Sarah Vowell examines the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) through the lens of Pamela Wright, the agency’s Chief Innovation Officer. The essay explores how this federal institution makes government records accessible to all US citizens, regardless of geographic location, and serves as both a repository of historical documents and a democratizing force in US society.

Vowell traces the origins of the National Archives, noting how the British burning of Washington during the War of 1812 highlighted the need for secure document storage. Despite this early lesson, it took until 1934 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt to establish the National Archives as a formal institution. Before this, important historical records faced numerous threats including fire, as exemplified by the destruction of most of the 1890 census in a 1921 blaze. The National Archives’ mission expanded over time to include compliance with the Freedom of Information Act and management of presidential records following the Watergate scandal.

A central concern Vowell addresses is the geographic inaccessibility of federal records. She notes that citizens in places like Conrad, Montana (population 2,318 in 2020) live more than 2,100 miles from NARA headquarters in Washington, DC. While regional branches exist, most important holdings are centralized in DC and College Park, Maryland, creating barriers for those who wish to access their national heritage.

Pamela Wright, who grew up on a ranch near Conrad, Montana, now leads NARA’s digitization efforts. Her rural background gives her unique insight into the challenges faced by citizens living far from the capital. Currently, only about 300 million of NARA’s 13 billion records have been digitized, but the ongoing effort aims to make these documents accessible to anyone with internet access.

Vowell highlights Wright’s innovative Citizen Archivist Program, established in 2011, which transforms the relationship between the public and government records. This initiative enlists volunteers to transcribe, tag, and scan documents, making them more accessible and searchable online. Volunteers have transcribed more than 30 million pages and added 10 million searchable tags to existing records. The program represents a shift from the traditional model of archivists as gatekeepers to one in which the public actively participates in preserving and sharing national history. Wright describes this as fulfilling the democratic ideal of “government of the people, by the people, and for the people” (163). Projects like the digitization of Buffalo Soldiers’ pension records exemplify how this approach makes marginalized histories more accessible.

Another innovation Vowell examines is History Hub, an online platform Wright founded in 2016. This free service allows anyone to submit historical queries answered by NARA archivists and volunteers. The platform contains more than 23,000 questions and 52,000 replies on topics ranging from presidential relationships to marriage customs. Unlike much of the internet, History Hub maintains a courteous, knowledgeable atmosphere through careful moderation.

Vowell explores how census records, managed by NARA, create emotional connections to the past. The 1950 census, released in 2022 after the mandatory 72-year privacy period, utilized AI technology to improve accessibility. These records offer glimpses into American life, including Vowell’s own parents as children and notable figures like Louis Armstrong and Georgia O’Keeffe. Census records reveal the imperfect nature of government documentation. Vowell discovers misspellings of her grandmother’s name and inconsistencies in how her Cherokee grandfather’s race was recorded across different censuses. These errors remind readers that census data, while invaluable, reflects the biases and limitations of its time.

Throughout the essay, Vowell reflects on the emotional impact of viewing original historical documents. In the NARA vault, she examines the Louisiana Purchase, which shaped the territory where Wright was born, and the Homestead Act that enabled Wright’s grandfather to claim land. Vowell has a powerful emotional reaction to seeing the 1835 Treaty of New Echota, which forced her Cherokee ancestors along the Trail of Tears.

Vowell concludes by emphasizing how the National Archives embodies American democracy through its commitment to transparency and equal access. The essay ultimately presents the National Archives as more than a repository for old papers; according to Vowell, it serves as an equalizing force that helps US citizens understand their shared history and democratic institutions, regardless of their geographic location or social position.