Research Guides: U.S. Government: Department of State

U.S. Department of State
The mission of the Department of State is to "protect and promote U.S. security, prosperity, and democratic values and shape an international environment in which all Americans can thrive."
US Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) and associated Handbooks (FAHs)
An authoritative source for the Department's organization structures, policies, and procedures that govern the operations of the State Department, the Foreign Service and, other federal agencies.

Notice of Closure

USAID: As of February 23rd, 2025, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has ceased operations, with personnel placed on administrative leave indefinitely. Its website, USAID.gov, is currently inactive and only displays a "Notification of Administrative Leave." This box will be updated when new information becomes available.

FOIA Library - Department of State
Search over 550,000 Department of State records, including documents released to the public under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), special projects, discretionary releases, and document collections.
National Archives: U.S. Foreign Affairs Research
Official documents specializing in foreign policy issues.
Electronic Research Collections - DOSFAN
The Department of State Foreign Affairs Network (DOSFAN) electronic research collection provides access to electronically-archived information products produced by the U.S. Department of State from 1990 through 1997 and includes archived websites of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the U.S. Information Agency.
Library of Congress Frontline Diplomacy: The Foreign Affairs Oral History Collection of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training:
Interview transcripts from the oral history archives of the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training
National Security Archive
This independent non-governmental research institute and library located at The George Washington University collects and publishes declassified documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. It provides the most comprehensive collection available of significant primary documents central to US foreign and military policy since 1945.
International Agreements and Diplomatic Documents
Provided by the Avalon Project of Yale Law School
The United States Institute of Peace’s Truth Commissions Digital Collection (Margarita S. Studemeister Digital Library in International Conflict Management)
A collection containing profiles of truth commissions and substantive bodies of inquiry worldwide.

Office of Treaty Affairs
U.S. Department of State
House Foreign Affairs Committee
Government source of the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee
Senate Foreign Relations Committee:
Source for Senate Foreign Relations Committee information.
United States Institute of Peace (USIP)
USIP is an independent, non-partisan organization established by Congress in 1984. They conduct research, provide educational resources, and offer guidance toward the nonviolent resolution of international conflicts.
Council on Foreign Relations
A digital source for the Council on Foreign Relations
Foreign Assistance.gov
"The Foreign Assistance Dashboard provides a view of U.S. Government foreign assistance funds and enables users to examine, research, and track aid investments in a standard and easy-to-understand format. The Dashboard is still in its early stages of development."
USAID
USAID is the principal U.S. agency to extend assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms. Their work supports long-term and equitable economic growth, advances U.S. foreign policy objectives by supporting, economic growth, agriculture and trade, global health and democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance.

U.S. Declassified Documents Online
A significant resource for researchers in almost every discipline, this collection makes it possible for researchers to easily and quickly access and review selected previously classified government documents online.
U.S. Declassified Documents Online provides users with:
- actual documents that were used to develop and implement domestic and foreign policies
- provides the “real” story behind events and crises
- encourages critical reevaluation of previously published memoirs and other subjective writings
U.S. Declassified Documents Online enables users to examine documents originating from sources including:
- Atomic Energy Commission
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
- Department of Defense
- Department of Justice
- Department of State
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- National Security Council
- Presedential Libraries
- White House
- Other executive agencies
Materials available for review include:
- Cabinet meeting minutes
- CIA intelligence studies and reports
- Correspondence
- Diary entries
- FBI surveillance and intelligence correspondence and memoranda
- Full texts of letters, instructions, and cables sent and received by U.S. diplomatic personnel
- Joint Chiefs papers
- National Security Council policy statements
- Presidential conferences
- State Department political analyses
- Technical studies
- Trade treaties, studies and analyses
- U.S. briefing materials for meetings with foreign heads of state and government officials
- White House Confidential File materials
- And much more
Abbreviation: declassdoc
Vendor: Gale
Coverage: 1941–1997
Subjects: African-American Studies, Economics, History, International Affairs, Latin American & Caribbean Studies, Law, Middle Eastern Studies, Political Science, Public Administration and Policy, Public Safety and Security
Type: Government Publications, Historical / Primary Sources, Images, Standards