Since its inception as Climate Assessment in 1990 by NOAA's Climate Analysis Center (now Climate Prediction Center), the annual summary now known as the State of the Climate report in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS) has provided a year-in-review reference of trends and extremes in the climate system. During its nearly quarter-century evolution, it has grown immensely in size and scope, taken on peer-reviewed status (through BAMS), and transitioned to leadership by NOAA's National Climatic Data Center. All the while, the document has maintained its original intent: to maintain a strict focus on observed and analyzed data to describe the physical state of the climate system. This presentation will provide a brief history of the series, detail current successes and challenges, and provide insight into future roles and responsibilities surrounding the document.