Recordkeeping in the United States in the 20th Century

Questions and Answers

What was the primary driver for records management in the United States in the Twentieth Century?

Private companies

State governments

Non-profit organizations

The federal government (correct)

Who signed the legislation creating the National Archives in 1934?

President Franklin D. Roosevelt (correct)

Robert D.W. Connor

Congress

Emmett Leahy

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

To develop a records lifecycle model

To destroy records without permanent value

To establish a records management program

To form a committee of examiners to analyze records (correct)

What was the main reason for the complexity of the records problem faced by the National Archives in 1937?

Lack of conformity in procedures and unprecedented growth in volume of documents Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the records lifecycle model developed by Emmett Leahy?

To control the creation, use, and disposition of records Signup and view all the answers

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

Paper records Signup and view all the answers

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

To avoid being misquoted Signup and view all the answers

What was the connection between the recording machine and President Roosevelt's telephone?

The machine was connected to the president's telephone and sometimes turned on before press conferences Signup and view all the answers

Where do digital copies of the original recordings of FDR's radio addresses reside?

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

What was the purpose of the Records Disposal Act of 1943?

To define records and authorize the National Archives Council to develop procedures to dispose of records no longer needed 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 incident prompted the U.S. Congress to pass the Presidential Records Act (PRA) in 1978?

The Watergate break-in Signup and view all the answers

What was the 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 was the name of President Nixon's secretary who tried to assume blame for an 18-minute gap in the tapes?

Rose Mary Woods Signup and view all the answers

What was the name of the facility dedicated in 1994 that holds primarily government records of the 20th century?

Archives II in College Park, Maryland Signup and view all the answers

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

Early versions of email records Signup and view all the answers

What was the main purpose of the Federal Records Act of 1950?

To detail records management policies and practices of agencies within the federal government Signup and view all the answers

What was the outcome of the 'PROFS case'?

The courts found that electronic versions of email records contained metadata not captured in paper records. Signup and view all the answers

What happened to White House email after 1994?

It was archived in electronic form. Signup and view all the answers

What was the consequence of President Trump taking over 30 boxes of presidential records to his residence in Mar-A-Lago?

A Special Prosecutor was appointed to investigate. Signup and view all the answers

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

Classified documents with national security markings. Signup and view all the answers

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

The evidence was deemed insufficient to convict, and the case was declined. Signup and view all the answers

Where were classified materials recovered from in the investigation into President Biden?

The garage, offices, and basement den in his Wilmington, Delaware home, and the Penn Biden Center. Signup and view all the answers

Why did the committee decline to prosecute President Biden?

Because a jury would see him as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the Iran-Contra records on NSC backup tapes?

They contain evidence of a scandal during the Reagan administration. 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

This quiz covers the history and development of recordkeeping in the United States during the 20th century, focusing on the role of the federal government and key figures such as Franklin D. Roosevelt and Emmett Leahy.