Virginia Cardwell Purdy (August 1, 1922 – May 22, 2015) was an American archivist and historian at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

Because her husband was a Federal meteorologist, they lived in a number of cities across the country until permanently settling in the D.C. area in 1957.

At NARA (1970–1989), she worked as exhibits curator, Director of the Education Division, Microfilms Publications Coordinator, and Specialist in Women's History.

[4][5][6][7] Clio was a woman : studies in the history of American women / edited by Mabel E. Deutrich and Virginia C. Purdy.

["Papers and proceedings of the Conference on Women's History, April 22–23, 1976, the National Archives Building, Washington, D.C."]