National Archives Month

Contents

History

Origins of the observance trace to initiatives by the National Archives and Records Administration and professional bodies such as the Society of American Archivists and the American Library Association in the late 20th century, building on archival milestones like the creation of the National Archives (United States), the passage of the Federal Records Act, and public campaigns associated with anniversaries of the Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence. Early sponsors included foundations such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the initiative was promoted at events connected to institutions such as the Presidential Library system, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, the Newberry Library, and the Peabody Institute. Over time, themed campaigns referenced collections related to events including the Civil Rights Movement, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the World War II home front, and legal landmarks like the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The observance emphasizes stewardship practices championed by professional organizations including the International Council on Archives, the Council on Library and Information Resources, and the Association of Moving Image Archivists. Recurring themes have focused on transparency and accountability as reflected in records associated with figures like Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Dolley Madison, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson; on underrepresented histories tied to communities documented by the National Museum of the American Indian, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the Library of Congress Veterans History Project, and the Japanese American National Museum; and on documentary evidence connected to events such as the Women's Suffrage movement, the Indian Removal Act, the New Deal, and the Stonewall riots. Campaigns often highlight legal frameworks such as the Freedom of Information Act, the Presidential Records Act, and archival policies implemented by the National Archives Trust Fund Board.

Institutions organize exhibitions, seminars, and workshops featuring collections from repositories like the Morgan Library & Museum, the Bancroft Library, the New-York Historical Society, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Programming frequently includes panel discussions with scholars from Princeton University, Stanford University, Rutgers University, Duke University, and Georgetown University; preservation demonstrations led by staff from the Preservation Office at the Library of Congress, the National Film Preservation Foundation, and the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center; and public programs incorporating primary sources related to Benjamin Franklin, Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Chief Sitting Bull. Special events often align with commemorations of the Centennial of the National Park Service, the Bicentennial of the Constitution, or anniversaries of the Emancipation Proclamation.

Participation spans federal agencies such as the National Archives and Records Administration, state archives like the California State Archives, municipal archives such as the Seattle Municipal Archives, university archives including the Johns Hopkins University Archives, and private repositories like the Hagley Museum and Library and the Henry Ford Museum. Outreach initiatives collaborate with cultural centers such as the National Civil Rights Museum, the International Spy Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, the Anacostia Community Museum, and the National Postal Museum, and with advocacy groups including the American Historical Association and the National Coalition for History. Digital outreach has integrated platforms such as the Digital Public Library of America, the Europeana network, and scholarly projects hosted by the Omeka platform and the HathiTrust Digital Library.

Notable exhibits and programs have showcased documents and artifacts linked to historical milestones and personalities: letters by James Madison and John Adams; photographs from the Great Depression by Dorothea Lange; manuscripts by Mark Twain and Emily Dickinson; wartime records connected to Dwight D. Eisenhower and Douglas MacArthur; and collections documenting the careers of Thurgood Marshall, Sandra Day O'Connor, Herman Melville, and Langston Hughes. Collaborative programs have included loans to institutions like the National Portrait Gallery, traveling exhibits curated with the Smithsonian American Art Museum, educational curricula developed with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and digitization projects funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Comparable observances and archival initiatives exist internationally, coordinated by bodies such as the International Council on Archives, national institutions like the The National Archives (United Kingdom), the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the National Archives of Australia, the Bundesarchiv, the Library and Archives Canada, and programs tied to UNESCO initiatives including the Memory of the World Programme. Regional analogues include archival weeks and days observed by the Archives New Zealand, the National Archives of Japan, the State Archives of Italy (Archivio Centrale dello Stato), and the Swedish National Archives (Riksarkivet).

Category:Archives observances