PUBLIC RESEARCH / SOURCE GUIDE
Finding Primary Sources in the National Archives
A practical method for identifying records, catalog entries and provenance.
Quick answer
How do you find primary sources in the National Archives?
Search the National Archives Catalog (catalog.archives.gov) by topic, agency or name, then narrow results to digitized records. Each record has a National Archives Identifier and belongs to a record group, which tells you which agency created it. Write down the identifier, record group and date so anyone can find the same document again.
Start with the original record
A citation should identify the issuing body and original record when possible.
Open National Archives Catalog ↗
How to investigate
- Locate the original record and note its author, date and archive identifier.
- Separate what the record states from what later commentators infer.
- Cross-check the claim with independent documents and contemporaneous reporting.
- Record what remains unknown or disputed.
This page is an orientation guide, not an assertion that any specific conspiracy claim is established. The linked official source is an entry point; individual documents have not been exhaustively verified.
Continue your investigation
Key facts and dates
- 1934: The National Archives is established. It became an independent agency in 1985.
- Records are arranged by 'record group,' a number for the agency that created them.
- Every catalog entry has a National Archives Identifier (NAID) you can cite.
- The JFK Assassination Records Collection was created under the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992.
- Much of the collection is not yet digitized. Some records can only be viewed in person or ordered as copies.
Common questions
Is the National Archives Catalog free?
Yes. Searching and viewing digitized records is free.
What is a record group?
A record group is the collection of records created by one agency or office. Knowing the record group tells you who made a document and where related files are.
What is provenance and why does it matter?
Provenance is the documented history of who created and kept a record. A record with clear provenance is far stronger evidence than a screenshot or a copy with no origin.
Are the JFK files at the National Archives?
Yes. The JFK Assassination Records Collection is held and published by the National Archives.
Stories built on this record
The files below start from this record. Then they keep going. The first pages of every file are free.
Last reviewed 2026-10-13. Facts on this page come from the official sources linked above and the published record. Archive files are dramatized and always marked as files.