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Movements, leaders, victories and the continuing fight for equality.
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Explore the people, places, events, achievements, struggles and stories that shaped our journey.
Movements, leaders, victories and the continuing fight for equality.
Innovation, patents, science, technology and world-changing contributions.
Pioneers, champions, Negro Leagues, records, activism and excellence.
Meet the people whose lives, choices and achievements shaped the journey.
Black towns, communities, institutions and places where history happened.
Moments that changed communities, movements, institutions and the nation.
In August 1908, a white mob attacked Springfield, Illinois’s Black community, destroying homes and businesses and lynching two Black men. National outrage over the violence helped spur the movement that created the NAACP the following year.
MORE →Reflects the personal views, recollections, and perspective of the author, Mike Davis.
This is a personal recollection on the Move fire on May 13, 1985
 FGDC | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1990 |
| Headquarters |
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Agency executives |
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| Website | www |
The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is a United States government committee which promotes the coordinated development, use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial data on a national basis. Its 32 members are representatives from the Executive Office of the President, and Cabinet level and independent federal agencies. The secretary of the Department of the Interior chairs the FGDC, with the deputy director for management, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as vice-chair.[3]
The FGDC's role was determined by OMB Circular A-16 and OMB Circular A-119 until 2018. Then the FGDC's official position and roles were codified in law in the Geospatial Data Act of 2018.[4]
OMB Circular A-16, revised August 19, 2002, is a Government circular that was created by the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to provide guidance for federal agencies that create, maintain or use spatial data directly or indirectly through the establishment of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC).
The circular establishes guidelines for the management of digital spatial data and the use of those assets. It also appoints the FGDC to the interagency coordinating body for NSDI-related activities. The Secretary of the Interior is established as chair, with the Deputy Director for Management, OMB as Vice-Chair.
The U.S. National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) ensures that spatial information is accurate and available to state, local, and tribal governments as well as to academia and the private sector. The NSDI obeys four primary values:
The NSDI supports the advancement for a Global Spatial Data Infrastructure that coincides with National Security interests. Any Federal system that develops international data in accordance with these systems must follow international voluntary standards as outlined by Circular A-119.
The NSDI has five parts:
The FGDC coordinates the sharing of geographic data, maps, and online services through an online portal, geodata.gov, that searches metadata held within the NSDI Clearinghouse Network.[5]
Spatial Data is considered a national capital asset. The NSDI manages the distribution of these assets across all interconnected systems, federal and private sector, and analyzes it to determine the impact of the world economically, physically and socially upon the United States.
Part of NSDI's mission is to help avoid duplication or erroneous modification of this spatial data. Accurate and dependable spatial data allows NSDI to analyze current situational trends such as weather patterns, traffic congestions, and other various infrastructures to create a national snapshot in order to make predictions or projections based on these data.
Any agency that collects, produces, acquires, maintains, distributes, uses, or preserves any form of spatial data either directly or indirectly with any other agency or organization must follow the policies set forth by the circular.
The following exemplary list is representative of the kinds of systems to which the circular applies:
There are few exemptions to adherence to the policy described in the circular:
Every agency that uses NSDI information must adhere to a set of responsibilities as outlined by the circular.
On July 23, 2009, the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee held an oversight hearing on federal geospatial data management. Rep. John Sarbanes of Maryland quoted a U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) report from his briefing material saying that only 4 of the FGDC member agencies were in compliance.[6]
Source: Wikipedia. Article content is retrieved live through the MediaWiki API.
The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is a United States government committee which promotes the coordinated development, use, sharing, and dissemination of geospatial data on a national basis. Its 32 members are representatives from the Executive Office of the President, and Cabinet level and independent federal agencies. The secretary of the Department of the Interior chairs the FGDC, with the deputy director for management, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as vice-chair.
Geographic Data Files (GDF) is an interchange file format for geographic data. In contrast with generic GIS formats, GDF provides detailed rules for data capture and representation, and an extensive catalog of standard features, attributes and relationships. The most recent extension expanded applicability further towards pedestrian navigation, 3-D map rendering, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). GDF is commonly used for data interchange in many industries such as automotive navigation systems, fleet management, dispatch management, road traffic analysis, traffic management, and automatic vehicle location. Originated as a flat plain-text file, GDF is not intended to be used directly for any large scale geographic application and normally requires conversion into a more efficient format. Consumability has been increased with most-recent developments for XML and SQL renditions. The maps in GDF format are provided by many map vendors such as HERE, TomTom, Mapscape BV, GeoSmart, Automotive Navigation Data, AutoNavi and NavInfo.
Geographic data and information is defined in the ISO/TC 211 series of standards as data and information having an implicit or explicit association with a location relative to Earth (a geographic location or geographic position). It is also called geospatial data and information, georeferenced data and information, as well as geodata and geoinformation. Geographic data and information is stored in geographic databases and geographic information systems (GIS). There are many different formats of geodata, including vector files, raster files, web files, and multi-temporal data. Spatial data or spatial information is a broader class of data whose geometry is relevant but it is not necessarily georeferenced, such as in computer-aided design (CAD), see geometric modeling.
South Korean geographic data and information is subject to several regulations which severely restrict its reuse. The South Korean government defends the restrictions on the grounds of national security. A number of international critics argue that it constitutes a form of protectionism and a trade barrier. South Korea remains one of very few countries in the world where international services like Google Maps face service problems. However, as the South Korean government conditionally approved the export of high-precision maps at a scale of 1:5000 on 27 February 2026, Google Maps service is expected to be available in South Korea normally within the next six months.
Before the 1921 destruction of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, Black residents had created a remarkable center of business and community life. The district included stores, professional offices, entertainment venues and homes owned by Black citizens. Understanding Greenwood means learning what was built—not only what was burned.
MORE →Joe Louis.
