Research Guides: United States Government Information: Sources for Declassified Documents

Previously Classified Government Documents

Digital National Security Archive
Contains 29 themed collections of more than 63,000 declassified documents that led to U.S. policy decisions related to Afghanistan, El Salvador, Iran, Nicaragua, the Philippines, South Africa, the Berlin Crisis, the Cuban Missle Crisis, and more. Limited to authorized UM users.

ProQuest History Vault This link opens in a new window
Digitized collections of previously restricted documents from the State Department, FBI, CIA and White House

U.S. Declassified Documents Online
Full text of Presidential, Executive Branch, and Congressional documents since World War II declassified under the Freedom of Information Act. Subjects include foreign relations, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, civil rights movement, assassinations, etc. Limited to authorized UM users.
National Security Archive
An independent non-governmental research institute and library located at The George Washington University, the Archive collects and publishes declassified documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. The Archive also serves as a repository of government records on a wide range of topics pertaining to the national security, foreign, intelligence, and economic policies of the United States.

Foreign Relations of the United States

Foreign Relations of the United States records major U.S. foreign policy decisions and diplomatic activity. It contains declassified and unclassified documents from Presidential Libraries, State Department, Defense Department, National Security Council, CIA and others. This series tends to publish about 30-40 years after the events.

Foreign Relations of the United States: Library Catalog
Physical books starting in 1861 located in the Hatcher Graduate Library. The call number is JX 233 .A3.
Foreign Relations of the United states:Office of Historian
The Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions. The series began in 1861. Foreign Relations volumes contain documents from the Presidential libraries, Departments of State and Defense, National Security Council, Central Intelligence Agency, Agency for International Development, and other foreign affairs agencies as well as the private papers of individuals involved in implementing U.S. foreign policy.
Foreign Relations of the United States:Hein Online
Online books going back to 1861 digitized by Hein. Limited to authorized UM users.
Foreign Relations of the United States:University of Wisconsin Collections)
Online books from 1861-1960 digitized by the University of Wisconsin.
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FRUS begins with the administration of Abraham Lincoln in 1861. There are two cumulative indexes covering 1861-1899 and 1900-1918. The organization of FRUS is generally chronological, but the dates of the volumes do not necessarily reflect the dates of documentary history. For example, the volumes for 1900-1918 do not include the records dealing with World War I or the Russian Revolution. Each volume has a subject and author index. There is also typically a table of sources and abbreviations at the beginning of each volume.

More Information about Declassification

Procedures for Declassifying Intelligence of Public Interest (CRS Report)
Congressional Research Service report from August 2022 outlines the procedures by which information is declassified

Last Updated: Sep 3, 2024 10:23 AM

Subjects: Government, Politics & Law

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