Debra Steidel Wall, Acting Archivist of the United States, said of the appointment, “President Roosevelt recognized the National Archives’ vital mission as the nation’s recordkeeper and the Presidential Library’s important role in that critical effort. Bill Harris will strengthen this commitment and ensure the advancement of the Library’s innovative archival, museum, education, and public programs.”

Harris began his NARA career in 1996 as an archivist at the George H. W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. He later served in a senior role within the National Archives’ Office of Presidential Libraries where he was instrumental in the development of the William J. Clinton and George W. Bush Presidential Libraries and Museums. In this role, he also assisted in the transition of the Nixon Presidential Library from a private institution to a NARA-operated library and museum. Most recently, Harris has served as Deputy Director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. In this role, he has focused on building collaborative relationships with the library’s onsite partner, the National Park Service, and with the Roosevelt Institute. Harris holds a Master of Arts degree in History and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and History from Auburn University.

Anne Roosevelt, Chair of the Roosevelt Institute, shared, “My grandparents would be so pleased to know of William Harris' appointment as Director of the FDR Presidential Library. FDR knew that libraries reflect ‘the power of a nation's people to learn from the past.’ Bill Harris embodies this belief. His tremendous knowledge of the National Archives and his commitment to the importance of libraries in a democracy will serve the Roosevelt Library well far into the future.”
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, located in Hyde Park, New York, is one of 15 Presidential Libraries in the Presidential Library system administered by the National Archives. Presidential Libraries promote understanding of the presidency and the American experience.