United States. Department of the Interior

The United States Department of the Interior is a U.S. executive department established on March 3, 1849. Often called the nation’s “home department,” it was formed by bringing together offices that had previously been scattered across other parts of the federal government.

Today, the department says its mission is to protect and manage the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage, provide scientific information about those resources, and honor trust responsibilities and special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and affiliated Island Communities. Its work includes oversight of agencies such as the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, and Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Because this is a government department rather than an individual author, there is no single personal biography to tell. Instead, its “about” story is the story of how the federal government came to manage public lands, support conservation and science, and carry out long-standing responsibilities tied to Indigenous communities and the stewardship of places across the United States.