The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie

Can We Save American History From Partisan Politics?

13 snips

Jan 14, 2026

Colleen Shogan, former Archivist of the United States and political scientist, discusses the vital role of the National Archives in preserving presidential records for public trust. She introduces her 'In Pursuit' essay project aimed at fostering a nonpartisan civic memory as America approaches its 250th anniversary. Shogan also addresses the politicization of historical institutions, the Trump documents controversy, and the importance of transparency in presidential records. Her insights explore how to navigate history amid today's partisan divides.

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INSIGHT

What The Archivist Actually Does

The Archivist of the United States runs the National Archives and guards the nation's records and trust.
The role blends public-facing outreach, museum stewardship, budgeting, and legal custodianship of records.

ANECDOTE

From Academia To Public Service

Colleen Shogan left academia after a Congressional fellowship and stayed in public service working for Senator Lieberman.
That fellowship led her into long-term roles at CRS and senior leadership at the Library of Congress.

INSIGHT

In Pursuit: A 250th Essay Project

In Pursuit collects short, nonpartisan essays about presidents and first ladies for the 250th anniversary.
Each essay must be ~1,200 words and convey one practical lesson relevant to contemporary readers.

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This week, guest host Eric Boehm is joined by Colleen Shogan, the former archivist of the United States and head of the National Archives, the federal agency responsible for preserving presidential records and stewarding the nation's historical documents. Shogan explains what the archivist actually does, how the National Archives approaches custodianship of presidential records, and why those materials belong to the public rather than to individual presidents.

The conversation then turns to the country's upcoming 250th anniversary and Shogan's "In Pursuit" essay project, which aims to foster a shared civic memory at a time when history has become a battleground in the culture war. Shogan reflects on how a divided country can commemorate its past without collapsing into partisan narratives, and what it takes to present American history in a way that invites disagreement without descending into zero-sum politics.

Boehm and Shogan also discuss how the Archives became caught up in the Trump documents controversy, why Shogan believes she was fired without explanation, and how disputes over records and transparency have increasingly turned into political flashpoints.

The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie goes deep with the artists, entrepreneurs, and scholars who are making the world a more libertarian—or at least a more interesting—place by championing free minds and free markets.

0:00—Introduction

0:52—The role of the U.S. archivist

9:54—Celebrating 250 years of history with "In Pursuit"

17:17—The importance of keeping history nonpartisan

22:47—Celebrating the lesser-known U.S. presidents

28:13—Wall Street Journal's criticism of Shogan

37:27—Getting removed by President Donald Trump

40:11—The importance of presidential records

44:51—Politicizing nonpartisan institutions

50:43—President Joe Biden and the Equal Rights Amendment

56:16—Shogan's Washington murder mystery novels

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