title: Can I fork a repository with all its past commits?
body: <p>There is a GitHub repository with many commits. 
  I want to ensure that I can access the repository even if its owner decides to delete it.
  Moreover, I need access not only to its present state but also to all its past commits.</p>
  
  <p>If I just fork the repository, will this guarantee that I can access all its present and past commits?</p>
  
  <p>NOTE: the question "<a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/6286571/are-git-forks-actually-git-clones">Are git forks actually git clones?</a>" is about the connection between forks and clones, but it does not answer what happens to a fork when the original project is deleted - does the fork keep all history of the original?</p>