For the record: We visit Colleen Shogan, the first woman appointed U.S. Archivist

Colleen Shogan has been appointed the first female National Archivist of the United States, overseeing the preservation of 13.5 billion records of the nation’s history.

Background: Shogan grew up in a working-class neighborhood outside of Pittsburgh and was a first-generation college student who went on to become a professor, then a Senate staffer, and then deputy director of the Congressional Research Service.
* Aside from her professional roles, Shogan has published eight murder mystery novels since 2015 as a part of her Washington Whodunit series.
* However, Shogan is currently refraining from writing murder novels during her tenure as National Archivist.

Historical Documents: The National Archives holds numerous significant documents, everything from the Constitution to the 19th Amendment to personal papers from citizens, all of which are under Shogan’s charge.
* In her office, she holds the original copy of the joint resolution Congress passed to approve the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote, noting it took 80 years to achieve this milestone.
* Another notable document she highlighted in her office is Gerald Ford’s 1974 pardon of Richard Nixon.

Nomination scrutiny: Shogan faced intense scrutiny during her nomination hearings due to a concurrent FBI raid on former President Trump’s home in search of documents that should have been archived following his presidency.
* Despite this, she was confirmed as National Archivist in May.

Statements: Shogan emphasizes that the documents in the archive serve as reminders of the challenging times the United States has experienced and the learning opportunities they provide, stating

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