The National Archives quietly installed the Emancipation Proclamation and the 19th Amendment into the main rotunda, marking the first permanent additions to the founding documents display in almost 75 years. The quiet installation occurred last week, several months behind the original schedule intended to align with the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary in July.

Private funding from the National Archives Foundation covered the installation costs, raising approximately $3 million for the project. The foundation's chief executive noted the move allows evaluation of conservation needs and visitor flow for the million annual guests. Reactions to the new displays, positioned near the Constitution and Bill of Rights, have reportedly been positive.

The two documents—Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation freeing enslaved people in Confederate states and the 1920 amendment securing women's suffrage—were championed to offer a more comprehensive national narrative. The new marble cases housing the documents each weigh 5,000 pounds, requiring specialized engineering to secure them next to the traditional charters.

This move arrives amidst administrative flux at the Archives, including the recent departure of the acting archivist following legal time limits on the temporary post. The installation itself signals a commitment to expanding the definition of foundational American texts beyond the initial group displayed in 1952.