Our Presidents

“Q: Why do you guys only do things about the past 82 years?”

Good question. The short answer is that the 82 year time frame of “Our Presidents” corresponds with the 13 administrations from Presidents Herbert Hoover through George W. Bush.

The longer answer starts some time around 1939. During Franklin D. Roosevelt’s second term in office he surveyed the vast quantities of papers and other materials he and his staff had accumulated. In the past, many Presidential papers and records had been lost, destroyed, sold for profit, or ruined by poor storage conditions. President Roosevelt sought a better alternative. On the advice of historians and scholars, he established a public repository to preserve the evidence of the Presidency for future generations. Beginning a tradition that continues today, he raised private funds for the new facility and then turned it over to the United States government for operation through the National Archives.

Congress legislated this policy, passing the Presidential Libraries Act in 1955 (amended in 1986) and the Presidential Record Act of 1978. Now, when President leaves office, the National Archives and Records Administration establishes a Presidential project until a new Presidential library is built and transferred to the Government. The first Presidential Library was conceived and built under FDR’s direction during 1939-40. The Hoover Library was later created and dedicated in 1962. There are currently 12 Presidential Libraries and Museums.

A bit long winded, but there it is. Thank you, bookofrevelation, for asking. It’s fun to talk about ourselves, and even better when we get to hear from you.