Former Sen. Ben Cardin donates political papers to Johns Hopkins

The legislative and political papers of former U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin have found a new home at Johns Hopkins University's Sheridan Libraries and University Museums.

Cardin's gift of materials related to his nearly 60-year career in elected office was celebrated in June during the annual Dean's Luncheon at Evergreen Carriage House.

"I thank the Sheridan Libraries and University Museums for their efforts to ensure the tools to learn about our history are widely accessible," Sen. Cardin said during his remarks. "It is so important that everyone—young people especially—understand history and learn the importance of civic engagement. Johns Hopkins is making this possible."

Image caption: Sen. Ben Cardin

Image credit: Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University

Cardin's papers complement the archives of other Maryland elected officials held by Johns Hopkins, including those of former U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski, Paul Sarbanes, and Charles "Mac" Mathias, and former U.S. Rep. Clarence Long.

"Hopkins has been investing in the study and practice of civic engagement, policy-making, and robust dialog as cornerstones of global democracy—from the SNF Agora Institute to the new School of Government and Policy—and the Sheridan Libraries are building collections that support these initiatives," said Elisabeth Long, dean of the Sheridan Libraries and University Museums. "These archives give researchers insights into how government works in practice. We are especially excited that Sen. Cardin has agreed for the majority of his papers to be openly available to researchers—with only some exceptions which must legally be kept private for a proscribed period of time."

The Cardin collection includes 255 boxes of physical material and 2.8 TB of digital material spanning his days in the Maryland House of Delegates, his years in the U.S. House of Representatives and through his third and final term as a U.S. senator, with the majority of the collection focusing on his Senate career from 2007 to 2024.

Overarching areas within the collection include legislative work, press and communications, casework for constituents, appropriations, field work, and committee briefing materials. Throughout his time as a U.S. senator, Cardin was a strong advocate for health care and retirement savings, environmental protection, foreign relations, civil and human rights, small businesses, and the federal workforce. More specifically, some of the historically significant topics mentioned in this collection include the impeachment of Judge Walter Nixon, the U.S. House of Representatives' ethics investigation of Newt Gingrich, the U.S. Helsinki Commission, the Magnitsky Act, President Trump's impeachment trials, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In contrast to the records preserved by the federal government, a representative's correspondence with constituents, memos, speeches, draft legislation, etc. are legally considered personal property—and it is up to them to decide what to do with them once they retire," said Katie Carey, curator of the University Archives. "The materials in a collection like this can add nuance, context, and lived experience to the broader historical narrative. By choosing to donate their papers to Johns Hopkins—to a university archive, these representatives are providing opportunities for these collections to serve as dynamic educational tools that archivists and professors can use to bring this civic history to life."

The Cardin collection is being processed and will be open to researchers in 2028.

Image caption: From left, Hodson Curator of the University Archives Katie Carey, former U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes, Dean of Sheridan Libraries and University Museums Elisabeth Long, and former U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin

Image credit: Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University