colleen shogan you became the first female archivist of the united states. you recently hosted the first lady and chief justice john roberts in the national archives rotunda for your ceremonial swearing in. you wore white. tell us why i wore white? because that was the color adopted by the suffragists when they were advocating for the 19th amendment. i was the vice chair of the women's suffrage centennial commission. so that's very meaningful. me and i wanted to really invoke spirit as i took the oath of office as the first woman to become archivist the united states. what does it mean to you to be the first woman? it means a lot. it means, i think, a lot for representation and i think it's very important for young girls and boys to see women in these

roles. i think it also means a lot to those who work in this area in libraries and archives and museum cms, which is a profession and career track, which is dominated by women, but oftentimes times, although it's changing, oftentimes don't see women as in the leadership in those organizations, what do you think you bring to role as a woman and how it differ from your predecessors? well, i think my predecessor was very supportive of of covering the full american story, which would include women's history and women's role in history. i think that i will bring some resources to bear to make sure that when we have researchers that come to the national archives that our facilities across the united states are women. their or their there are genealogists to make sure that they feel comfortable in our buildings. and then also we have experts on staff that are able to help them. they're researching aspects of, women's history.

how do you explain your job as the archivist of the united states? well, as the archivist of the united states i am the head, the national archives. it's a 2600 person agency. so i have duties i run a federal agency just like secretary or, other director of a federal agency. but my unique opportunity is to preserve protect and share the nation's records. and how many are there? there are? 13.5 textual 4 billion textual records in our possession here at national archives. but then there's also millions of photographs, tapes of films, 700,000 artifacts. so it is a vast collection. and why is it important to you to or or how do you go about protecting these document rights and also providing access to the american people to these documents? we have to protect the records so that generations of americans

after us when we are no longer are able to also those records that's important for a lot of different reasons. i we, of course, want them to be able to do that in their in their rights as americans and as citizens. but, you know, the interpretations of change over time because we look at things with different so we need to be able to preserve those records. so we're able to have different interpretations of history as we move on and the sharing of the records is something that i'm very much focused on because it's important to to care take on the records and preserve them. but if we're not sharing them with americans, then i'm not sure exactly what the point. so that will be a focus of i'm doing is archivist. what does it mean when you see one of these rare documents, disks archive? what goes through your mind and why you want america the american people see them right you know to find a connection with history especially someone if you've studied american

history or your you're someone that likes to watch documentaries about american and then you're able to see the actual decision point of american history, it makes it actually come alive to you in a way i just can't describe. you recently made the decision have the emancipation proclamation in the rotunda. the national archives. so why did you make that decision and describe now what is the message that you're hoping people get when they walk through and see that document along with the i view the emancipation. as one of our founding documents it was not signed in 1776 or 1789. it occurred later in american history. but it's really what i view as the re founding of the united states. it really articulates the declaration the principles of, the declaration of independence. it's a re articulation as

lincoln would describe it it is not the end all be all of what we know to be the freedom for african-americans and their full citizenship rights, particularly. but is the beginning to extend those rights to african americans. and that's incredibly important. what other changes will you make? well, we are looking to make sure that we enhance our visitor experiwe do have our big exhibie founding documents, which are always on display, are our our major exhibit is undergoing renovation. so we can be ready for 2025 moving into 2026. so anxiously awaiting the opening of that, which will be very exciting. there will be more opportunity, i think, for kids to engage in displays so we can attract more kids to come to the national archives. so we're just going to we're going to open doors.

and my message to everyone is all americans are welcome to the national archives. please, and learn about our shared history. the national archives agency been in the news lately. most recently the committees investigating the hunter biden's business have reached out to the national archives, and there are also been lawsuits requesting, emails of then-vice joe biden's correspondence with his son. what can you tell us about the emails in your at the national archives? well, i can't tell anything about those emails in particular, but we are following process that's outlined in the presidential records act of 1978 very clearly lays the process in which we are able to share those records we call special access requests with members of congress of committees and. we are engaged in that process. i met with chairman colmer, we had a very good meeting in which

we were able to outline that process. and he understands that we following it and we will be following the law. so that those records can come to. chairman colmer within the dictates that are allowed in the law, what is the law say about the timing of release of those emails? and he also that many of that information was redact it and he wanted it unredacted and. explain why to the american people those emails would be redacted. well, there are provisions within foi, i believe, that emails were released under a previously under a foia request, and there were provisions of foia, which would cause them to be redacted. it might be things like people's personal names or information, but there several provisions under foia, under the law, under the presidential records act, after the national archives does a search and determines what records would be responsive to the specific request from, for example, chairman of the

committee, then we have to notify the president of whose those records from as well the current president, the incumbent president in this case, president obama. that would be for vice president biden's records. and then, of course, president himself is the incumbent president. and then there is at least a 30 day period in which they have time to review those records and then enter a period in which we are able to hopefully provide and request to the chairman of the committee or whoever asked for them under a special access request. and you're saying the agency is complying and within that timeline we are 100% complying. it is not our timeline to set remember the timeline is set by the incumbent or the former president. and so we have to follow those timelines and that's in the law but we are getting them the records.

they can review them and be in compliance. any concern? this is a personal correspondence between a father and. a son is what consideration is given to that? well, what the records that would be responsive under the presidential records act are presidential records, which would mean they are records in which any president is his or her duties, duties their ceremony, your duties, personal records would not be responsive to a presidential records act request. the archives also came into the spotlight when classified documents were found. the residence, the mar a lago residence, a former president donald trump. you were not the archivist at the. but you asked about it during your confirmation hearing. explain to the american what role the archives played in that. ask for the document and the corresponding investigation.

well, under the presidential records act, when a president's term conclu foods are usually on january 20th at noon, then the possession of records that the president previously created or his staff created, presidential records then come into possession and custody of the national archives. and so that's when the national archives takes possession those records so that is the steering point in which there's a change. and it's worth reminding that we are the custodians, those records. but the records really belong to the american people and how what kind of training does the agency do for the president's staff? so they understand what they are doing? the moment is going to be archived later on. sure. there is a white house office of records is part of the white. they were not nara employees, but they are part of the white house.

and the general counsel usually the general counsel's office in the white. we are we provide you know, if they ask us questions we're able to provide with information and consultation but it's worth mention also that we are they are not required. ask us for that information we are here a resource and so we explained the process of getting those documents. what does that look like? well, i you know, i haven't i was not the archivist of the united states when there was a transition. but i know that at national archives we employ use of the department of defense. they they assist us in the transports of those records from, the white house, into our national archives facility, which is where they be located after the presidency concludes. there was also classified documents found at the home of current biden, also the former vice president mike pence. have any changes been in your agency to address those type

documents making their way after a president, vice president leaves to their personal homes or offices? no, we haven't made any changes because once again, when a president or vice president is in, it is is they are the custody of those records. it is their duty to care. take those records. if they were classified information, working with those individuals in the white house who would be responsible, assisting with classified information. and we are very focused what happens to the records when they come into our custody in our possession. how do you find missing records? well, archivists, when when they records, when they would come into our custody there, they were doing a initial pass of the not an in-depth pass, which will be done later in order to make the records available for the public and for foia requests. so they take an initial pass the records and they're looking for

things sequential early. they're looking, in some cases, high profile records that they know would be part of that exception that collection. and in doing so, they may notice something is is missing and then is the next step the next step would be to then work with the former president at that point in time and his or her representative moves they they can designate records represent natives to assist them with records and to be able to communicate with them about a possible missing record. how long do you wait for that record before you take additional steps? and what they. well, i don't think that once, again, this would be before my tenure, but i don't think that the national archives has ever taken any additional steps, a missing record in that case and that instance continue to work with with the president's in order to secure any records that if the archives thinks they're not in their possession.

senators during your confirmation noted that most of the time this is a sleepy confirmation process that is typically bipartisan. yours was not. you tell us what it was like you to be go through the confirmation process. was interesting because i in the legislative branch most of my career was spent in the legislative branch. i worked in the united states senate earlier in my career. i worked at the congressional service for eight years. and then at the library of congress as a senior executive for years after that. so i had a very particular legislate branch perspective. i'm also a political scientist. so i studied congress and i myself was involved in nomination processes on the other side of, the aisle assisting a senator and obviously it's, chris, many senators, not just the one that i worked for. so as you know, to switch

perspective, i was like a 360 degree turn to be on the other side. but what i can say is i have a great respect for the process. i understand why senators need to do an in-depth dive for nominees. they take that responsibility very seriously. so now i can really say that understand it from all different angles. part of the controversy was of the role the national archives playing in this ongoing investigation, missing documents from former president trump, former then vice president joe biden, and former vice mike pence. now that you are archivists. looking back, would you done anything differently? no i wouldn't have done anything differently in the nomination. i think i answered the questions as they to me. i felt like was uniquely suited for the role and i still feel that i'm well-suited for the role. i have a very strong nonpartisan background. as i said before, i worked for

years, particularly at the library of congress, also at the white house, historical association. just so happened that my tenure, white house historical spanned two different presidents. the first part of my tenure was under president trump and then subsequently president biden and worked very effectively with both of those administrations in those functions. so i was very confident into the role that i would be able to do that a nonpartisan way. and looking back at how your predecessor handled the and the agency being in the news, you do anything differently if documents go missing classified in future transitions of power. what i will if there are any challenges like that in the future, is follow the law and that is what i pledge to do in my nomination hearings that i would follow the law, consult with our attorneys. i am an attorney, but consult with our attorneys. but also, quite frankly, i read the law too to remind myself the law, the regulations that go

alongside that law to myself, what my duties are. the senators said the agency become politicized. would agree? no, absolutely not. we are not politicized. we are a nonpartisan partizan agency and will continue to do so as long i'm at the helm. how do you help shape shape the view of your agency, given its position in the news cycle? well, i think it's also opportunity because now more people and more americans know about the national archives than ever before. we are in the news and people are curious, i think, about what the national archives does. and so that presents me with a little bit higher of profile where i am able talk about the larger of the national archives. you were asked at your confirmation hearing if you would be able to effectively with the former president, former president trump. what has your office and his office what is the communication

been like between your office and his office? it's been it's been absolutely fine. he actually contacted me and congratulate me on my confirmation, my and confirmation and. he had a couple of items that he felt would be best suited to be in the national archives, although they were not, he contended not to be presidential records or presidential gifts and asked if i would take those items in as part of president trump's collection. and i said that i would. i wrote him back and, said that absolutely i would. and those items have been delivered. so in addition to actual documents, can you talk about the collection of presidential gifts and other items that people might not know about? right. so when presidents receive five items while they are in office and that might be from foreign heads of state, it might be from well-wishers, americans, citizens, and actually thousands gifts to the president, which is really heartwarming when you think about.

those gifts come into the president and first lady and the first family can if choose they can display those gifts while they are in while they are living in the white house. but afterwards, they become the property of the american, they are indeed a form of a record. and so for all presidents take possession of those items. and they're really they really tell the full story of a presidency. so for i was i visited the location outside of where we are storing all of president obama's records and it's called hoffman estates, just a short drive outside of and i was to see a very smattering of the gifts were given to president obama and michelle obama while they were in and i know president

obama was a big sports fan so he got a lot of sports jerseys that were signed. i grew up in pittsburgh, so it was really heartwarming to see that the pittsburgh steelers had a football for obama. each of them, including coach tomlin and was able to see that gift. have you traveled much around the country to see different sites? i have. i have been on the road a lot since. taking office in may, and that's because a lot of people don't this. but we have 42 facilities all across the united states including the building that sitting in here in washington, d.c. so i have been traveling to visit those facilities. understand what they do and also meet with staff. you talked about in your hearing veterans records and how that was going to be one of your top priorities. can you explain backlog, how it happened and does it stand today? yes, there was a large backlog that had accumulated the pandemic because many of our

requests for, veteran's records, when veterans are looking for their benefits, might be a veteran's family for burial arrangements. many of those records are in still in paper format and they're stored in our facility in saint louis. and and so it's an in-person business be able to service those records that remain in paper format. and because of the pandemic there were a backlog accumulated of concerns about in-person work. and at the height of backlog it was about 600,000 requests which is a lot. whenever i was the nominee, i talked a lot about that challenge. and so my first trip as archivist of the united, which i was able to do just two weeks after i assumed the role was to saint louis to meet with the leadership of our facility at saint louis the national personnel records center, and also meet with all the staff that work in saint louis and

understand process of what it's like to. respond to a records request when comes in from one of our nation's veterans. and i'm happy to report, due to their hard work, a lot of efficiency and effectiveness practices that we've able to put in place that the backlog is down to just 150,000 requests. and that backlog should be completely cleared by the end of this calendar year. so the end of in december 2023 or january of 2024. you were also asked in your confirmation hearing about assisting the civil rights cases where there are requests for cases under way, dealing with abduction and other type of of incidences that have happened in the. what can you say about the role the national archives plays or we can play a very big role. things like this in which there there would be a value for historical records to shed light

on ongoing cases that maybe not receive, as we know, the attention that they deserved in the time period in which we occurred. so it's a great demonstration, the importance of federal records. once again, preserving those, and then also a very unique case in which we would be sharing them in any cases that have come to light recently that you can talk about, that they really demonstrate what you're talking about. i don't have a case to be able to share with you, but i do think that this is a importance for us. absolutely. talk about the rotunda here, what it means to you. how often do you go that space and experience it? i go every day into the rotunda when i work in this building here, washington, d.c., as i said sometimes i'm on the road all across united states. we also have another facility in college park, maryland. and so sometimes i'm in at that location, but most of the time i am here in washington, d.c., right on, right off of the

national mall between and pennsylvania avenue. and i do i walk into the rotunda, visit the declaration, the constitu and bill of rights. every day. either do it before i start my day when the documents come out a bit before all our visitors arrive. so sometimes when i want a moment of peace, then i go before my day starts. other times i go at lunch time because i like to a quick walk at and i will go and see the visitors that are viewing these documents. many people them for the first time and in most cases probably only time. they may see these documents in their lifetime. and where i go sometimes, if i haven't made it, then i will go at the very end of the day before the documents protected for the evening hours. that's very important to me. you describe as visiting the documents and you try to go every day. why? because that's the reason why i'm and particularly the doc the declaration of independence is

outlines the principles of our nation's government and the principles of democracy. we are moving towards those we haven't necessarily accomplished and met all of those yet. but we in motion towards them in pursuit, in fulfillment those principles. and i to remind myself of that where does this affinity for documents come from? well, i mean, i think those documents in particular a political scientist and i'm a political scientist that, specialized in the history of ideas and institutions. so i studied the declaration of of independence when i was in college as a great example of ideas and institutions and that's where my fascination really originates from. you said you you haven't quite met the principles that you were talking about. what are the challenges in this role in the and for this agency? well, i mean, i think we need to we want to focus on opportunity

and, equality of access. we're working that here at the national archives, focusing on prioritization of digitizing records for previously communities. so that those records are available for, those communities and they may be for understanding history, but can also be very personal reasons to genealogy and have access to those records for that. how big of a job is that to digitize all these records? it's a very big job. and as i said before, we. 13.5 billion textual records in our possession. we have and have online in our very close to 250 million which is actually amazing when you think about it. so we will be moving to, of course, to those numbers and also improving the experience our digital users in engaging

with the catalog. because when you start to have 250 million documents or records, a catalog, there's going to be challenges to finding the document or set of documents that you want to look for, for whatever reason you're searching. so we're going to be investing in that search function and also addition, of course, of of more that will be digitized and available to all americans. what is the most requested item of national archives? well, i think that history quickly, the most requested item as, i understand it was was a photograph of elvis and richard in his in the oval office is a really compelling and, interesting photograph. and actually, when i was at the white house historical associate and one of the historians i worked alongside with, she a terrific article which you can find the white house historical association's website about the history behind photograph and why came to visit richard

nixon's. so you can check it out on white house. white house. white house history. it's a fascinating story. do you have a favorite document. i have a set of favorite documents. obviously, to me, in my role in the women's suffrage commission, i love the 19th amendment, the 19th amendment is important. obviously for women gaining right to vote. the legal right to vote, but also for, i think, be for all americans, since it was the largest single enfranchise moment in american history. so when we talk expansions of democracy the 19th amendment is at the heart expansions for democracy. and then i also was able see my father's military record when he served in the army. my uncle who served in world war two, his naval service record. i was to see that. and then as someone who studies the presidency, i'm a big fan of

obviously everybody loves lincoln. i'm a big fan of lincoln. i'm also a big fan of grant and. i just happened to tend to display where they had brought out the document in which lincoln nominated grant to as general in 1864. and if you know anything about the relationship between lincoln and grant, what a pivotal, pivotal in our nation's history when lincoln relies upon grant to really bring about the end of the civil war. so that an amazing document for me to see what haven't you seen that you would like to see. oh what would have and. well, i haven't been to all the facilities across the united states, so i've been to, i believe, for presidential libraries. and i have many more to go. so i really look forward to visiting presidential libraries and when i go to the to the presidential libraries haven't visited. for example, two of our most visited presidential libraries jfk and reagan and. when i get to go to these

facilities, they also bring out of course, you can see the exhibits where there's a terrific smattering of display of the document and artifacts that they have in their collection. but they also always do a little special display for me, and i love that part of the day because then i get to see treasures from my study of the american that are very meaningful to me. colleen sh

morning, everyone. welcome. hi. we are looking at the church and colonial california today. so, as usual, i have our whole road map for the whole week. obviously, we won't get through it all. we're going to take a step back and talk about the costa system to start with, just to kind