diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..baf22c0e052
--- /dev/null
+++ b/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+[![PyPI version](https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/ansible-core.svg)](https://pypi.org/project/ansible-core)
+[![Docs badge](https://img.shields.io/badge/docs-latest-brightgreen.svg)](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/)
+[![Chat badge](https://img.shields.io/badge/chat-IRC-brightgreen.svg)](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/community/communication.html)
+[![Build Status](https://dev.azure.com/ansible/ansible/_apis/build/status/CI?branchName=devel)](https://dev.azure.com/ansible/ansible/_build/latest?definitionId=20&branchName=devel)
+[![Ansible Code of Conduct](https://img.shields.io/badge/code%20of%20conduct-Ansible-silver.svg)](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/community/code_of_conduct.html)
+[![Ansible mailing lists](https://img.shields.io/badge/mailing%20lists-Ansible-orange.svg)](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/community/communication.html#mailing-list-information)
+[![Repository License](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-GPL%20v3.0-brightgreen.svg)](COPYING)
+[![Ansible CII Best Practices certification](https://bestpractices.coreinfrastructure.org/projects/2372/badge)](https://bestpractices.coreinfrastructure.org/projects/2372)
+
+# Ansible
+
+Ansible is a radically simple IT automation system. It handles
+configuration management, application deployment, cloud provisioning,
+ad-hoc task execution, network automation, and multi-node orchestration. Ansible makes complex
+changes like zero-downtime rolling updates with load balancers easy. More information on the Ansible [website](https://ansible.com/).
+
+## Design Principles
+
+* Have an extremely simple setup process with a minimal learning curve.
+* Manage machines quickly and in parallel.
+* Avoid custom-agents and additional open ports, be agentless by
+ leveraging the existing SSH daemon.
+* Describe infrastructure in a language that is both machine and human
+ friendly.
+* Focus on security and easy auditability/review/rewriting of content.
+* Manage new remote machines instantly, without bootstrapping any
+ software.
+* Allow module development in any dynamic language, not just Python.
+* Be usable as non-root.
+* Be the easiest IT automation system to use, ever.
+
+## Use Ansible
+
+You can install a released version of Ansible with `pip` or a package manager. See our
+[installation guide](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/installation_guide/intro_installation.html) for details on installing Ansible
+on a variety of platforms.
+
+Power users and developers can run the `devel` branch, which has the latest
+features and fixes, directly. Although it is reasonably stable, you are more likely to encounter
+breaking changes when running the `devel` branch. We recommend getting involved
+in the Ansible community if you want to run the `devel` branch.
+
+## Get Involved
+
+* Read [Community Information](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/community) for all
+ kinds of ways to contribute to and interact with the project,
+ including mailing list information and how to submit bug reports and
+ code to Ansible.
+* Join a [Working Group](https://github.com/ansible/community/wiki),
+ an organized community devoted to a specific technology domain or platform.
+* Submit a proposed code update through a pull request to the `devel` branch.
+* Talk to us before making larger changes
+ to avoid duplicate efforts. This not only helps everyone
+ know what is going on, but it also helps save time and effort if we decide
+ some changes are needed.
+* For a list of email lists, IRC channels and Working Groups, see the
+ [Communication page](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/community/communication.html)
+
+## Coding Guidelines
+
+We document our Coding Guidelines in the [Developer Guide](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/dev_guide/). We particularly suggest you review:
+
+* [Contributing your module to Ansible](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/dev_guide/developing_modules_checklist.html)
+* [Conventions, tips, and pitfalls](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/dev_guide/developing_modules_best_practices.html)
+
+## Branch Info
+
+* The `devel` branch corresponds to the release actively under development.
+* The `stable-2.X` branches correspond to stable releases.
+* Create a branch based on `devel` and set up a [dev environment](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/dev_guide/developing_modules_general.html#common-environment-setup) if you want to open a PR.
+* See the [Ansible release and maintenance](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/reference_appendices/release_and_maintenance.html) page for information about active branches.
+
+## Roadmap
+
+Based on team and community feedback, an initial roadmap will be published for a major or minor version (ex: 2.7, 2.8).
+The [Ansible Roadmap page](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/roadmap/) details what is planned and how to influence the roadmap.
+
+## Authors
+
+Ansible was created by [Michael DeHaan](https://github.com/mpdehaan)
+and has contributions from over 5000 users (and growing). Thanks everyone!
+
+[Ansible](https://www.ansible.com) is sponsored by [Red Hat, Inc.](https://www.redhat.com)
+
+## License
+
+GNU General Public License v3.0 or later
+
+See [COPYING](COPYING) to see the full text.
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 87279b1ecea..00000000000
--- a/README.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,115 +0,0 @@
-|PyPI version| |Docs badge| |Chat badge| |Build Status| |Code Of Conduct| |Mailing Lists| |License| |CII Best Practices|
-
-*******
-Ansible
-*******
-
-Ansible is a radically simple IT automation system. It handles
-configuration management, application deployment, cloud provisioning,
-ad-hoc task execution, network automation, and multi-node orchestration. Ansible makes complex
-changes like zero-downtime rolling updates with load balancers easy. More information on the Ansible `website `_.
-
-Design Principles
-=================
-
-* Have an extremely simple setup process with a minimal learning curve.
-* Manage machines quickly and in parallel.
-* Avoid custom-agents and additional open ports, be agentless by
- leveraging the existing SSH daemon.
-* Describe infrastructure in a language that is both machine and human
- friendly.
-* Focus on security and easy auditability/review/rewriting of content.
-* Manage new remote machines instantly, without bootstrapping any
- software.
-* Allow module development in any dynamic language, not just Python.
-* Be usable as non-root.
-* Be the easiest IT automation system to use, ever.
-
-Use Ansible
-===========
-
-You can install a released version of Ansible with ``pip`` or a package manager. See our
-`installation guide `_ for details on installing Ansible
-on a variety of platforms.
-
-Power users and developers can run the ``devel`` branch, which has the latest
-features and fixes, directly. Although it is reasonably stable, you are more likely to encounter
-breaking changes when running the ``devel`` branch. We recommend getting involved
-in the Ansible community if you want to run the ``devel`` branch.
-
-Get Involved
-============
-
-* Read `Community
- Information `_ for all
- kinds of ways to contribute to and interact with the project,
- including mailing list information and how to submit bug reports and
- code to Ansible.
-* Join a `Working Group
- `_, an organized community devoted to a specific technology domain or platform.
-* Submit a proposed code update through a pull request to the ``devel`` branch.
-* Talk to us before making larger changes
- to avoid duplicate efforts. This not only helps everyone
- know what is going on, but it also helps save time and effort if we decide
- some changes are needed.
-* For a list of email lists, IRC channels and Working Groups, see the
- `Communication page `_
-
-Coding Guidelines
-=================
-
-We document our Coding Guidelines in the `Developer Guide `_. We particularly suggest you review:
-
-* `Contributing your module to Ansible `_
-* `Conventions, tips, and pitfalls `_
-
-Branch Info
-===========
-
-* The ``devel`` branch corresponds to the release actively under development.
-* The ``stable-2.X`` branches correspond to stable releases.
-* Create a branch based on ``devel`` and set up a `dev environment `_ if you want to open a PR.
-* See the `Ansible release and maintenance `_ page for information about active branches.
-
-Roadmap
-=======
-
-Based on team and community feedback, an initial roadmap will be published for a major or minor version (ex: 2.7, 2.8).
-The `Ansible Roadmap page `_ details what is planned and how to influence the roadmap.
-
-Authors
-=======
-
-Ansible was created by `Michael DeHaan `_
-and has contributions from over 5000 users (and growing). Thanks everyone!
-
-`Ansible `_ is sponsored by `Red Hat, Inc.
-`_
-
-License
-=======
-
-GNU General Public License v3.0 or later
-
-See `COPYING `_ to see the full text.
-
-.. |PyPI version| image:: https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/ansible-core.svg
- :target: https://pypi.org/project/ansible-core
-.. |Docs badge| image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/docs-latest-brightgreen.svg
- :target: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/
-.. |Build Status| image:: https://dev.azure.com/ansible/ansible/_apis/build/status/CI?branchName=devel
- :target: https://dev.azure.com/ansible/ansible/_build/latest?definitionId=20&branchName=devel
-.. |Chat badge| image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/chat-IRC-brightgreen.svg
- :target: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/community/communication.html
-.. |Code Of Conduct| image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/code%20of%20conduct-Ansible-silver.svg
- :target: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/community/code_of_conduct.html
- :alt: Ansible Code of Conduct
-.. |Mailing Lists| image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/mailing%20lists-Ansible-orange.svg
- :target: https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/community/communication.html#mailing-list-information
- :alt: Ansible mailing lists
-.. |License| image:: https://img.shields.io/badge/license-GPL%20v3.0-brightgreen.svg
- :target: COPYING
- :alt: Repository License
-.. |CII Best Practices| image:: https://bestpractices.coreinfrastructure.org/projects/2372/badge
- :target: https://bestpractices.coreinfrastructure.org/projects/2372
- :alt: Ansible CII Best Practices certification
diff --git a/changelogs/CHANGELOG.rst b/changelogs/CHANGELOG.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 6668a3984d6..00000000000
--- a/changelogs/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-Placeholder changelog
-=====================
-
-This file is a placeholder; a version-specific ``CHANGELOG-vX.Y.rst`` will be generated during releases from fragments
-under changelogs/fragments. On release branches once a release has been created, consult the branch's version-specific
-file for changes that have occurred in that branch.
diff --git a/changelogs/README.md b/changelogs/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..5cc58a17d33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+Changelogs
+==========
+
+As part of the release process a version-specific `CHANGELOG-vX.Y.rst` will be generated from fragments in
+the `fragments` directory.
+
+On release branches once a release has been created, consult the branch's version-specific file for changes that have
+occurred in that branch. The `devel` branch does not have a generated changelog, only changelog fragments.
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 2f1815127aa..d73956cac1a 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
name = ansible-core
version = attr: ansible.release.__version__
description = Radically simple IT automation
-long_description = file: README.rst
-long_description_content_type = text/x-rst
+long_description = file: README.md
+long_description_content_type = text/markdown
author = Ansible, Inc.
author_email = info@ansible.com
url = https://ansible.com/
diff --git a/test/sanity/code-smell/package-data.py b/test/sanity/code-smell/package-data.py
index d6167416b39..a34ecbd2eb8 100644
--- a/test/sanity/code-smell/package-data.py
+++ b/test/sanity/code-smell/package-data.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ def assemble_files_to_ship(complete_file_list):
)
ignore_files = frozenset((
# Developer-only tools
+ 'changelogs/README.md',
'changelogs/config.yaml',
'hacking/README.md',
'hacking/ansible-profile',