Historical Timeline

Congress passed “an Act to provide for the safe keeping of the Acts, Records, and Seal of the United States.” This act gave the Secretary of State responsibility for the safekeeping of and access to the Federal government’s official records. 

In 1884, the American Historical Association (AHA) was founded for the promotion of historical studies, the collection and preservation of historical manuscripts, and for furthering interest in American history. AHA founder J. Franklin Jameson became integral in the movement to create a national archives. 

The publication of the “Guide to the Archives of the Government of the United States in Washington” by the Public Archives Commission in 1904 was an important development in the move to create a federal records archives. It was expanded in 1907 in a second edition. Co-author, Waldo G. Leland, became a key figure in the creation and development of the National Archives. 

On May 25, 1926, Congress passed the Public Buildings Act authorizing a massive public buildings construction project, part of which was to provide office space for the growing Federal agencies in the nation’s capital. This program led to the design and construction of buildings within the Federal Triangle area of downtown Washington, DC, a then run-down area along Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Part of this act appropriate funds for a National Archives Building

After two other possible locations were considered, the final location was selected for the National Archives building: the block bounded by 7th and 9th Streets and B Street (later renamed Constitutive Avenue) and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. At the time Center Market, constructed in the late 19th Century, occupied the site. 

On January 1, 1931, Center Market, which had been erected in 1871 and held approximately 700 vendors, closed for business. By May the building was completely demolished to make way for the new National Archives Building. 

The Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Ferry K. Heath turned a spade of earth on the site for the ceremonial ground breaking of the Archives Building. Excavation of the site began immediately afterwards

By September of 1932, the foundation of the massive Archives building was under construction. 

Departing President Herbert Hoover laid the cornerstone of the building in a ceremony. Hoover dedicated it in the name of the people of the United States and proclaimed, “This temple of our history will appropriately be one of the most beautiful buildings in America, an expression of the American soul. It will be one of the most durable, an expression of the American character.” 

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Archives Act on June 19, 1934. The legislation established the National Archives to oversee Federal record keeping and stipulated the Archivist of the United States, who would be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, would head the agency. The act also established the National Historical Publications Commission. 

On October 10, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt nominated Robert D.W. Connor to be the first Archivist of the United States and the Senate confirmed his appointment on March 20, 1935. Connor served as the Archivist until 1941 and during his tenure he laid the foundation for the new agency. 

Congress passed the Federal Register Act on July 26, 1935, creating a partnership between the National Archives and the Government Printing Office. The Archivist of the United States was charged with custody of and, with the Public Printer, prompt and uniform printing and distribution of public documents in a publication designated the Federal Register. The first issue of the Federal Register was published on March 14, 1936.

By the end of 1935 the outside of the National Archives Building was nearing completion. Although the inside was still unfinished, approximately 120 staff moved into the building in November. 

The Survey of Federal Archives—a Work Projects Administration program to survey and index historically significant records outside of Washington, DC—was organized with the National Archives as cooperating sponsor. The National Archives staff took on this responsibility for records in the Washington, DC, area. Workers found that many historically significant documents were housed in poor conditions, such as War Department records which were stored in the infamous White House garage. 

In early 1936 the National Archives began to accept records for transfer. By June the Archives had received approximately 58,800 cubic feet of records, mainly Veterans Administration records and defunct World War I U.S. Food Administration records. 

Between October 1-15 murals by American artist Barry Faulkner depicting the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were installed on walls of Rotunda of the National Archives Building. 

On October 21, 1936, Colonel Oliver H. Spaulding received the first research room card from the National Archives. On November 1, 1936, the central research room formally opened.

On March 16, 1938, the Department of State transferred the Bill of Rights to the National Archives along with other historical records in the agency's possession.

On November 19, 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of the Roosevelt Library and Museum in Hyde Park, NY—the first Presidential library within the National Archives.

On June 30, 1941, FDR dedicated his library, the first Presidential Library. He built the new facility with private funds on a 16 acre section of his mother's home in Hyde Park, NY. On July 1, 1941, the exhibition rooms and museum portions of the library opened to the public. 

After being nominated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Solon Justus Buck became the Second Archivist of the United States

The National Archives dedicated a War Memorial Plaque for four National Archives employees who died serving the United States during World War II.

The Freedom Train Exhibit tour officially started its journey in Philadelphia, PA, on September 17, 1947—the 160th anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution. It was a seven-car train that traveled across the United States until January 1949 carrying some of the country's most priceless historical documents for public viewing. 

On June 30, 1949, Congress passed, and President Harry S. Truman signed, the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act which transferred the National Archives to the newly created General Services Administration (GSA). Because the Archives had gained new responsibilities for current records, its name was changed to National Archives and Records Service (NARS). 

Congress passed the Federal Records Act of 1950 further expanding the records management role of the National Archives. The National Archives began to establish a series of records centers to store semi-active Federal records. In 1950, the first Federal Records Center (FRC) was opened in Brooklyn, New York, and by 1955 there were nine more around the country as federal agencies agreed to deposit records there. Today, the National Archives has 18 FRCs in 9 regions throughout the United States

After years of negotiation between the Archivist of the United States and the Librarian of Congress, the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence were transferred to the National Archives. 

President Harry S. Truman unveiled for the first time the "Charters of Freedom" in the Rotunda of the National Archives on Bill of Rights Day.  

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Presidential Library Act into law on August 12, 1955. The act provided for the transfer of presidential papers and other materials to the federal government. The legislation also established a system of privately built and federally maintained libraries. 

On July 6, 1957, the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri was dedicated. It was the second Presidential Library to become part of the National Archives. 

On April 8, 1960, the Portrait of the Second Archivist of the United States Solon Buck was unveiled in the National Archives Conference Room. The painting 1960 based on a 1941 photograph.

In 1960 the National Archives took over military records from the Department of Defense and created the Military Personnel Records Center in Overland, Missouri.

On May 1, 1962, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library was dedicated in Abilene, Kansas. 

on August 10, 1962, The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library was opened to the public. Former President Hoover and Former President Harry Truman attended the dedication ceremony. 

Robert Bahmer first served as Acting Archivist from November 7, 1965, until the General Services Administrator appointed him to be the Fourth Archivist of the United States on January 16, 1966. 

In 1966, the National Archives Military Personnel Records Center merged with its St. Louis Federal Records Center creating the National Personnel Records Center. Civilian records were housed in a facility on Winnebago St. in St. Louis; military in Overland, Missouri.

James "Bert" Rhoads first served as Acting Archivist from March 10, 1968, until the General Services Administrator appointed him to be the Fifth Archivist of the United States on May 2, 1968. 

In the spring of 1969 the National Archives began “Prologue: The Journal of the National Archives.” The National Archives continues to produce this as a quarterly publication. 

In the 1960s, with electronic records proliferating throughout the Federal Government, the National Archives created a machine-readable records program to survey and inventory the government’s tape libraries. On April 16, 1970, the National Archives accessioned its first electronic records.

On May 22, 1971, the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library, on The University of Texas campus in Austin, Texas, was dedicated.

Fire broke out on the sixth floor of the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis. The fire raged for four days and destroyed approximately 22 million Official Military Personnel Files. The records lost were those of former members of the Army, the Army Air Force, and the Air Force who served between 1912 and 1963. 

A fire broke out in the nitrate film vaults in the National Archives facility in Suitland, MD, destroying 12.6 million feet of Universal Pictures newsreel footage.

James O’Neill was appointed Acting Archivist of the United States on September 1, 1979, and served in the position until July 23, 1980.

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library was dedicated on October 20, 1979, in Columbia Point, Boston, Massachusetts. 

In a ceremony held in Washington DC, Robert M. Warner became the Sixth Archivist of the United States.

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library was dedicated. The library is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the North Campus of the University of Michigan, Ford's alma mater.

Congress passed the National Archives and Records Administration Act which established the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) as an independent agency effective April 1, 1985. 

After being under the General Services Administration (GSA) for 35 years, the National Archives officially became an independent agency. 

Frank G. Burke became Acting Archivist of the United States on April 16, 1985, just as the National Archives attained status as an independent agency. He served until December 4, 1987.

On October 1, 1986, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta, Georgia was dedicated.

On September 9, 1987, President Ronald Reagan nominated and on November 20, 1987, the U.S. Senate confirmed Don W. Wilson to be the Seventh Archivist of the United States. On December 4, 1987, Dick Cheney, Member of Congress from Wyoming, administered the oath of office in the Rotunda of the National Archives. President Ronald Reagan also gave remarks. 

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library was dedicated on November 4, 1991, in Simi Valley, California. In attendance were all living Presidents: then current-President George H. W. Bush, and former Presidents Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon.

On May 18, 1992, in a low-key ceremony in his office in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, Don Wilson became the first and only Archivist to certify a constitutional amendment when he certified the 27th amendment. Effective May 7, 1992, the amendment became part of the U.S. Constitution.

Trudy Huskamp Peterson was named Acting Archivist of the United States on March 25, 1993, following terms as Acting Assistant Archivist (1985–1987), and Assistant Archivist for the National Archives (1987–1993). She was the first woman to hold the position of Acting Archivist of the United States.

The National Archives at College Park, Maryland (known as Archives II) was dedicated on May 12, 1994. It is located on a 33-acre parcel of land donated by the University of Maryland. 

On May 5, 1995, President William Clinton nominated and on May 25, 1995, the U.S. Senate confirmed John W. Carlin as Archivist of the United States. On June 1, 1995, Governor Carlin was sworn in as Eighth Archivist of the United States. 

November 17, 1995, the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) became a part of the National Archives. Since 1978, the ISOO has been responsible to the President for policy and oversight of the government-wide security classification system and the National Industrial Security Program in the United States.

In 1997, the National Archives began moving underground with a new Federal Records Center (FRC) in Lee’s Summit, MO. In 2003, the Archives opened an underground FRC in Lenexa, KS. In 2008, a limestone cave in Valmeyer, IL, opened as an annex to the National Personnel Records Center. A fourth cave opened in 2012 in Kansas City’s “Subtropolis.”

On November 6, 1997, the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum was dedicated in College Station, Texas on the campus of Texas A&M. Then-President Bill Clinton gave remarks. President George and Barbara Bush were in attendance along with President Gerald and Betty Ford, President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Lady Bird Johnson, and Hillary Clinton. It opened to the public following day. 

The William J. Clinton Presidential Library was dedicated in Little Rock, Arkansas on November 18, 2004. It was the 11th Presidential Library in the National Archives.

On January 24, 2005, President George W. Bush nominated and on February 10, 2005, the U.S. Senate confirmed historian Allen Weinstein as the ninth Archivist of the United States. 

Since 1974, Nixon’s Presidential materials have been maintained by the National Archives under the authority of the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act (PRMPA). Congress passed PRMPA in response to news that President Nixon, after resigning office, was attempting to destroy documents from his Presidency. PRMPA mandated that Nixon's documents and other materials remain in the federal government’s possession, and stay within 50 miles of Washington, DC. After more than two decades of litigation and negotiation over the Nixon materials, the Nixon Library became part of the National Archives on July 11, 2007. 

Adrienne C. Thomas was named Deputy Archivist of the United States in January 2008 and served as Acting Archivist of the United States from December 20, 2008 – November 5, 2009.

The Open Government Act of 2007, which amended the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), also created the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) within the National Archives. On June 10, 2009, Miriam Nisbet was named as the first OGIS Director and the Office began operating that fall. OGIS was directed to offer mediation services to resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies, resolve disputes over accessibility to government records, serve as the ombudsman to the Federal Government for FOIA, and review agency’s FOIA procedures and identify ways for improvement.

David S. Ferriero was confirmed as 10th Archivist of the United States on November 6, 2009.

On December 29, 2009, President Obama issued Executive Order 13526 creating the National Declassification Center to streamline the declassification processes, facilitate quality assurance measures, and implement standard training for declassification reviewers.

On April 25, 2013, the George W. Bush Presidential Library was dedicated on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Attendees included in former Presidents and First Ladies: Barack and Michelle Obama; George W. and Laura Bush; William J. and Hillary Clinton; George and Barbara Bush; and Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. The George W. Bush Library was the 13th Presidential Library in the National Archives.

After a $35 million renovation, which began in May 2010, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum was rededicated. With the exception of two wings added in 1972, it was the first time the FDR Library had been renovated since it was first dedicated on June 30, 1941. The renovation brought the Library’s archives and museum up to the National Archives’ standards for preservation of historic collections, while carefully maintaining the building’s historic appearance. 

Deputy Archivist Debra Steidel Wall became Acting Archivist of the United States on May 1, 2022. She served as Acting Archivist until May 17, 2023.

On May 10, 2023, the U.S. Senate confirmed Colleen Shogan as the 11th Archivist of the United States. She was sworn into office on May 17, 2023.

On December 13, 2023, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland designated the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, as a National Historic Landmark.