J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award: Brad Meltzer

Brad Meltzer is a 2018 recipient of the J. Franklin Jameson Archival Advocacy Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award honors an individual, institution, or organization that promotes greater public awareness, appreciation, or support of archival activities or programs.

Meltzer is a New York Times bestselling author, television personality, speaker, educator, and promoter of the archives profession. His popular Culper Ring fiction series of books features protagonist Beecher White, a young archivist at the National Archives who discovers that George Washington’s personal spy ring still exists today. Modeled on real archivists, this nerdy hero uses resources at the National Archives and illustrates the pivotal role archivists play as protectors of collective memory.

Meltzer has also hosted the shows Brad Meltzer’s Decoded and Brad Meltzer’s Lost History on the History Channel, engaging the public’s help in preserving historical records and collections. His work on Lost History led to the location of the missing 9/11 flag that firefighters raised at Ground Zero and which now resides at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City.

His supporters noted: “Meltzer's genuine respect for history, knowledge, and education is extremely evident in his work and he praises archival professionals for helping him successfully foster these principles and effectively share them with the world.”