National Archives and Records Administration NARA

History and Founding

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) was established in 1934 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Archives Act, creating a centralized repository for the records of the U.S. federal government. Prior to this, federal records were dispersed across basements, attics, and storage areas with little security or preservation oversight. The National Archives Building in Washington, D.C., designed by architect John Russell Pope in the neoclassical style, opened in 1935. NARA took its present organizational form in 1985. The agency's holdings, though formally established in 1934, include materials dating to 1775.

Collections and Holdings

NARA is the nation's record keeper, preserving and providing public access to approximately 2-5 percent of all federal records judged to have continuing historical or legal value. Major holdings include approximately 13.5 billion pages of paper records; 41+ million photographs; 10 million maps, charts, and engineering plans; 563,000 film reels; 992,000+ video and audio recordings; and over 1,300 terabytes of electronic records. Highlights include the Charters of Freedom (the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights), the Emancipation Proclamation, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, Japanese surrender documents, slave ship manifests, and Universal Newsreels (1929-1967).

Journalism and Media Materials

NARA's holdings include significant media-relevant collections, particularly its Universal Newsreels collection from 1929 to 1967. Press-related government records, including communications, censorship files, and broadcasting regulatory documents, are dispersed across numerous record groups accessible through the National Archives Catalog. NARA's Founders Online project provides free access to 185,000 letters and documents from seven Founding Fathers.

Access and Usage

Research facilities include Archives I in Washington, D.C. (Pennsylvania Avenue), Archives II in College Park, Maryland, 14 regional archives, and 15 Presidential Libraries nationwide. The National Archives Museum in Washington, D.C. is open daily. Research rooms require advance appointment. The National Archives Catalog provides online access to millions of records, with many available for free digital download.