 Here we are, amidst the founding documents of our country for an occasion that you will all remember as I will the rest of your lives. My name is Jim Blanchard. I happen to be the Chair and President of the National Archives Foundation. I want to welcome you on behalf of the Foundation to this ceremony commemorating in the Oath of Office for the 11th Archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen Shogan. So now it's my pleasure to introduce the Archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen Shogan. Now it's my pleasure to introduce the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, John Roberts Jr. Now again, another pleasure to introduce the First Lady of the United States of America, Dr. Jill Biden. As we start this ceremony I would ask everyone to make sure you've turned off your cell phones. I'd like to do that. And I ask that everyone please rise for the presentation of the colors by the Navy Color Guard, followed by the singing of our national anthem by Millicent Scarlett. Oh say can you see what so broad stripes and bright stars. And once again on behalf of the National Archives Foundation I want to welcome you to this very very special event. Our foundation, the National Archives Foundation has been the non-profit partner of the National Archives for over 30 years and we are the ones that support, promote, plan, help execute public programs, exhibitions, civic education resources and much more. All these, which are a wonderful gift by this great institution that we offer to our country and the world. And I want to acknowledge our foundation board members please, you can get seated everybody else but, excuse me, I'm not used to preaching from the pulpit lately. But I want our board members, foundation board members to please stand up, alright. Also staff members of the National Archives itself, those of you who are here, we thank you for your service and please stand up. Some of you are very modest and you're in the back, but we appreciate what you do. Also with us is the United States Center for West Virginia, Shelley Capito. I believe we're also joined by Chairman and Congressman Stephen Womack of Arkansas. Congressman, thank you for being with us. Thank you. Our previous archivist and our dear friend, David Ferriero, the 10th archivist of the United States is here on hand. David, where are you? Anyway, thank you. Most recently during very difficult and challenging times, the acting archivist before Dr. Shogan, Deb Wall. Deb, thank you again for your service and the vice chair of our foundation, Secretary Rodney Slater. Rodney, thank you for your leadership. I think most of you know that the National Archives is a truly unique government institution. By the way, it's an independent agency created by Franklin Nella Roosevelt in the 30s. We contain billions of documents within these buildings and other buildings, and each of them tells a part of the American story. We are obviously in the Archives' task with preserving our past, but it must do with an eye to the future. So we celebrate that future today. As we're gathered for this ceremony, we're celebrating new beginnings and new leadership, and it's an exciting day, as we all know. Now it is my pleasure to introduce the first lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden. Thank you very much. Thank you. Please be seated. Thank you. So thank you, Governor Blanchard, and thank you for your dedication to the National Archives. And Senator Capito, you were a champion for Dr. Shogun in the Senate, and so thank you for everything that you did to make this moment possible. Two years ago today, the horror of 9-11 changed us all in some way. We must always remember those lost that day and in the aftermath, and we will keep their families always in our hearts. We stand with them today and every day. The history of a democracy belongs to its people, and we must preserve it with care for future generations. As far back as the Constitutional Convention, our leaders recognize the power of our founding documents and the importance of keeping them safe and accessible. This experiment in democracy hinged on the people and their ability to claim their rights and hold their elected officials accountable. That power could only be made real with access to history, unfiltered and uncensored. So in the 250 years since, we have collected these records, first in the hands of George Washington, later at the Department of State, and now in the National Archives. Each one is a snapshot in time, tracing the history of a young republic, our republic, from its nascent beginnings to who we are today, the greatest, most powerful country on this planet. The Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, the Louisiana Purchase and Emancipation Proclamation, the 13th and 19th Amendments, Harriet Tubman Civil War Pension Claims, Thomas Edison's lightball patent, a letter Annie Oakley sent to President McKinley in 1898 volunteering the Lady Sharpshooters for the Spanish-American War. The transfer of power between 46 presidents. Each of these pieces of paper tells a story, the story of a country and its people, zinging and sagging through history, imperfectly marching toward a more perfect union. Conversely, sometimes that story is a dark one. Manifests of slave ships, President Roosevelt's executive order on Japanese internment, the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision. It's these stories we must learn the most from. It's these that we must study. For past is prologue as one of the statues flanking this building proclaims. As an educator, I know this well, that our present and our future are inextricably linked to our past and that we must learn from the past or be bound to repeat it. That's why as First Lady, I've been so committed to upholding these sacred institutions so they may continue to serve the American people and teach the next generation about our shared heritage. These National Archives have captured our complicated story for nearly 100 years. And for that entire period, the archives have been led by men. You know where I'm going. Today, however, I'm so honored to be part of the ceremony of the first swear in the first woman ever to be appointed archivist of the United States. Yes, give her another round of applause. It's thrilling. The history we preserve, the stories we elevate, the voices we amplify are shaped by the person at the helm of this institution. These stories are all of our stories. Men and women of all backgrounds, ages and creeds. What we choose to preserve and whose voices we deem worthy of placing in our national memory. That's why this milestone, the first woman head of the National Archives and Records Administration is so momentous. Dr. Shogun, congratulations on becoming the 11th Archivist of the United States. You're immensely qualified with a sterling record of service, a clear commitment to preserving our nation's unique history and a deep respect for this country's founding principles. I can't wait for the next generation of American stories that will be housed within these walls under your leadership. Thank you so much. Congratulations. Thank you very much, Dr. Biden, and thanks again for being with us. Also in our audience is the 14th Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden. As we get ready to have the Chief Justice of Minister of the Oath, I do want to say a couple words about our honoree here today, Dr. Colleen Shogun. We've said she's the 11th Archivist of the United States. She happens to be the first woman archivist as well. Vice President Joe Biden and the U.S. Senate. Thank you, Senator Capito. She's a proud native of Pittsburgh. She's a recognized, well, being from Detroit, I can relate to that. Prior to her appointment, she was Senior Vice President and Director of the David M. Rubenstein Center at the White House Historical Association. She also served as a Legislative Assistant in the United States Senate. And she was a Senior Advisor and Executive at the Library of Congress. In addition, she was Vice Chair of the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission and is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Women's Suffrage National Monument Foundation. She brings to us an exciting chapter in our history, and so now it's my honor to introduce the Chief Justice of the United States, John Roberts Jr. and the 11th Archivist of the United States of America, Dr. Colleen Shogun. Please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Colleen Shogun, do solemnly swear. I, Colleen Shogun, do solemnly swear. That I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States. That I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States. Against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Against all enemies, foreign and domestic. That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. That I take this obligation freely. Without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. And that I will well and faithfully discharge. And that I will well and faithfully discharge. The duties of the office on which I am about to enter. The duties of the office upon which I am about to enter. So help me God. So help me God. Congratulations. Thank you. Please be seated. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Biden, Chief Justice Roberts, members of Congress, my family members, distinguished guests, the National Archives Foundation, and the dedicated staff of the National Archives. Today as we gather in this retunda, we remember and honor the lives lost on September 11th, a solemn reminder of our resilience as a nation and the enduring power of unity and compassion. Everyone here today has played a role in supporting me and the National Archives, and I appreciate each of you for your friendship and for your support. It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as the 11th Archivist of the United States. It's not lost on me today that I am the first woman appointed to serve in this role. You might have guessed it that it matters to me by what I'm wearing today. I wore white today to recognize those who made it possible for me to stand here today and take this oath. The suffragists didn't sign the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution, so they aren't on these murals behind me, but their contribution to the vitality of our democracy is no less meaningful. Along with many other inspiring leaders in American history, they believed in the principles enshrined in these documents and claimed them as their God-given natural rights. The fulfillment of those rights, which continues today, is why these documents aren't simply pieces of parchment. They are living promises to hold our government accountable. Why is accountability important in a democracy? It's a fair question. Shouldn't we expect our government to do the right thing and to make decisions to promote the common good? The answer is yes, but it's important to remember that representative democracies require hard work, not just from politicians, but from every citizen. At the end of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, a woman asked Ben Franklin if the proposed government would result in a republic or a monarchy. Dr. Franklin famously replied, a republic, if you can keep it. Franklin's quip packs a punch. Any government which derives its just powers from the people requires eternal vigilance, engagement, and knowledge. After all, the prevalent condition in human history is not democracy or rights-based government. Rather, the default is autocracy, interiority, where might makes right, with little regard to individual freedom or the pursuit of happiness. What prevents us from falling back into the classic pattern of authoritarianism is our right, indeed our responsibility, to hold our government accountable. That's what makes the National Archives so important. Without the National Archives and the continued fulfillment of its mission, a healthy democracy cannot be sustained. Our task is straightforward, but it grows in complexity every day. The National Archives preserves, protects, and shares the billions of records in its custody with the citizens of this great nation. We do this to cultivate public participation and to strengthen our democracy. To meet the evolving requirements of that mission, the National Archives will need to transform itself for the digital age. Change is never easy, especially for an organization rightly steeped in history and tradition. But as a political scientist, I know the critical inflection points in the long trajectory of an institution are almost always moments of unprecedented opportunity. We will need to embrace technology to meet our mission in ways that might make us uncomfortable at times. New ways of doing things will challenge our second nature habits and processes. But if we are going to succeed, we must move forward boldly. Timidity will not be our friend as records continue to proliferate at exponential rates. The National Archives can collect, digitize, and preserve, but without enhancing how we share the records, the papers, the pictures, the emails, the films, then I ask you, what's the point? In new and creative ways, we will share the records of the National Archives with as many Americans as possible. I want all citizens to find a connection with history at the National Archives, whether it's a personal, scholarly, genealogical, or creative endeavor, all should feel welcome here. I want as many Americans as possible to visit us in person, here in the rotunda, or at one of the many National Archives facilities across the country. And for those who can't come to us, I want to take the National Archives to them, online and around the United States. We also have a special obligation to help kids who are learning about American history and civics. In this respect, our nation's report card is deficient. The National Archives should be a first stop for all teachers and students, and we will double down on creating useful, engaging materials for the classroom. Understanding American history and government should not be treated as an afterthought. An engaged and informed citizenry is a critical prerequisite for the health of our democracy, and we need to treat it as such. These are not ordinary times in our nation's history. We are faced with fundamental questions about how we think critically about our shared past. Debate about these interpretations can invigorate our democratic institutions, if executed respectfully and rationally. However, let us not forget our North Star, which guides us in all of our spirited exchanges. This of course, is the Declaration of Independence, which I try to visit every day that I come to work in this building. It contains perhaps the most adacious statement in the history of the world, that all men are created equal. Although this truth is self-evident, we know from our almost 250 years of American history that it is not self-executing. It is our job collectively to uphold these principles and protect them. I invite all Americans to join me in this critical task. Thank you again for being here today. I look forward to working with all of you to ensure that we meet our obligation to the nation. Thank you. Dr. Biden, Chief Justice Roberts, Dr. Shogan, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for celebrating what will always be one of the most memorable occasions in your life in ours. This concludes our program. We now invite you to celebrate with us behind you in the National Archives galleries. We'll see you down there. Thank you.