click on Add author to add additional author and/or recipient fields.

A title or name is typed or written in by someone other than the author:

Use the name written by the author. Some documents contain a typed title or name in addition to that used by the author. We'€™re interested in the name as written by the document'€™s main author.

The author signed the letter and typed his/her name but the names are not identical:

Use the signature. Some authors sign a letter by hand (e.g. Margaret Dunham) above the formal name and title typed in the closing (e.g. Mrs. Carroll Dunham). If you can'€™t read the signature, then using the formal name is an acceptable alternative.

One or more of the fields contains editing errors, graffiti, or inappropriate language:

Participatory editing can intentionally and unintentionally introduce editing errors and other problems. Please help us eliminate these by correcting them immediately. If you'€™re not sure how to correct a problem, flag it for review and we'€™ll be sure to review and correct it ASAP.

I don't know what a tag is:

A tag is a keyword or label that describes a document'€™s subject. Tags can help readers and editors identify and sort similar documents. If you'€™re not sure what tag to use, feel free to leave the tags field blank.