National Archives and Recordkeeping in the US

Questions and Answers

What was the primary driver for records management in the United States in the 20th century?

Non-profit organizations

The federal government (correct)

Private companies

State governments

Who signed the legislation creating the National Archives in 1934?

Emmett Leahy

President Herbert Hoover

President Franklin D. Roosevelt (correct)

Robert D.W. Connor

What was Emmett Leahy's first assignment at the National Archives?

To manage the National Archives' budget

To analyze records presented to the Archivist

To develop a records lifecycle model

To establish a committee of examiners (correct)

What was a major challenge faced by the National Archives in 1937?

Lack of conformity in procedures Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of the litigation against the former President regarding the Presidential Records Act?

The litigation is still pending as of this writing. Signup and view all the answers

What was a key component of the National Archives' records management program?

A records lifecycle model Signup and view all the answers

What is the records lifecycle model shown in Figure 1.2 best suited for?

Paper records programs Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the 'PROFS case'?

It established that metadata in electronic records must be preserved. Signup and view all the answers

Why did President Franklin D. Roosevelt have a recording machine installed under the Oval Office in 1940?

To record himself being misquoted Signup and view all the answers

What did President Biden's lawyers find in his possession in November 2022 and January 2023?

Documents with classified markings. Signup and view all the answers

What was the reason cited for not prosecuting President Biden?

The opinion that a jury would not convict due to sympathy for the President. Signup and view all the answers

What was connected to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's telephone in the Oval Office?

A recording machine Signup and view all the answers

What has been the policy for White House email since 1994?

Emails are archived in electronic form. Signup and view all the answers

What was the result of the investigation into President Biden's handling of classified records?

The evidence was not sufficient to convict. Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the NSC backup tapes in the litigation?

They contained metadata not captured in paper records. Signup and view all the answers

Who appointed a Special Counsel to investigate President Biden's handling of classified records?

The Attorney General. Signup and view all the answers

Where do digital copies of the original FDR recordings reside?

The FDR Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the General Schedule (GS) introduced in the 1945 amendment to the Records Disposal Act?

To authorize the systematic disposal of government records Signup and view all the answers

What was established in 1950 to preserve records of permanent historical value?

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Signup and view all the answers

Who was central to the emergence of the Commercial Records Center (CRC) industry?

Emmet J. Leahy Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary purpose of President John F. Kennedy's secret recording network?

To protect himself against officials who told him one thing in private and said something different in public Signup and view all the answers

What led to the discovery of President Richard M. Nixon's secret recording system?

The Watergate break-in Signup and view all the answers

What was the consequence of the 18-minute gap in President Nixon's tapes?

The President's resignation Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of the Watergate scandal?

The resignation of President Nixon Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the Presidential Records Act of 1978?

To establish public ownership of records generated by subsequent presidents and their staffs Signup and view all the answers

What were Lt. Col. Oliver North's 'PROFS notes' related to?

Early versions of electronic mail records Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Recordkeeping in the United States in the Twentieth Century

In 1934, Congress established the National Archives to centralize federal recordkeeping, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed legislation creating the National Archives.
Robert D.W. Connor was appointed as the first Archivist of the United States.
In 1935, Emmett Leahy joined the National Archives and formed a committee to analyze records and decide whether to destroy or dispose of them.
By 1937, the committee realized the enormity of the records problem due to lack of conformity in procedures, growth in document volume, and duplicate records across agencies.
The National Archives initiated a records management program to segregate temporary and archival records, with a records lifecycle model developed by Leahy.

Records Management Development

The Records Disposal Act of 1943 defined records and authorized the National Archives Council to develop procedures for disposing of unneeded records and reproducing permanent records on microfilm.
The Act was amended in 1945 to include the government-wide General Schedule (GS), allowing for systematic disposal of government records.
In 1950, the Federal Records Act codified records management policies and practices, establishing the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to preserve records of permanent historical value.

Commercial Records Center (CRC) Industry

Emmett Leahy played a central role in the emergence of the CRC industry, becoming the first executive director of the National Records Management Council in 1948.
He formed the Business Archives Center, perhaps the first CRC in the U.S.
By the 1950s and 1960s, CRCs emerged in large metropolitan areas to store inactive records for large corporations and organizations.

Presidential Recordkeeping

In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had a recording machine installed in the Oval Office to record conversations.
Presidents Truman and Eisenhower also recorded conversations, while President John F. Kennedy installed a secret recording network to protect himself against officials.
President Richard M. Nixon employed a secret recording system, which was discovered in 1973 during the Watergate scandal.
The Presidential Records Act (PRA) of 1978 established public ownership of records generated by subsequent presidents and their staffs.

Electronic Records and Litigation

In 1987, Lt. Col. Oliver North testified about his role in the Iran-Contra affair, including destroying copies of "PROFS notes" (early versions of e-mail records).
The "PROFS case" resulted in courts finding that electronic versions of e-mail records contained metadata not captured in paper records.
In 1994, White House email was archived in electronic form, and in 1995, NARA issued electronic mail regulations applicable to all Executive branch agencies.
In 2021, it was revealed that President Donald Trump had taken over 30 boxes of classified and unclassified presidential records to his residence, in contravention of the Presidential Records Act.
In 2023, President Biden's personal lawyers found documents with classified markings in his possession, leading to an investigation and Special Counsel appointment.

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Description

Learn about the establishment of the National Archives in 1934 and its role in centralizing federal recordkeeping in the United States during the 20th century.