© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

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

Colleen Shogan loves being surrounded by documents. The affable former political science professor is standing in her sunlit office next to the original copy of the joint resolution Congress passed to approve the 19th Amendment in 1919, giving women the right to vote.

"It's emblematic of the 80 years it took to get to this point," Shogan says.

You can see the document here:

/ National Archives
/
National Archives

Shogan is the first woman ever appointed to be National Archivist. Her job is to make sure that the nation's history — through its documents — is preserved. The archives contain 13.5 billion records. Everything from the Constitution to the 19th Amendment to the papers your grandfather might have submitted to join the U.S. Army.

Colleen Shogan is the first woman appointed to be Archivist of the United States.
Susana Raab / National Archives and Records Administration
/
National Archives and Records Administration
Colleen Shogan is the first woman appointed to be Archivist of the United States.

Shogan grew up in a working class neighborhood just outside Pittsburgh. She was a first generation college student. She went on to be a professor, then a Senate staffer, then deputy director of the Congressional Research Service. In her spare time, she devoured mystery novels.

"They're puzzles, and I like to solve puzzles," Shogan says. Not only solve them, but write them. Since 2015, Shogan has published eight murder mystery novels as part of her Washington Whodunit series. They're all set in places she's worked, with titles such as Larceny in the Library, Homicide in the House, and Stabbing in the Senate.

"She creates a world in each of her books," Shogan's editor, Jennifer McCord told NPR. McCord says the vivid settings drew her into Shogan's writing in the first place.

McCord won't be working with Shogan for a while, however. Shogan is holding off on writing murder novels while she's working as National Archivist. Perhaps the role is controversial enough without her killing off senators.

The functions of the National Archives received nationwide attention last fall. Just three days after Shogan was officially nominated, the FBI raided former President Trump's home in search of documents that should have been safely archived at the conclusion of his presidency.

The result was intense scrutiny during both Shogan's nomination hearings in November of 2022 and February of this year, though she couldn't be briefed on the details of the document cases until after she was confirmed in May. Instead, Shogan was asked questions such as "You posted on Twitter bemoaning the dropping of mask requirements for children, including those under the age of five. Do you remember that post?" by Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.

Shogan takes it all in stride. In her office, she shows a reporter another significant document in the Archive's vast collection. It's Gerald Ford's 1974 pardon of Richard Nixon (you can see it in full below). "We could focus a lot on our problems, and misdeeds by our leaders," she tells me, "but here's an example of someone trying to think not just for his immediate future, but what would be best for the country."

Documents record and remind us of other divisive times the United States has been through, and all that Americans can learn from them.

Copyright 2024 NPR

/ National Archives
/
National Archives
/ National Archives
/
National Archives

Tilda Wilson

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.