# BONUS EPISODE: Chicago Archivists Mobilize to Halt Closure of National Archives

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/cascade-of-history-14444/bonus-episode-chicago-archivists-mobilize-to-halt-closure-of-national-archives
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/cascade-of-history-14444/bonus-episode-chicago-archivists-mobilize-to-halt-closure-of-national-archives.md
Podcast: [Cascade of History](https://stenobird.com/podcast/cascade-of-history-14444)
Published: 2026-07-25T00:22:49+00:00
Episode link: https://soundcloud.com/cascadeofhistory/bonus-caa-nara
Audio file: https://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/2367532373-cascadeofhistory-bonus-caa-nara.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/cascade-of-history-14444/episodes/bonus-episode-chicago-archivists-mobilize-to-halt-closure-of-national-archives
Duration seconds: 2266

## Resource

Feliks Banel's guests on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY are Gretchen Neidhardt and Hilarie Pozesky of the group Chicago Area Archivists. They are part of a grassroots effort to mobilize and halt the quietly announced closure of the Chicago branch of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). CASCADE OF HISTORY has been covering this story since an internal NARA memo was leaked in late June with details that have still not yet been shared publicly by NARA. That memo describes the closure of NARA regional archival facilities in Chicago, Illinois and San Bruno, California, and imminent removal of archival materials from both sites. Ms. Neidhardt and Ms. Pozesky describe how under the aegis of their professional association - Chicago Area Archivists - a group of concerned citizens is pushing back, and coordinating an effort to stop the closure. The Chicago team is also in contact with California-based Save Our National Archives (SONA), a group which has been featured on previous episodes of CASCADE OF HISTORY and which is fighting to prevent closure of the San Bruno NARA facility. CASCADE OF HISTORY spoke with Gretchen Neidhardt and Hilarie Pozesky on the evening of Friday, July 24, 2026. Chicago Area Archivists Website with links to multiple resources related to fighting the closure: https://www.chicagoarchivists.org/ Change.org Petition to stop the Chicago NARA Closure: https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-closure-of-the-national-archives-at-chicago Previous episode with Grant Din of Save Our National Archives (SONA): https://soundcloud.com/cascadeofhistory/bonus-grant-din CASCADE OF HISTORY BONUS EPISODE from June 27, 2026 with more information: https://soundcloud.com/cascadeofhistory/bonus-nara-closure Links to more information as well as images re…

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## Transcript

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