National Archives sites in Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle to shut, tribal records left in limbo

A leaked inter-agency communication indicates that the Chicago National Archives, home to hundreds of thousands of Bureau of Indian Affairs records spanning nearly two centuries, will close by the end of September, and that the San Francisco and Seattle facilities will follow suit. Tribal leaders stress that these archives contain essential items such as maps, photographs, court records, testimonies, language materials and genealogies, all vital for enrollment rolls, trust fund oversight and research into the Federal Indian Boarding School era.

Officials say the closures were announced without the required public notice or a period for tribal comment, violating the nation-to-nation relationship. The National Archives has not issued a statement, and the destination of the records remains unclear, with some indications they may be moved to the Kansas City facility, a process that could take two to three years. Tribal historic preservation officers warn that the lack of organized inventories and the high cost of copying pages will make accessing the materials extremely difficult for many tribes.