SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Records related to the disposition of gifts exchanged between members of the First Family and foreign and domestic donors. Included are a head of state gift exchange register, declarations of receipt, gift lists, card catalogs, letters of acknowledgement, and packing lists.

QUANTITY
13 linear feet (ca. 20,800 pages)

DONOR
Gerald R. Ford (accession number 77-110)

ACCESS
Open.

COPYRIGHT
Gerald R. Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain.

Prepared by Nancy Mirshah, September 1995
[s:\bin\findaid\white house gift unit - files.doc]

INTRODUCTION

The White House Gift Unit is one of several permanent operating offices that provide support services to each administration. Marjorie Wicklein headed the office in the Ford administration, supervising a staff of eight. Wicklein reported to Robert Lindner, the Permanent Operations Offices' chief executive clerk, who in turn reported to the staff secretary, through David Hoopes, special assistant to the President. The Gift Unit processed all gifts received at the White House for the First Family or other government officials, with the exception of Bicentennial gifts. Milt Mitler handled Bicentennial gifts through the Office of Public Liaison. In addition to receiving, recording, and distributing incoming gifts, the Gift Unit assisted the State Department's Chief Protocol Officer in recording and controlling the disposition of foreign gifts, as required by law.

The policies and procedures of the Gift Unit became a matter of high level review in the Ford administration, although this is not documented in the Gift Unit files. A GAO audit, requested of the Nixon administration by the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and carried into the Ford administration, resulted in the development of new operating guidelines written by State Department, National Archives and White House personnel, according to the provisions of the Foreign Gifts Act of 1966, as amended. (See Appendices A and B). Under the Act, all gifts valued in excess of $50 received by government officials from foreign donors became public property, with an ultimate disposition at a future presidential library of the National Archives. The Ford administration made gift records open to the public by charging the State Department with oversight of statutory gifts and public record-keeping, while the Gift Unit maintained original records for correspondence purposes. The files contain these original records evidencing compliance with the Act. Included are foreign gift lists, a head of state gift exchange register, a catalog card index, declaration of receipt cards for gifts exceeding $50 value, and archives box lists.

The Gift Unit was the ultimate destination of all gifts coming into the White House, via the Mail Room, the First Family, or the White House staff. Wicklein's staff tagged the items and completed descriptions in sextuplicate on pink catalog cards. Head of state gifts were registered in foreign gift exchange binders, and described and photographed in declarations of receipt. Every two weeks, the State Department's Chief Protocol Officer viewed the statutory gifts in the Unit before their disposition. In addition, Wicklein sent the President monthly gift lists from which he selected items for temporary loan to the Residence, Oval Office or other areas of the White House. The items were either sent to the First Family for appropriate use or stored temporarily until packed and sent to the National Archives.

Letters of acknowledgement were drafted mostly by Gift Unit staff but also by senior and administrative White House staff, including the President's personal secretaries, Mildred Leonard and Dorothy Downton. The files contain, however, only the Gift Unit's outgoing carbons, with no background material.

The collection provides only scant documentation of the substantial policy issues surrounding gifts or of Wicklein's participation in any discussions. That material is best found in other collections. The Unit's administrative folders concern the staff's daily operations and resolution of issues left unresolved by regulations, such as definitions of "official use" and applicability to married children. They also contain the unit's financial records for a supply of small gift items and mementos, purchased by the Republican National Committee, and maintained by the Gift Unit for distribution by the First Family and White House staff.

Related Materials (September 1995)
Various Library collections contain substantial information related to gifts which may be retrieved with a PRESNET search. For instance, materials related to the legal aspects of presidential gifts and formulation of policy and procedures are found in the files of Counsel Phil Buchen, Associate Counsel Ken Lazarus, Counsellor John Marsh, and in the Presidential Handwriting Files. The White House Central Files Subject File, Category GI (Gifts), contains letter cases of foreign and domestic gift correspondence. Scattered folders related to Mrs. Ford and gifts are found in such collections as the Maria Downs Files and Sheila Weidenfeld Files.

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SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Foreign Gifts Subject File, 1974-77.  (Boxes 1‑6, 2.4 linear feet)
Correspondence, memoranda, lists, handwritten notes, forms, and photographs related to foreign gifts. Included are recommendations from the State Department's Chief Officer of Protocol regarding head of state gift item selection, a register of items that were actually exchanged between heads of state, occasional draft thank you correspondence, and declaration cards with attached snapshots of statutory gifts exceeding $50 in value. Also included are routine State Department memos delegating acknowledgement responsibility for gifts from foreign nationals to the embassies and packing lists describing the contents of storage boxes sent to the National Achives.

Arranged alphabetically and chronologically thereunder.

View container list for this series

Domestic Gifts Subject File, 1974-1977. (Boxes 6‑18, 4.6 linear feet)
Lists, handwritten notes, and carbons of outgoing correspondence. Included are the President's monthly gift lists and occasional staff recommendations, annotated with the President's selections for personal use or display in the White House. The bulk of the series is a chronological file of carbons of thank you letters drafted by Gift Unit staff for members of the First Family.

Arranged alphabetically and chronologically thereunder.

View container list for this series

Administrative Files, 1974-1977. (Boxes 18‑23, 2.0 linear feet)
Correspondence, memoranda, handwritten notes, loan agreements, memorabilia, packing lists, copies of catalog cards, invoices, and statements. Topics include transmittal of gifts and gift information to the President and Mrs. Ford, the valuation of gifts, various legal matters, and a supply of small gift items and mementoes for First Family and White House staff use. Included are messages exchanged between Margorie Wicklein, Mrs. Ford, Mildred Leonard, Dorothy Downton and the State Department. Also included is information regarding the loan of public gifts for exhibition, including a space-grown crystal from Skylab given to the President by NASA, a commemorative plaque from the Apollo-Soyuz astronauts, and a basketball from the Harlem Globe Trotters. Also included are samples of presidential mementos and gifts, including silver cups, a crystal ashtray, tie clasps, and paper weights. Vendor files document purchase of mementos by the Republican National Committee.

Arranged alphabetically and chronologically thereunder.

View container list for this series

Gift Card Index, 1974-1977. (Box 23, 4.0 linear feet)
Gift catalog cards. Includes four of six original sets created and synchronized by Gift Unit and Mail Room staff. The Mail Room maintained the other two sets. Information on the card includes donor name and address, category and description of gift, item number, archives box number, and the date and site of receipt and disposition. Category topics included books, photographs, artwork, and general. The Gift Unit filed the ribbon copy by donor name, and kept alphabetical and permanent sets. The entire series is located at the Ford Museum in the office of the Registrar.

Arranged alphabetically by name of donor and category, and chronologically or numerically thereunder.

View container list for this series

CONTAINER LIST

Box 1 - Foreign Gifts Subject File

• Foreign Gift Declarations - Algeria
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Amman (Jordan)
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Argentina
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Austria
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Belgium
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Burma
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Canada
• Foreign Gift Declarations - China (People's Republic of)
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Columbia
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Cyprus
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Denmark
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Egypt
• Foreign Gift Declarations - England
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Finland
• Foreign Gift Declarations - France
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Germany
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Ghana
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Hungary
• Foreign Gift Declarations - India
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Indonesia
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Iran
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Ireland
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Israel
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Italy
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Japan
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Korea

Box 2 - Foreign Gifts Subject File

• Foreign Gift Declarations - Liberia
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Luxembourg
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Mexico
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Morocco
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Nepal
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Oman
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Pakistan
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Philippines
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Poland
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Portugal
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Romania
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Russia
• Foreign Gift Declarations - South Africa
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Spain
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Sudan
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Sweden
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Syria
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Taiwan
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Tunisia
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Uruguay
• Foreign Gift Declarations - Yugoslavia
• Foreign Gifts Reference File (Archives Boxes 1 - 43) - copy (1) - (2)
• Foreign Gifts Reference File (Archives Boxes 1 - 43) - original (1) - (2)
• Foreign Gifts Under 1966 Gifts and Declarations Act

Box 3 - Foreign Gifts Subject File

• Head of State Gift Exchange - Africa through Burma
• Head of State Gift Exchange - Canada through Cyprus
• Head of State Gift Exchange - Denmark through France
• Head of State Gift Exchange - The Gambia through Indonesia
• Head of State Gift Exchange - Iran through Italy
• Head of State Gift Exchange - Jamaica through Jordan
• Head of State Gift Exchange - Korea through New Guinea
• Head of State Gift Exchange - Nicaragua through Poland
• Head of State Gift Exchange - Portugal through Syria
• Head of State Gift Exchange - Thailand through Zambia

Box 4 - Foreign Gifts Subject File

• Head of State Visits - General
• 9/10/74 - Head of State Visits - Israel (Rabin) to the White House
• 9/25/74 - Head of State Visits - Italy (Leone) to the White House
• 10/8/74 - Head of State Visits - Poland (Gierek) to the White House
• 10/21/74 - Head of State Visits - U.S. (Ford) to Mexico
• 11/12/74 - Head of State Visits - Austria (Kreisky) to the White House
• 11/17 - 25/74 - Head of State Visits - U.S. (Ford) to Japan, South Korea and U.S.S.R. (1) - (2)
• 12/5/74 - Head of State Visits - Germany (Schmidt) to the White House
• 12/14/74 - Head of State Visits - U.S. (Ford) to Martinique (Giscard)
• 1/30/75 - Head of State Visits - England (Wilson) to the White House
• 2/5/75 - Head of State Visits - Pakistan (Bhutto) to the White House
• 3/3/75 - Head of State Visits - Israel (Katzir) to the White House
• 3/20/75 - Head of State Visits - Yugoslavia (Bijedic) to the White House
• 5/1/75 - Head of State Visits - Tunisia (Nouira) to the White House
• 5/28/75 - 6/3//75 - Head of State Visits - U.S. (Ford) to Europe
• 6/16/75 - Head of State Visits - Germany (Sheel) to the White House
• 7/5/75 - Head of State Visits - Indonesia (Suharto) to the White House
• 6/26/75 - 8/4/75 - Head of State Visits - U.S. (Ford) to Europe (1) - (3)

Box 5 - Foreign Gifts Subject File

• 9/25/75 - Head of State Visits - Columbia (Lopez) to the White House
• 10/2/75 - Head of State Visits - Japan (Hirohito) to the White House
• 10/27/75 - Head of State Visits - Egypt (Sadat) to the White House
• 11/29/75 - 12/7/75 - Head of State Visits - U.S. (Ford) to China, Indonesia, Phillipines
• 1/22/76 - Head of State Visits - Israel (Rabin) to the White House
• 3/17/76 - Head of State Visits - Ireland (Cosgrave) to the White House
• 3/30/76 - Head of State Visits - Jordan (Hussein) to the White House
• 5/17/76 - Head of State Visits - France (Giscard) to the White House
• 6/2/76 - Head of State Visits - Spain (Carlos) to the White House
• 7/15/76 - Head of State Visits - Germany (Schmidt) to the White House
• 9/20/76 - Head of State Visits - Liberia (Tolbert) to the White House
• State Department Protocol Memos (1) - (6)

Box 6 - Foreign Gifts Subject File

• State Department Protocol Memos (7) - (10)

Box 6 (Continued) - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Ford Children's Gift and Book Lists
• President's Gift and Book Lists (1) - (5)

Box 7 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• President's Gift and Book Lists (6) - (10)
• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, Children
• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, Jack
• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, Michael
• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, Mrs. [August 1974 - September 1974]

Box 8 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, Mrs. [October 1974 - September 1975]

Box 9 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, Mrs. [October 1975 - July 1976]

Box 10 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, Mrs. [August 1976 - January 1977]
• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, President [August 1974 - September 1974]

Box 11 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, President [October 1974 - January 1975]

Box 12 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, President [February 1975 - May 1975]

Box 13 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, President [June 1975 - September 1975]

Box 14 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, President [October 1975 - January 1976]

Box 15 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, President [February 1976 - June 1976]

Box 16 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, President [July 1976 - October 1976]

Box 17 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, President [November 1976 - January 1977]

Box 18 - Domestic Gifts Subject File

• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, Steven
• Thank You Correspondence - Ford, Susan (1) - (5)

Box 18 (Continued) - Administrative Files

• Archives Box Lists - Domestic Gifts (1) - (6)

Box 19 - Administrative Files

• Archives Box Lists - Domestic Gifts (7) - (13)
• Archives Box Lists - Foreign Gifts
• Archives Box Lists - Gift Books (1) - (5)

Box 20 - Administrative Files

• Archives Box Lists - Gift Books (6) - (7)
• Archives Box Lists - Prepresidential
• Archives Box Lists - Regular (1) - (8)

Box 21 - Administrative Files

• Archives Box Lists - Regular (9) - (17)
• Bicentennial Gifts
• Correspondence Notes
• Donated Items

Box 22 - Administrative Files

• Ford - Dole Committee
• Foreign Gifts (1) - (2)
• Gifts and mementos - samples
• Gifts Displayed in the President's Offices
• Loaned Items
• Memoranda
• Mrs. Ford
• Presidential Awards Received
• Vendors - Alperstein, Bros, Inc.
• Vendors - Balfour Co.
• Vendors - Dion Manufacturing
• Vendors - Fostoria Glass Co.
• Lordship - Simco (1) - (2)

Box 23 - Administrative Files

• Lordship - Simco (3)
• Lucas Advertising Consultants
• Parker Pen
• Stieff Co.
• Wilson Sporting Goods

Box 23 (Continued) - Gift Card Index

• [Series transferred to Ford Museum Registrar's Office]