Dr. Colleen Shogan makes remarks at the Truman Library Institute’s Truman Civil Rights Symposium honoring the 75th anniversary of the desegregation of the military by President Truman in 1948. Photo credit: U.S. National Archives
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September 19, 2025
After being fired by Trump, the former U.S. archivist launches a national campaign to protect democracy and expand access to voting. Explore what it means for students and civic engagement.
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Note: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
Colleen Shogan made history when she became the first woman to serve as archivist of the United States in 2023, until February, when President Trump fired her with no warning or reason given. Now Shogan has a new challenge, which she unveiled during our exclusive interview. On Constitution Day, she launched a national bipartisan effort, part of an alliance of 34 presidential centers and some 100 groups, called More Perfect, working to strengthen our democracy.
View the transcript of the story.
Learn more about the National Archives and the initiatives carried out by this government agency. Take a look at Milestone Documents on the National Archives website or scroll through the timeline. According to the National Archives website, "The primary source documents on this page highlight pivotal moments in the course of American history or government. They are some of the most-viewed and sought-out documents in the holdings of the National Archives."
What documents do you recognize? Which document do you see as a milestone in history and why?
Using the challenges to democracy in recent years as a teachable moment, we created resources to help students reflect on threats to democratic principles and explore topics such as media literacy, civil discourse, voter suppression, and misinformation.
Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
