National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration began its life in 1934 when Congress created the National Archives Establishment. J. Franklin Jameson and the American Historical Association had campaigned for years to centralize federal record-keeping. Before this law passed, each government branch maintained its own documents. This scattered system often resulted in the loss and destruction of vital records. R. D. W. Connor was chosen as the first leader of the new organization. The agency took its present form as NARA in 1985 after passing the Records Administration Act. This legislation gave birth to the independent institution that exists today. Prior to independence, the National Archives sat within the General Services Administration since 1949. A recommendation by the first Hoover Commission led to that earlier placement.
Federal agencies must follow approved records schedules under the Federal Records Act. Only two to three percent of records created by the federal government are deemed permanent value. The Archivist of the United States oversees operations and maintains official documentation of constitutional amendments. Executive Order 13526 directs originating agencies to declassify documents before shipment to NARA for long-term storage. The Office of Government Information Services acts as a Freedom of Information Act resource for both public and government entities. Congress has charged NARA with reviewing FOIA policies and procedures across all federal agencies. An audit from March 2006 revealed that more than one third of withdrawn documents did not contain sensitive information. The program originally scheduled to end in 2007 involved reclassifying certain documents in the name of national security. A 2022 report showed the budget had not increased since 1991 despite exponential growth in electronic records.
The most well-known facility is the National Archives Building located north of the National Mall on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. A sister facility known as the National Archives at College Park opened in 1994 near the University of Maryland. The Washington National Records Center serves as a large warehouse where federal records still under agency control are stored. Federal government agencies pay a yearly fee for storage at this facility. Documents at WNRC transfer to legal custody after a certain time usually involving relocation to College Park. The online catalog makes available over 160 million records ranging from before the start of the republic to modern government. Digitized records represent only a small fraction of the over 13 billion pages in holdings. The catalog consists of about 10 billion logical data records describing 527,000 artifacts and encompassing 81% of NARA's records. There are also 922,000 digital copies of already digitized materials.
In 2006 the National Archives began entering into public-private partnerships to make holdings more widely available. A joint venture with Google will digitize and offer NARA video online. On the 10th of January 2007, Fold3.com launched a pilot project to digitize historic documents from the holdings. Allen Weinstein explained that partnership would allow greater access to approximately 4.5 million pages currently available only on microfilm. In July 2007, the agency announced it would make copies of Universal Newsreels from 1929 to 1967 available for purchase through CreateSpace. The Citizen Archivist Project launched in 2011 by former Archivist David Ferriero as an online crowdsourced transcription project. Thousands of volunteers have contributed since its start through curated sets called Missions. NARA has collaborated with Ancestry.com, Fold3.com, and Familysearch.org to scan microfilms and genealogical documents. Most people who access records at NARA are genealogists or family historians seeking information about their ancestors.
On the 7th of December 1978, more than 12.6 million feet of newsreels were destroyed in a fire at an offsite location in Suitland, Maryland. The reels made of exceptionally flammable nitrate material had been donated previously by Universal Pictures. In 1963, Robert Bradford Murphy and his wife Elizabeth Irene Murphy were arrested for stealing documents from several federal depositories including the Department of Justice. Charles Merrill Mount was sentenced to five years in prison for stealing 400 documents including three letters signed by Abraham Lincoln. Shawn Aubitz pleaded guilty to stealing dozens of documents during the 1990s which he later posted for sale on eBay. Sandy Berger received 100 hours of community service and a $50,000 fine after unauthorized removal of documents in 2005. Howard Harner was sentenced to two years in prison after stealing 100 documents including signatures by Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis. Leslie Waffen stole 955 recordings including original audio of the 1937 Hindenburg disaster before being caught selling them online.
In December 2019, NARA approved record schedules allowing ICE to destroy files documenting detainee sexual abuse and assault. A lawsuit brought against the agency resulted in a March 2021 ruling that records must be preserved. The judge stated approval was arbitrary because NARA failed to evaluate research value or address public comments. In January 2020, a Washington Post reporter noticed blurred protest signs in an image of the 2017 Women's March at the Archives' exhibit. Some edited signs contained potentially offensive language and mentioned President Donald Trump. The agency admitted it made a mistake altering the meaning of some protest signs. Under the first Trump Administration, significant difficulty arose maintaining historical records as the President would often rip and flush documents. Upon leaving office in 2021, Donald Trump delayed providing material to NARA in accordance with Presidential Records Act requirements. In February 2025, early in his second administration, Trump fired archivist Colleen Shogan causing several staff members to resign.
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Common questions
When did the National Archives and Records Administration begin its life?
The National Archives and Records Administration began its life in 1934 when Congress created the National Archives Establishment. J. Franklin Jameson and the American Historical Association had campaigned for years to centralize federal record-keeping before this law passed.
Where is the most well-known facility of the National Archives located?
The most well-known facility is the National Archives Building located north of the National Mall on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. A sister facility known as the National Archives at College Park opened in 1994 near the University of Maryland.
What happened to newsreels at an offsite location in Suitland on the 7th of December 1978?
More than 12.6 million feet of newsreels were destroyed in a fire at an offsite location in Suitland, Maryland. The reels made of exceptionally flammable nitrate material had been donated previously by Universal Pictures.
Why did NARA approve record schedules allowing ICE to destroy files documenting detainee sexual abuse and assault in December 2019?
A lawsuit brought against the agency resulted in a March 2021 ruling that records must be preserved because the judge stated approval was arbitrary. NARA failed to evaluate research value or address public comments regarding the destruction of these files.
Who fired archivist Colleen Shogan in February 2025 during his second administration?
Donald Trump fired archivist Colleen Shogan causing several staff members to resign in February 2025 early in his second administration. This occurred after significant difficulty arose maintaining historical records when he would often rip and flush documents upon leaving office in 2021.