The American Studies Association has signed on to a letter the Organization of American Historians (OAH) has written to Acting Archivist of the United States Edward Forst urging the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to reverse its decision to close the National Archives and Federal Records Center facilities in Chicago and San Bruno. The letter outlines the importance of regional archives and federal record centers, the irreplaceable collections at both sites, the potential irreversible loss of staff expertise, and the impact of chronic underfunding of NARA.

The closures would threaten public access to irreplaceable federal records documenting the history of the Great Lakes region, the Pacific states and territories, and millions of Americans. With OAH, we call on NARA to preserve on-site research access, provide full transparency about any proposed relocation of records, and work with Congress to secure the resources needed to sustain these essential regional archives.