Archivist of the United States

The Archivist of the United States is the chief official overseeing the operation of the National Archives and Records Administration. The first Archivist, R.D.W. Connor, began serving in 1934, when the National Archives was established as an independent Federal agency by Congress. The Archivists served as subordinate officials of the General Services Administration from 1949 until the National Archives and Records Administration became an independent agency again on April 1 1985. Allen Weinstein is now serving as the ninth Archivist of the United States, having been sworn in on February 16, 2005.

The Archivist is responsible for safeguarding and making available for study all important records of the Federal Government, including the actual Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which are displayed in the Archives' main building in Washington, D.C.. Under Public Law No. 98-497, the Archivist also must maintain custody of state legislative ratifications of amendments to the United States Constitution and proclaim a particular amendment duly ratified and part of the Constitution, if the legislatures of at least three-quarters of the states approve the proposed amendment.

Archivists of the United States

*Robert D. W. Connor, served October 10, 1934–September 15, 1941
*Solon J. Buck, served September 18, 1941–May 31, 1948
*Wayne C. Grover, served June 2, 1948–November 6, 1965
*Robert H. Bahmer*, served November 7, 1965–March 9, 1968
*James B. Rhoads**, served March 10, 1968–1979
*James O'Neill, served 1979-July 1980
*Robert M. Warner, served July 1980-April 15, 1985
*Frank G. Burke, served April 16, 1985–December 4, 1987
*Don W. Wilson, served December 4, 1987–March 24, 1993
*Trudy Huskamp Peterson***, served March 25, 1993–May 29, 1995
*John W. Carlin, served May 30, 1995–February 15, 2005
*Allen Weinstein, served February 16, 2005-

*Served first as Acting Archivist of the United States from Nov. 7, 1965, until his appointment as Archivist of the United States on January 16, 1966.

**Served first as Acting Archivist of the United States from March 10, 1968, until his appointment as Archivist of the United States on May 2, 1968.

***Served as Acting Archivist of the United States for this entire period; never confirmed as Archivist of the United States.

External links

* [http://www.archives.gov/ Official website]
* [http://www.archives.gov/about/history/archivists/ Archivists of the United States, 1934 – present]