As the Archivist of the United States, my top priority is access for all Americans to the important records of our nation that we hold in trust at the National Archives. I am deeply committed to civic education and public engagement, and I have made it a priority to expand the reach of the National Archives to a wider audience. The Wall Street Journal has published an article based on anonymous complaints about that work and my leadership of the agency.
I strongly disagree with the misinformed perspective presented in the article.
I cannot state this strongly enough: I am proud of the work we are doing at the National Archives, and I am unwavering in my commitment to leading NARA without partisanship or ideology.
Our mission is too important, and the stakes are too high, for anything less.
As federal employees, we are not here to promote or share our personal interpretation of the records. That is for others to do. We are here to preserve, protect, and share the records with all Americans.
Our exhibits and educational programs must be aligned with that mission.
That does not mean we shy away from difficult topics; but it does mean that we need to be thoughtful in how we engage with our past and focused on fostering understanding and dialogue.
Over the last 18 months, I have been very direct with NARA employees and stakeholders about the challenges we face as an agency, and the importance of ensuring all Americans feel welcomed to our spaces and find their experiences represented in our programming and exhibits. That direction is clearly articulated in our new Strategic Framework, as well.
We made that position clear in our statement to the Journal, which I am sharing in full here:
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The National Archives is the nation’s record keeper. We are an independent government agency responsible for preserving, protecting, and sharing the records of the United States without partisanship or ideology. To be successful, it is imperative that the National Archives welcomes—and feels welcoming to—all Americans.
We are not activists for anything but the records themselves. Dr. Shogan is strongly committed to upholding that value for the National Archives. In her first year and a half in office, she has prioritized building a bipartisan coalition in Congress to support the agency’s digital transformation and increase outreach and engagement. These priorities are underscored in her newly released Strategic Framework.
The Archivist is working to ensure the agency tells a more complete story of American history. It is why we have announced the forthcoming additions of the Emancipation Proclamation and 19th Amendment to the Rotunda that holds the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights. She also continues to prioritize digitization for previously underserved communities, so that all Americans may have better access to the records chronicling their heritage.
The National Archives is committed to opening our doors and our records to everyone, without ideology or partisanship. That standard must be upheld in all of NARA’s work, including our exhibits. Some may not agree with these standards, but Dr. Shogan is steadfast in her vocal promise to lead the agency with these guiding principles. As she has said, leading a nonpartisan agency during an era of political polarization is not for the faint of heart.
As we look ahead to the nation’s semiquincentennial, the National Archives, under Dr. Shogan’s leadership, is focused on our digital future, expanding access, and creating world-class experiences that resonate with all Americans.
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Thank you to everyone who is working so hard to support NARA’s success. I appreciate your great work, and I know change is not easy.
DR. COLLEEN J. SHOGAN
Archivist of the United States