Imagine trying to solve a mystery, but someone keeps hiding the clues. That’s what happens when people “scrub” history—removing or changing facts to tell a different story. Sometimes it’s done quietly, like deleting photos from an exhibit. Other times, it’s more dramatic, like governments hiding entire documents or removing digital records. Either way, it’s dangerous. When history gets altered, we lose the truth. And without truth, we can’t learn, grow, or hold anyone accountable.
To stop this from happening, there are rules and responsibilities in place—laws, ethics, and professional promises that help protect the past. Around the world, organizations like UNESCO and the International Council on Archives (ICA) work hard to make sure history stays accurate and available. They’ve created global guidelines, like the Universal Declaration on Archives, which says that everyone has a right to trustworthy information about the past. This declaration encourages governments to adopt strong laws and archival policies that protect authenticity and public access.
UNESCO also leads programs like the Memory of the World, which works to preserve important historical documents and make sure people everywhere can learn from them. Its 2003 Charter on the Preservation of Digital Heritage and its 2015 Recommendation on Documentary Heritage both stress that preserving history isn’t just about keeping paper records safe—it’s also about protecting digital materials and making sure they aren’t erased or changed.
National laws back up these ideas. In the U.S., the Federal Records Act and the Presidential Records Act make it illegal to destroy or tamper with federal documents without permission. These laws ensure that records of important events, especially those involving elected officials, are kept intact and available for the public. Other countries, like the UK, have similar laws requiring the transfer and protection of government documents.
Besides legal protections, professionals who work in archives, libraries, and museums follow strict ethical codes. The Society of American Archivists (SAA) and the International Council on Archives (ICA) both have rules that require archivists to keep records accurate, unaltered, and properly cared for. Their job isn’t to rewrite history—it’s to protect it. Librarians, under the American Library Association (ALA), also promise to provide access to all points of view on historical and current issues, even if the material is controversial. And museum workers under the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Code of Ethics are expected to present historical content honestly and without bias, based on careful research.
These values apply just as strongly to digital records. Since electronic files can be changed so easily, archivists use special tools like checksums and metadata to make sure digital documents stay original. They also document every action they take, so future users know exactly what happened to a record over time. Organizations like the Internet Archive also help by saving copies of websites, even when others try to delete or censor them.
When violations happen, they don’t go unnoticed. In 2020, the U.S. National Archives got caught altering a photo of the 2017 Women’s March by blurring some of the protest signs. This caused an outcry from archivists and historians. The Society of American Archivists called it “fraudulent and deceptive,” and the National Archives quickly admitted the mistake, removed the altered image, and promised it wouldn’t happen again. This example shows that the system can work—when people speak up, institutions can be held accountable.
Around the world, archivists and librarians often serve as protectors of truth. In some countries, they’ve hidden records during times of war or government repression, saving them for a time when they could be shared safely. In others, they resist pressure to remove books or exhibits that challenge the status quo. Their ethics give them the courage to preserve even the most uncomfortable truths.
As history becomes more digital, these protections matter more than ever. Digital records are fragile—a single click can delete them, and search engines can hide them. That’s why laws and ethics are evolving to include new technologies. UNESCO’s digital heritage charter calls for international cooperation to preserve digital history, and professional groups are creating new standards to keep online records safe and reliable.
In the end, protecting history isn’t just about old papers and artifacts. It’s about defending our right to know what really happened. It’s about making sure future generations have the full story—not a cleaned-up version that leaves out the hard parts. By following laws, upholding ethics, and staying vigilant, we can make sure the past stays honest, complete, and available to all.
Because if we let the truth slip away, what kind of future will we build on it?
And within this mission to preserve history, we must also protect the stories that don’t always come from official records—the stories passed down through word of mouth, memory, and tradition. Folklore may not be written in government archives or preserved in legal documents, but it holds the emotional truth of a people. These tales, songs, sayings, and legends help communities explain their past, share their values, and make sense of the world. Folklore captures what it felt like to live through an event, not just what happened. It adds depth, meaning, and personal connection to the facts found in formal records.
When folklore is lost, we don’t just lose stories; we lose a way of thinking and understanding that belongs to a particular group of people. Folklore reflects the humor, the fears, the struggles, and the hopes of a culture. That’s why efforts to preserve oral histories, local legends, and traditional knowledge are just as important as keeping official archives intact. Archivists, historians, and community members must work together to record and respect folklore alongside the facts. Because often, folklore fills in the gaps that the official story leaves out.
Truth isn’t always tidy. Sometimes it lives in the cracks between documents, whispered across generations. By defending folklore as a vital part of our historical record, we honor the full spectrum of human experience—not just what was written down, but what was remembered and retold.