SAA Condemns Widespread Firing of Archivists and Cultural Heritage Workers

CHICAGO—The Society of American Archivists condemns the decision of the White House to terminate substantial numbers of archivists and cultural heritage workers at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the National Park Service, and other government agencies.

All federal employees who work with archives serve a vital function for the United States. The White House's staffing decisions, which compromise the livelihoods of thousands of individuals, jeopardize the preservation and access to the evidence that safeguards individuals' rights, documents government actions, and ensures transparency. The actions can be seen as threatening the independence of NARA, thereby creating a risk that public servants can evade accountability. Federal archives are foundational infrastructure for a democratic society and should serve their non-partisan function without political interference.

SAA strongly urges Congress to assert their prerogatives, retain Congressionally authorized staffing levels, and preserve Congressionally legislated agency independence.

SAA Council extends our support and solidarity to impacted workers. The Council is actively working to determine how best to support federal archival workers during this time. We welcome impacted workers to contact SAA regarding how we can best provide support: president@archivists.org.