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Evolution of U.S. National Security Information and Declassification Policies (1917-2009)

This session discusses the evolution of classified national security information and declassification policies from Pearl Harbor to Abu Ghraib, highlighting key legislative milestones from 1917 through 2009. It covers important acts, executive orders, and the declassification process for various records. Significant documents and exemptions are addressed, including intelligence sources, cryptology, and weapons technology. The aim is to provide insights into the development and challenges of managing classified information within the U.S. government.

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Evolution of U.S. National Security Information and Declassification Policies (1917-2009)

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  1. From Pearl Harbor to Abu Ghraib: The Evolution of Classified National Security Information and Declassification Policy and PracticeSociety of American Archivists, ChicagoSession 602: August 27, 2011 William C. Carpenter Program Analyst, Information Security Oversight Office, National Archives and Records Administration

  2. Timeline, 1917-2009 • 1917: Espionage Act • 1940: E.O. 8381 (Roosevelt) • 1946: Atomic Energy Act • 1961: E.O. 10964 (Kennedy) • 1972: E.O. 11652 (Nixon) • 1995: E.O. 12958 (Clinton) • 2009: E.O. 13526 (Obama)

  3. Pearl Harbor “Magic” Volumes, 1977

  4. VENONA Documents: 1944

  5. Secret Writing Documents: WWI

  6. Exemption Categories • Intelligence Sources and Methods • Weapons of Mass Destruction • Cryptology • Weapons Technology • War Plans • Foreign Relations • Protection of the President • Emergency Planning • Treaty or Statute

  7. Declassification Milestones • At 25 years: all permanent records declassified, unless specifically exempted under an Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP)-approved exemption • At 50 years: all previously exempted records declassified, except for: • Identity of a human intelligence source • Design of weapons of mass destruction • Other “extraordinary cases,” as approved by the ISCAP • At 75 years: all previously exempted records declassified, except for specific information proposed by an agency head and approved by the ISCAP, with a specified future declassification date

  8. Taguba Report, 2004

  9. Sources and Contact Information • Sources of sample documents: • Pearl Harbor: The “Magic” Background of Pearl Harbor, vol. 1. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1977. • VENONA: http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/declass/venona/index.shtml • Secret Writing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/sets/72157626452036717/ • Taguba Report: http://www.dod.gov/pubs/foi/operation_and_plans/Detainee/taguba/ • Contact Information: • William.Carpenter@nara.gov • Phone: 202-357-5466 • www.archives.gov/isoo

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