United States National Archives

United States National Archives
U.S. Government National Archives and Records Administration · Public domain · source
Name	National Archives and Records Administration
Caption	The National Archives Building in Washington, D.C.
Formation	1934
Predecessor	National Archives (established 1934)
Type	Independent agency of the United States federal government
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Leader title	Archivist of the United States
Leader name	Colleen Shogan

Contents

United States National Archives

The United States National Archives preserves and provides access to the permanent records of the federal government, including foundational documents, executive records, judicial papers, and military files. It serves as the institutional steward for iconic items such as the United States Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, while supporting scholarship across fields including American Revolution, Civil War, World War II, and Cold War studies. The agency interacts with federal bodies like the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Government Accountability Office to coordinate access and preservation.

History

Established by the National Archives Act (1934), the institution succeeded scattered record-keeping systems that had accumulated since the Articles of Confederation period. Early archivists contended with records transferred from departments such as the Department of State, the Department of War, and the Treasury Department, while responding to crises like the Great Depression and administrative reforms under the New Deal. During World War II, the Archives expanded responsibilities to handle wartime intelligence and military service records linked to the United States Army, the United States Navy, and the United States Marine Corps. Postwar developments included collaboration with the United Nations for document exchange and responses to directives from presidents including Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Legislative milestones—such as the Freedom of Information Act, the Presidential Records Act, and amendments to the Federal Records Act—reshaped access and appraisal policies in the late 20th century amid events like the Watergate scandal and debates over classified information during the Vietnam War and the Pentagon Papers controversy.

The agency is led by the Archivist of the United States, who reports to Congress and interacts with executive offices including the White House and the Office of Management and Budget. Administrative divisions encompass units focused on preservation, accessioning, reference services, and legal counsel that engage with entities such as the National Historical Publications and Records Commission and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Regional and federal records centers coordinate with cabinet-level agencies like the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Veterans Affairs to manage transfer and disposal schedules. Oversight and accountability involve hearings before committees such as the United States House Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Primary facilities include the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., the National Archives at College Park, and regional archives in cities such as Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Kansas City, New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle. Holdings span textual records, audiovisual collections, maps, and electronic records connected to entities like the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Internal Revenue Service. The archives house presidential libraries associated with presidents including Herbert Hoover, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush—each administered in partnership with the Presidential Libraries system. Military service records tied to conflicts such as the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, and Korean War are preserved alongside immigration and naturalization files linked to the Ellis Island era and maritime records involving the Maine (ship) loss.

Public access is governed by rules that mediate requests under the Freedom of Information Act and declassification processes overseen in coordination with agencies like the National Archives and Records Administration Office of the Inspector General and the Information Security Oversight Office. Digitization initiatives partner with institutions including the Library of Congress, academic centers such as Harvard University and University of Michigan, and private foundations like the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to make collections available via online portals. Educational outreach includes exhibitions, teacher workshops modeled on standards like the Common Core State Standards Initiative, fellowship programs connected to the American Historical Association, and public events timed with anniversaries such as Independence Day. Collaborations with museums like the National Museum of American History and film projects involving studios linked to Ken Burns amplify public engagement.

Statutory authority derives from laws including the National Archives Act (1934), the Federal Records Act, the Presidential Records Act, and the Freedom of Information Act, which define responsibilities for records disposition, appraisal, and access. The Archives issues regulations and retention schedules that federal agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Federal Communications Commission must follow. Legal disputes over custody and access have implicated courts including the United States Supreme Court and federal district courts in cases touching on executive privilege claims from administrations like Richard Nixon and Barack Obama. Records management standards link to international frameworks used by organizations such as the International Council on Archives and interoperability efforts with the Office of Personnel Management for personnel records.

Signature artifacts include the United States Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, displayed in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. Other prominent collections encompass the Nixon Presidential Materials, the Lincoln Papers, World War II-era holdings related to D-Day, and intelligence collections intersecting with the Cold War and Iran–Contra affair. Exhibits have featured materials tied to Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Space Race with records from NASA. Traveling exhibitions and online showcases have highlighted documents from the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Immigration Act of 1924 era, and landmark legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964.