“Hold on with a bull-dog grip, and chew and choke, as much as possible.” With these words, Abraham Lincoln instructed Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant to press on in 1864 despite the losses he had suffered. A few weeks ago, I showed the actual telegram President Lincoln wrote in his own hand to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his visit to our nation’s capital. “An inspiring document,” Zelensky called it, noting the obvious parallel to his nation’s fight today. “President Lincoln’s words reflect the courage and faith that helped America.”
We know the exact words of the telegram President Lincoln wrote to General Grant 159 years ago because it, and millions of other Civil War documents, are preserved at the National Archives and Records Administration, often known as NARA, in Washington, D.C. The National Archives holds those pieces of history in trust for the nation, alongside nearly fourteen billion other physical records and thirty-three billion electronic government records collected over the nearly 250 years of our democratic republic. These records include presidential papers, congressional documents, court decisions, agency memoranda, cables and reports, emails, photographs, maps, films, and artifacts, which provide a comprehensive history of the United States government and its actions.
So what? In a world marked by rapid technological advancements and information overload, the role of the National Archives might seem fanciful at best, and perhaps even antiquated. Why is it important to spend precious federal dollars to preserve pieces of paper from centuries ago?
The answer is simple and rooted in the basics of democratic theory. Repositories of historical records, such as the National Archives, serve as the bedrock upon which accountable governance, informed decision-making, and the preservation of collective memory are built. In this age of uncertainty and misinformation, archives stand as a bulwark of democracy.
Democracy is having a moment, and that’s a good thing. Political, military, and cultural leaders are focusing on democracy’s structure, threats to its existence, and what it takes to sustain a government that derives its just powers from its citizens. Yet, no such leader has emphasized the importance of archives and the preservation of records in a democracy. This is an oversight that deserves careful attention.
At their core, archives serve as the custodians of our shared history. They preserve the official documents, records, and artifacts that chronicle the development of nations, institutions, and societies. This enables historians and storytellers of all backgrounds to engage with records and interpret them. Archives recognize that the history of a democracy is organic, continuously challenged by new theories and observations. That’s why continuing to safeguard records for future generations is imperative.
Above all, the National Archives plays a pivotal role in holding the federal government accountable. The act of documenting government actions, decisions, and policies ensures transparency and provides a vehicle for citizen engagement. Such engagement is the keystone of popular sovereignty, the basic principle which undergirds any democratic government.
Although voting is the primary responsibility of a citizen in a democracy, it is not the only mechanism of engagement. The ability to scrutinize previous actions empowers citizens to question elected or appointed officials, and, when necessary, challenge abuses of power. Access to the past can also help prevent future mistakes in judgment and leadership. Our nation’s records constitute the fabric which knits together the checks and balances embedded in our constitutional system, serving simultaneously as both the antidote to malfeasance and the elixir of better governance.
As we digitize more documents and share a growing number of born-digital records, the importance of investing in sensible, cost-effective technology becomes increasingly necessary. Searching for a record at a storage facility that houses millions of paper records may seem daunting, yet finding an email online amongst billions of electronic records poses its own unique challenges. Although artificial intelligence is no replacement for primary source learning, we can use such tools strategically to enhance access and ensure Americans can find the information they need in the digital age.
During American Archives Month this October, remember one thing: archives are not mere repositories of dusty documents stored in faraway vaults. Rather, archives help ensure the vitality of our evolving democracy. As we navigate a world in which information travels across the globe instantaneously, we must recognize the critical role of the National Archives in preserving and strengthening the democratic foundations upon which our country was built. No one said it better than James Madison, the principal drafter of the United States Constitution (which we also hold in trust at the National Archives):
“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: and a people who mean to be their own Governours, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. I do acknowledge the United States of America to be Free, Independent, and Sovereign States, and declare that the people thereof owe no allegiance or obedience to George the Third, King of Great Britain…”.
That’s the beginning of the oath of allegiance that General George Washington and everyone under his command signed at Valley Forge in 1778. Despite struggling to feed and equip the Continental Army that winter, oath cards were printed, distributed, and signed by all, starting a tradition that is still followed today by all United States military personnel, federal employees, and elected officials.
We know the exact words of the oath signed by General Washington because his oath card, and hundreds of others, are preserved at the National Archives and Records Administration, often known as NARA, in Washington, D.C. The National Archives holds those symbols of patriotism in trust for the nation, alongside more than thirteen billion physical and thirty billion electronic government records collected over the nearly 250 years of our democratic republic. These records include presidential papers, congressional documents, agency memoranda, emails, photographs, maps, films, and artifacts, which provide a comprehensive history of the United States government and its actions.
So what? In a world marked by rapid technological advancements and information overload, the role of the National Archives might seem fanciful at best, and perhaps even antiquated. Why is it important to spend precious federal dollars to preserve pieces of paper from two centuries ago?
The answer is simple and rooted in the basics of democratic theory. Repositories of historical records, such as the National Archives, serve as the bedrock upon which accountable governance, informed decision-making, and the preservation of collective memory are built. In this age of uncertainty and misinformation, archives stand as a bulwark of democracy.
Democracy is having a moment, and that’s a good thing. Political, military, and cultural leaders are focusing on democracy’s structure, threats to its existence, and what it takes to sustain a government that derives its just powers from its citizens. Yet, no leader has emphasized the importance of archives and the preservation of records in a democracy. This is an oversight that deserves careful attention.
At their core, archives serve as the custodians of our shared history. They preserve the official documents, records, and artifacts that chronicle the development of nations, institutions, and societies. This enables historians and storytellers of all backgrounds to engage with records and interpret them. Archives recognize that the history of a democracy is organic, continuously challenged by new theories and observations. That’s why continuing to safeguard records for future generations is imperative.
Above all, the National Archives plays a pivotal role in holding the federal government accountable. The act of documenting government actions, decisions, and policies ensures transparency and provides a vehicle for citizen engagement. Such engagement is the keystone of popular sovereignty, the basic principle which undergirds any democratic government.
Although voting is the primary responsibility of a citizen in a democracy, it is not the only mechanism of engagement. The ability to scrutinize previous actions empowers citizens to question elected or appointed officials, and, when necessary, challenge abuses of power. Access to the past can also help prevent future mistakes in judgment and leadership. Our nation’s records constitute the fabric which knits together the checks and balances embedded in our constitutional system, serving simultaneously as both the antidote to malfeasance and the elixir of better governance.
As we digitize more documents and share a growing number of born-digital records, the importance of investing in sensible, cost-effective technology becomes increasingly necessary. Searching for a record at a storage facility that houses millions of paper records may seem daunting, yet finding an email online amongst billions of electronic records poses its own unique challenge. Although artificial intelligence is no replacement for primary source learning, we can use such tools strategically to enhance access and ensure Americans can find the information they need in the digital age.
During American Archives Month this October, remember one thing: archives are not mere repositories of dusty documents stored in faraway vaults. Rather, archives help ensure the vitality of our evolving democracy. As we navigate a world in which information travels across the globe instantaneously, we must recognize the critical role of the National Archives in preserving and strengthening the democratic foundations upon which our country was built. No one said it better than James Madison, the principal drafter of the United States Constitution (which we also hold in trust at the National Archives):
“Knowledge will for ever govern ignorance: and a people who mean to be their own Governours, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”
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