Part of a series of articles titled The National Archives as a National Historic Landmark.
Article
J. Franklin Jameson and the Effort to Create a National Archive
Information in this article is derived from the National Historic Landmark nomination for the National Archives
NATIONAL ARCHIVES / NAID: 12169072
The successful campaign to create a National Archive in the United States was largely due to the lobbying efforts of one man—J. Franklin Jameson.1 As a historian and editor known for his efforts to preserve important American historical documents, Jameson was well-prepared to advocate for a National Archive to protect important government records.
An Accomplished Archivist
After receiving his PhD from Johns Hopkins University in 1882, Jameson taught history at Johns Hopkins University, Brown University, and University of Chicago. He served as the managing editor of the American Historical Review from 1895 until 1928, and subsequently as chief of the Manuscripts Division at the Library of Congress until 1937. Jameson was also noted for writing The History of Historical Writing in America (1891) and The American Revolution Considered as a Social Movement (1926), as well as for editing the 19-volume Original Narratives of Early American History (1906–1917).
In 1905, Jameson moved to Washington, DC to direct the Bureau of Historical Research of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, an independent research organization funded by American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. During his early tenure with the Carnegie, Jameson completed a survey of European universities and archives, information he would use to advocate for creation of an American national archive.
Jameson’s ultimate goal was to professionalize history as a discipline by making primary documents accessible to scholars for creating professional histories. After a meeting with Jameson in 1907, President Theodore Roosevelt directed all executive branch departments to allow Jameson access to their archives and administrative records. Jameson then reviewed the records and estimated how much space would be immediately required for an archive. In 1908, he joined the American Historical Association’s committee to lobby the president and Congress to build a national archive building.
Presidential Support
Jameson launched a widespread public campaign in 1911 to generate support for the creation of a national archive. By June of that year, he successfully convinced Senator Miles Poindexter (Washington) and Representative John Morris Sheppard (Texas) to introduce bills in Congress calling for the construction of an archives building in Washington, DC. Also in 1911, Jameson convinced President William Howard Taft to advocate for an archive building. Gaining presidential support for the archive initiative was key to Jameson’s campaign and was something he succeeded in securing from each president through Herbert Hoover.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS / EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, DC, MAY 26, 1914.
Throughout his public advocacy, Jameson worked on several public relations campaigns including presentations to historical societies promoting the archive nationwide. Additionally, he arranged for articles to be published in The Nation and McClure’s Magazine, two major popular periodicals of the day. To garner support and raise awareness, Jameson argued in his presentations that American historical documents were kept in poor condition, largely inaccessible, and were in danger of destruction. Additionally, Jameson influenced the American Legion, a national veterans organization whose members were adamant about the preservation of historical military records, to support the archive idea. This group was key in influencing Congress to provide funds for an archive building because their large membership represented an essential voting bloc.
Realizing a National Archive
Jameson’s lobbying efforts resulted in a provision of $5,000 for the design of a National Archives building in the Appropriations Bill of 1913, which resulted in the first designs for an archive in 1916. Jameson continued gathering supporters which by 1921 included the Conference of Historical Societies, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the American Library Association, and the Washington, DC Board of Trade. Both Secretary of the Treasury Andrew Mellon and Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover added their endorsements to the project.
Support from the press was the final push necessary for securing the future of the National Archives. In January 1924, the Hearst newspapers published multiple articles about the poor condition of records under federal control. For months the Washington Herald ran several columns a day in favor of an archive building. Ultimately, the press coverage and lobbying efforts led by Jameson successfully added an archive building to the Public Buildings Act of 1926. With this act, funding was finally available, and the design process could begin. The National Archives building opened in 1937 and remains the primary repository of federal records today, thanks to the tireless advocacy of J. Franklin Jameson.
Endnotes:
- For a detailed description of the events and Jameson’s involvement, see Victor Gondos, J. Franklin Jameson and the Birth of the National Archives, 1900-1926, (University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia, 1981).
References:
Bedford, Steven. National Archvies Building. National Historic Landmark Nomination Form. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 2022.
Gondos, Victor Jr. J. Franklin Jameson and the Birth of the National Archives, 1900-1926. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1981.
Last updated: April 5, 2024