All About The Freedom Of Information Act
Since the founding of the United States, Americans have taken pride in their republic form of government as an example for all other nations. Americans believe that government should work for the people, not the other way around. Included in this concept is the idea of an open government, where federal activity is a matter of public records, and corruption can be ferreted out by any concerned citizen.
The Freedom of Information Act was passed in 1966 under President Lyndon Johnson. Since then it has been amended many times, most notably by the Privacy Act of 1974. The Privacy Act Amendments, inspired by the Watergate fiasco, gave citizens the right to make FOIA requests for federal records about themselves, amend their own records for accuracy, and sue the government for giving out private information to unauthorized parties.
Scholars, journalists, organizations, activists, and curious citizens have used the Freedom of Information Act to uncover invaluable information. The public owes a debt of gratitude to the people who use the FOIA to educate and inform the public about declassified documents, FBI files, and federal misconduct. By turning hidden information into public records, these people are fulfilling their responsibility as Americans to maintain an open government that serves the people.
Of course, the FOIA isn't the only way to find public records and other pertinent information. There are many other public record search resources that researchers can use to find all sorts of interesting information, including birth and death records. No matter what kind of public record research you're interested in doing, now you have a better idea what resources you can use to find the information you're looking for.