Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service

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government records accessible to all US citizens, regardless of geographic location, and serves as both a repository of historical documents and a democratizing force in US society.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.