What do the Emancipation Proclamation, the 19th Amendment, the iconic photo of the 1969 moon landing, and the Wright Brothers’ plane patent all have in common? They represent key stories and inflection points that advanced American history—and they’re all found in the National Archives.Now all Americans are invited to participate in America’s 100 Docs—a game that invites citizens ...

On Friday, July 4, 2025, the National Archives will hold its annual Fourth of July program on the steps on Constitution Avenue, featuring family-friendly activities, historical reenactments—including a reading of the Declaration of Independence—and a salute to 250 years of the United States Military—the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps all turn 250 in 2025—with special performances by military bands ...

June 12, 2025 Washington, D.C. – The National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, will display the original Emancipation Proclamation along with General Order No. 3. The order, issued on June 19 1865, declares “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free” and will go ...

June 12, 2025 Kim Enderle and Hannah Reynolds are selected as Fellows. Washington, D.C. – The National Archives Foundation, the nonprofit partner of the National Archives and Records Administration, announces the selection of Kim Enderle and Hannah Reynolds as the fifth annual 2025 Cokie Roberts Women’s History Fellows. As part of the fellowship, Enderle and Reynolds will each ...

Washington, D.C. – The National Archives Foundation, the nonprofit partner of the National Archives and Records Administration, announces the election of four new members to its Board of Directors: public policy expert David Don; creative director Arem Duplessis; multinational litigator Andrew Enschedé; and entrepreneur and developer George Levan. Additionally, the Foundation welcomes back two returning board members: historian ...

Washington, D.C. – The National Archives Foundation has launched a fundraising effort to support the permanent display of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which granted women the right to vote, in the National Archives Rotunda where it will join the original Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. “For the first time since 1952, ...

Washington, D.C. – On October 21, 2024, the National Archives Foundation will honor award-winning author David Grann, legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese and Academy Award Nominated Actress Lily Gladstone with the prestigious Records of Achievement Award for their collaboration and work to bring the true story of the serial murders of the Osage Nation to light. Grann’s award-winning book ...

August 14, 2024 Dr. Rachel Kline and Molly Lester are selected as Awardees. Washington, D.C. –The National Archives Foundation, the nonprofit partner of the National Archives and Records Administration, announces the selection of the 2024 Cokie Roberts Women’s History Fellowship. Dr. Rachel Kline and Molly Lester were selected as the fourth annual Cokie Roberts Women’s History Fellows and ...

Boeing Commits Major Gift to Support Addition to the National Archives Rotunda The National Archives announced today that the Emancipation Proclamation will be put on permanent display in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, in 2026. The display has been made possible by a gift from Boeing to the National Archives Foundation, the National Archives' nonprofit ...

On Thursday, July 4, 2024, the National Archives will celebrate the 248th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence with its traditional in-person Fourth of July program featuring musical performances and family activities. “On the Fourth of July, we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which proclaimed our nation's independence from Great Britain and set forth ...