Editor's Note: FOIA's 60th Anniversary

Abstract

The Freedom of Information Act celebrates its 60th anniversary, despite a bumpy start. Had it not been for distrust in government, an "out-of-line" congressman, and a tenacious press advocates, the law might not have been enacted when it was. This commentary leads the special issue of the Journal of Civic Information, published July 4, 2026, to celebrate the anniversary of the law.