National Archives FIRES Security Officer Who Banned Pro-Life Apparel

The National Archives in Washington D.C. fired a security officer responsible for telling visitors to cover up pro-life apparel while visiting the museum, according to a letter from acting Archivist Debra Steidel Wall. The incident occurred on Jan. 20, 2023, during the national March for Life, when multiple visitors were ordered to remove their hats and cover their attire displaying pro-life messages, a violation of NARA policy. Private contractors working for the National Archives were responsible for the security officers involved in the incident, and the vendor conducted its own investigation, determining that a supervisor provided instructions to other security officers that were contrary to the policy. The supervisor was removed from NARA’s contract and is no longer working in any NARA facility.

National Archives FORMALLY Apologizes To March For Life Visitors

The American Center for Law and Justice filed a lawsuit on behalf of four individuals who visited the museum wearing pro-life clothing, and the National Archives publicly apologized for the incident on Feb. 10. The lawsuit alleges violations of the First Amendment, the Fifth Amendment, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and asks the court to declare the National Archives security officer’s actions both unlawful and unconstitutional.

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Wall emphasized that the National Archives does not have a policy prohibiting pro-life garments and that visitors are allowed to wear clothing expressing their political and religious viewpoints. Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Chip Roy led a bicameral letter demanding answers about the incident, and Cruz said “he is glad the National Archives acknowledged the seriousness of their mistake and took necessary steps to prevent this kind of incident from happening again.” The incident occurred steps away from the permanent display of the original Bill of Rights, which makes the irony not lost on the National Archives employees who welcome more than one million annual visitors to the Museum.

Gwen Stokes