[SOA] SOA Council Statement on Recent Federal Government Actions that Impact Archivists and Archives

[Matthew Francis]

The leadership of the Society of Ohio Archivists are deeply alarmed by many
recent actions taken by the U.S. federal government, including, but not
limited to:

   -

   the dismissal of Dr. Colleen J. Shogan as Archivist of the United States
   <https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-will-fire-kennedy-center-board-make-himself-chair-2025-02-08/>
   ;
   -

   the mass dismissal of federal employees
   <https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654>,
   including at the National Archives and Records Administration and the
   National Park Service;
   -

   the dismantling and attacking of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
   programs and work
   <https://apnews.com/article/trump-dei-education-diversity-equity-inclusion-20cf8a2941f4f35e0b5b0e07c6347ebb>,
   including the erasure of transgender people from the Stonewall National
   Monument website;
   -

   the deletion and alteration of government websites containing vital
   records and data
   <https://apnews.com/article/cdc-census-federal-data-trump-6a9ba7c01a42b72e2c0a119325ba3753?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share>
   ;
   -

   and the freezing of federal funds despite multiple court orders
   <https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-administration-funding-freeze-workarounds>
   .

These actions undermine the invaluable work of archivists and cultural
heritage workers across this nation and the state of Ohio, as well as the
transparency, accountability, and integrity that are foundational to
democratic governance.

SOA Council condemns these actions and the reckless nature with which they
were undertaken, as they unnecessarily jeopardize the livelihood of
dedicated professionals and damage our ability to preserve and make
accessible the rich tapestries of our national, state, and local histories.
We will continue to monitor this rapidly changing landscape, and will
proactively work to provide support for the Ohio archival community in
accordance with our core professional values.

As we move forward please feel free to contact the current SOA President
Matt Francis  with any suggestions, questions, or concerns and we encourage
you to contact your federal representatives
<https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/> to make your voice heard.

United we stand.

Society of Ohio Archivists Council

-- 
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*Matt Francis (he/him/his)*
Archivist
Heterick Memorial Library
Archives Reading Room - Heterick 301
419-772-1925
m-francis.1 at onu.edu <r-legge at onu.edu>
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