Proceedings of the Sign Historical Group UFO History Workshop

The document contains the proceedings of the Sign Historical Group (SHG) UFO History Workshop, held near Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Memorial Day weekend, May 29-31, 1999. The workshop was organized by Thomas Tulien, an independent filmmaker, with the goal of bringing together knowledgeable researchers to determine the current state of UFO historical research. The participants aimed to facilitate the discovery and preservation of materials related to the history of the UFO phenomenon and the institutions that investigated it. The workshop was structured into four sessions: Collection, Processing, Exploitation, and Decision-Making/Future Planning. A central theme was the need to address the 'knot of confusion' between UFOs as an experiential phenomenon and as a popular cultural myth. The participants discussed the importance of creating a 'Union List' or registry of UFO collections, as many significant archives in North America were found to be inaccessible or in danger of being lost. The workshop also addressed the necessity of succession planning for the personal papers of researchers, noting that many collections had been destroyed or discarded upon the death of the owner. The proceedings include contributions from various international researchers, such as Jean-Jacques Velasco of the French space agency (CNES/SEPRA) and Maurizio Verga of the Italian Centro Italiano Studi Ufologici (CISU), who shared their experiences with official and civilian UFO research in their respective countries. The document also provides guides for using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as a research tool and offers advice on archival research in government repositories. A significant portion of the proceedings is dedicated to the history of Project Sign, the first official USAF investigation into flying discs, and the subsequent behavior of the Air Force toward UFOs. The workshop participants concluded that while the subject of UFOs has been marginalized by society’s institutions, it possesses a robust and illuminating history that warrants serious scholarly attention. The SHG was established as an independent, non-profit association to pursue these goals in the traditional manner of historians and archivists.