Distinguished Service Award: Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín

Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín (FLMM) is the 2026 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award given by the Society of American Archivists (SAA). The award recognizes an archives institution, education program, nonprofit organization, or government organization that has given outstanding service to its public and has made an exemplary contribution to the archives profession.

With over three million documents, Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín (FLMM) serves as a repository for Puerto Rico’s political, intellectual, and cultural heritage. FLMM is committed to preserving Puerto Rico’s documentary heritage and to providing open access to archival resources by promoting Puerto Rican identity and community memory. In addition, FLMM promotes community engagement through robust volunteer and educational programming.

The impact of this archives on academic research is tangible and profound. Thanks to its active mediation and the dissemination of more than 140 archival collections, countless doctoral dissertations and essential publications on democratic governance and social development have been supported. Recently, the Historical Archive of the FLMM has demonstrated its strategic leadership by spearheading the Puerto Rico: Architectural Heritage Archive (PRAHA) project, a pioneering digital platform that centralizes the island's architectural heritage with a decolonial and inclusive approach.

Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín serves as a successful model for archival institutions in the Caribbean. This is an important role and is key to their mission in advocating for the preservation of Puerto Rican history and identity. FLMM provides essential services to Puerto Rico, the people represented, and, more broadly, to global communities. As one supporter notes, “we value its commitment to equity through large-scale digitization projects which allow researchers and members of the Puerto Rican diaspora to access primary sources without geographical barriers.” The FLMM “is not only a repository of documents, but a vibrant meeting place and model for democratizing access to knowledge.” 

The selection committee was impressed with Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín’s commitment to the archival profession and to the people of Puerto Rico.