COLLECTION FINDING AID



WILLIAM J. BAROODY, JR., PAPERS, 1961-88

Aide to Congressman and Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird;
Assistant to the President for Public Liaison;
President of the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research



CONTENTS

Summary Description | Biographical Information | Introduction | Series Descriptions | Container List


SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Material from this collection encompasses Baroody's work for Melvin Laird in Congress and at the Defense Department, 1961-73; and for Presidents Nixon and Ford as head of the White House Office of Public Liaison, 1973-77. Republican Party activities, policy positions, and presidential campaigns (especially 1964 and 1976) are also among the topics. See also the Laird Papers and the Baroody Files for closely related material. Material from Baroody's work as head of the American Enterprise Institute remains wholly unprocessed and closed to research.

QUANTITY
200 linear feet (ca. 400,000 pages)

DONOR
William J. Baroody III (accession number 97-NLF-019)

ACCESS
All series covering Baroody's government service, 1961-77, can be made available to research with significant advance consultation. Some items may be temporarily restricted under terms of the donor's deed of gift, a copy of which is available on request, or under National Archives and Records Administration general restrictions (36 CFR 1256). The remainder of the collection, dating from 1977-88, is wholly unprocessed and therefore closed to research.

COPYRIGHT
William J. Baroody III donated to the United States of America all copyrights which he has in (a) such of the Materials as are unpublished and (b) in such of William J. Baroody, Jr.'s unpublished writings as may be among any collections of papers received by the United States of America from others and deposited in National Archives collections.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 Meghan Lyon, March 2007; updated by William McNitt, November 2007
[s:\bin\findaid\baroody, william - papers.doc]


BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION


William J. Baroody, Jr.


November 5, 1937 - Born, Manchester, NH

1959 - B.A., Holy Cross College

1959-61 - U.S. Navy

1961-63 - Graduate studies in political science, Georgetown University

1961-64 - Staff assistant, U.S. Representative Melvin Laird; staff member, House Appropriations Committee

1965-69 - Legislative and press assistant, U.S. Representative Melvin Laird

1968-69 - Research Director, House Republican Conference

1969-73 - Assistant to Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird

1973-74 - Special Assistant to the President, White House

1974-77 - Assistant to the President for Public Liaison, White House

1977-78 - Executive Vice President, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research

1978-86 - President, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research

June 8, 1996 - Died, Alexandria, VA


INTRODUCTION

William J. Baroody, Jr., began his career in Washington in 1961 as legislative assistant and press secretary to Republican congressman Melvin Laird. He also served as research director for the House Republican Conference in 1968 and 1969.

Baroody followed Laird to the Pentagon in 1969 and served as his aide during Laird's post as Secretary of Defense. In 1973, Laird resigned from the post and recommended Baroody for a staff position in the White House. President Nixon appointed him as the head of the Office of Public Liaison (OPL), which was assigned to managing contacts between the White House and American interest groups. He also played a role in White House attempts to improve public perception of the Nixon administration following the Watergate scandal. After Nixon's resignation, Baroody remained as the head of the office under President Ford.

Upon the departure of Anne Armstrong from the White House in December 1974, President Ford merged the liaison functions of her office with those of Baroody's office and several independent liaison efforts to form a consolidated Office of Public Liaison. Baroody and his staff handled most interest group liaison for the remainder of the administration. The OPL listened to group concerns and communicated them to the President or the appropriate agency. They explained the administration's positions and programs to groups, and pursued a media outreach effort to make the public aware that there were people in the White House ready and eager to listen to their views. They were also involved in President Ford's 1976 campaign. Their goal was to project an image of an open, inclusive White House.

After leaving the White House in 1977, Baroody served as Vice President and President of American Enterprise Institute (AEI) until 1986. Under his direction, AEI became a major contributor in developing many Reagan Administration policies. Baroody also served on several government and private boards and commissions, including the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Scope and Content of the Baroody Papers
The collection is useful for studying both Baroody's work as an aide to Melvin Laird, 1961-73, and his later service in the Nixon and Ford Administrations.

One focus of the materials from the Laird years is the 1964 Republican platform and campaign. Baroody assisted Laird (who served as chairman of the Republican Platform Committee) in the development of the platform. Other Laird congressional materials include research files drafts of some of his published writings. There are also several series dating from Laird's time as Secretary of Defense, which offer insight into national security policy and the operations of that office.

The Baroody Papers are also useful for studying White House liaison with interest groups during the Nixon and Ford presidencies, especially White House briefings and White House conferences. The collection contains extensive information on the White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs. There are also materials detailing the role of the Office of Public Liaison in gauging public opinion and concerns. Documents concern a large number of issues such as consumer affairs, economics, foreign policy, urban development, minority concerns, Watergate, and political campaigning. Other materials concern the management of the OPL and the responsibilities of that office.

The OPL was very involved with President Ford's 1976 campaign. The collection contains numerous materials regarding Ford's speeches and interviews, White House statements regarding the campaign, and reports on Jimmy Carter's campaign. Baroody took an active role in advising senior staff as to how Ford should portray himself.

A large portion of the collection dates from the years following Baroody's government service (ca. 150 feet). These materials are not yet processed and are therefore unavailable for research.

Related Materials (March 2007)
The Library also has a collection of William Baroody Files, donated as part of President Ford's papers at the end of the administration. They focus entirely on the operation of the Office of the Public Liaison and its interactions with various interest groups during the Ford administration.

The Baroody Papers are closely related to the Melvin Laird Papers, also in the Ford Library. The two collections were stored together in Washington after each man left Government service. Due to errors made when the collections were separated, parts of some series appear in both collections. Therefore any researcher interested in the events of 1961-77 should plan on using both the Laird and Baroody Papers.


SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Congressional Papers: Subject File, (1957) 1960-63 (1968).  (Boxes 1-7, 3.2 linear feet)
Congressional bills, directories, articles, news clippings, pamphlets, handwritten notes, correspondence, reports, drafts, speeches, surveys, schedules, transcripts, and newsletters. Healthcare and Republican Party politics and strategies are heavily discussed. Other topics include foreign policy, foreign aid, defense spending, the Cold War and nuclear testing, and the space program. Includes documents from Melvin Laird's involvement with the American Enterprise Association, the Republican Policy Committee, Young Americans for Freedom, and Chase Manhattan Bank. The series overlaps with the "Congressional Papers: Baroody Subject File" in the Melvin Laird Papers, another Ford Library collection.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

View container list for this series

Congressional Papers: 1964 Republican Platform File, 1964.  (Boxes 8-10, 1.2 linear feet)
Correspondence, reports, briefs, lists, directories, transcripts, newsletters, drafts, speeches, statements, and press releases. This series documents the activities of the 1964 Republican Platform Committee, of which Melvin Laird was the chairman. Topics include civil rights; national defense; foreign policy, especially Cuba and Vietnam; the economy; science and technology; and healthcare, especially the elderly. Republican platforms from 1960 and 1956 are also mentioned. The series overlaps heavily with the "Congressional Papers: Baroody 1964 Republican Platform File" in the Melvin Laird Papers, another Ford Library collection.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

View container list for this series

Congressional Papers: 1964 Presidential Campaign File, (1960) 1963-64.  (Box 11, 0.4 linear feet)
Correspondence, articles, transcripts, pamphlets, lists, speeches, and political analyses. A majority of the file documents Barry Goldwater's political campaign and platform, including topics such as nuclear power, education, foreign policy, and foreign aid, including the Peace Corps. There are also a few documents from Nelson Rockefeller. The series overlaps heavily with the "Congressional Papers: Baroody 1964 Presidential Campaign File" in the Melvin Laird Papers, another Ford Library collection.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

View container list for this series

Congressional Papers: Research File, (1962) 1965-67 (1968).  (Box 12, 0.4 linear feet)
Correspondence, pamphlets, statements, articles, reports, and charts. The file covers a wide variety of material relating to Laird's congressional term, including Wisconsin dairy farming, urban housing, healthcare, and labor laws. Also included are reports about Democratic Party activities, criticizing the national budget, defense policy, and the political tactics of Lyndon B. Johnson and Robert Kennedy. The series overlaps with the "Congressional Papers: Baroody Research File" in the Melvin Laird Papers, another Ford Library collection.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

View container list for this series

Congressional Papers: Laird Books File, 1963-68.  (Boxes 13-15, 1.2 linear feet)
Drafts, correspondence, articles, and outlines. Material relating primarily to Republican Papers, a book edited by Melvin Laird in 1968, with article submissions by congressmen (including Laird) and academic theorists. A small amount of earlier material concerns an earlier book Conservative Papers. The series overlaps with the "Congressional Papers: Baroody File on Laird Books," a series in the Melvin Laird Papers which also covers his other publications.

Arranged alphabetically by last name.

View container list for this series

Department of Defense Papers: Subject File, 1969-72.  (Boxes 15-28, 5.2 linear feet)
Correspondence, transcripts, speeches, newspaper clippings, invitations, announcements, pamphlets, resumes, and surveys. The series contains both Baroody and Laird materials. Baroody's documents consist largely of correspondence, including official correspondence along with personal materials like party invitations and Christmas cards. Laird's documents consist mostly of official correspondence, transcripts, and newspaper clippings about Department of Defense activities and topics, including Vietnam, military spending, NATO, and national security. The series overlaps heavily with the "Department of Defense Papers: Baroody Subject File" in the Melvin Laird Papers, another Ford Library collection.

Arranged alphabetically by subject, and then chronologically within each subject.

View container list for this series

Department of Defense Papers: Chronological File, 1969-72.  (Boxes 28-30, 1.0 linear foot)
Outgoing memoranda and correspondence. Most letters are written by Baroody, occasionally by Laird. They are addressed to a wide range of people in the Administration, Congress, and private sector. 

Arranged chronologically.

View container list for this series

Nixon White House Papers: Subject File, (1972) 1973-74.  (Boxes 31-37, 3.2 linear feet)
Correspondence, directories, phone messages, mailing lists, calendars, memoranda, meeting notes, speeches, and invitations. The series includes several folders from the Committee to Re-elect the President (1972-1973). The meeting notes cover a wide range of topics and are usually handwritten. Additional materials from this time period appear in the "Nixon White House Papers: Baroody Subject File" in the Melvin Laird Papers, another Ford Library Collection.

Arranged alphabetically by subject or type of material (for example: meeting notes, lists, invitations, etc).

View container list for this series

Nixon White House Papers: Staff Memoranda, 1973-74.  (Boxes 38-41, 1.6 linear feet)
Correspondence, notebooks, lists, speeches, and reports. Consists mainly of internal memoranda and correspondence between staffers of the Nixon Administration. Common topics include Watergate, the economy, women's issues and abortion, the Bicentennial, the Veterans Administration, and foreign policy.

Arranged alphabetically by staff member's last name.

View container list for this series

Nixon White House Papers: Chronological File, 1973-74.  (Boxes 42-44, 1.2 linear feet)
Carbon copies of outgoing correspondence covering a wide variety of topics.

Arranged chronologically.

View container list for this series

Ford White House Papers: Subject File, 1974-77.  (Boxes 44-85, 16.8 linear feet)
Speeches, articles, drafts, briefing books, correspondence, manuals, correspondence templates, news clippings, reports, memoranda, notebooks, address lists and cards, and transcripts. Most materials relate to Baroody's activities as director of the Office of Public Liaison. Approximately one third of the series relates to Baroody personally, including office directories, his souvenirs of the 1976 Republican National Convention, and letters congratulating him for his new position as the President's aide.

The rest of the series documents the activities of the Office of Public Liaison. Topics include the Economic Summit in September 1974, the formation of the Committee on Urban Development and Neighborhood Revitalization, preparation for State Dinners, and drafts for Ford's State of the Union addresses. There are also numerous materials on the 1976 presidential campaign, covering both the primary and general elections. Materials include proposed campaign strategies, briefing books, and sample debate questions. There are several folders with internal Office of Public Liaison correspondence and notes, including invitations, secretary notebooks, and resumes submitted to the Office for consideration for presidential appointments.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

View container list for this series

Ford White House Papers: Staff Memoranda, 1974-77.  (Boxes 85-87, 1.2 linear feet)
White House staff correspondence, briefings, and memoranda sent and received by Baroody in the Office of Public Liaison. Materials include activities of the Office of Public Liaison, and Baroody's input on 1976 campaign strategies and platforms, among other topics.

Arranged alphabetically by staff member's name.

View container list for this series

Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda, 1974-76.  (Boxes 87-97, 4.4 linear feet)
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, and resumes surrounding presidential appointments. Baroody's office worked closely with the Personnel Office, each receiving and commenting on applications and letters of recommendations.

Arranged chronologically.

View container list for this series

Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs, 1974-75.  (Boxes 98-113, 6.2 linear feet)
News clippings, correspondence, transcripts, memoranda, pamphlets, agendas, conference books, reports, research papers, and name lists. Materials surrounding the preparation and production of conferences hosted by the Office of Public Liaison and held in 15 cities to discuss business and domestic concerns with community leaders. President Ford and other high level administration officials were frequently in attendance. Conferences dated from July 26, 1974-October 7, 1975. Additional materials about the South Florida and Milwaukee conferences can be found in the "Ford White House Papers: Baroody Subject File" in the Melvin Laird Papers, another Ford Library collection.

Arranged chronologically by the date of each conference, and alphabetically by headings thereunder.

View container list for this series

Ford White House Papers: Correspondence File, 1974-76.  (Boxes 114-122, 3.6 linear feet)
Correspondence, phone messages, address lists, and speeches. Incoming and outgoing correspondence to Baroody's office regarding Office of Public Liaison activities.

Arranged alphabetically by last name of sender.

View container list for this series

Ford White House Papers: Chronological File, 1975-77.  (Boxes 122-126, 1.6 linear feet)
Carbon copies of outgoing memoranda and correspondence. The series contains copies of Baroody's letters and reports, including proposed presidential schedules, meeting participants, and activities. It also includes copies of correspondence with citizens discussing their concerns and interests as related to the president's activities.

Arranged chronologically.

View container list for this series

Ford White House Papers: Briefings for Associations and Groups, 1974-77.  (Boxes 127-130, 1.6 linear feet)
Correspondence and briefing papers concerning White House briefings for various associations and groups arranged by the Office of Public Liaison. The groups attending the briefings were primarily business and trade associations, but some other groups appear.

Arranged alphabetically.

View container list for this series

Post-Government Papers, 1977-86.  (approx. 150 linear feet)
These series are unprocessed and therefore not available for research.

Audiovisual Materials, 1964-77. 
Photographs, transparencies, audio recordings, and video recordings related to Baroody's work at the Defense Department, 1961-73; and for Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford as head of the White House Office of Public Liaison, 1973-77. Materials include photographs, video recordings, and audio recordings of the White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs tour from various locations across the United States, as well as photographs from various groups from the "Tuesdays at the White House" events.

Arranged in parallel to the textual materials.

View container list for this series


CONTAINER LIST

Box 1 - Congressional Papers: Subject File

Box 2 - Congressional Papers: Subject File

Box 3 - Congressional Papers: Subject File

Box 4 - Congressional Papers: Subject File

Box 5 - Congressional Papers: Subject File

Box 6 - Congressional Papers: Subject File

Box 7 - Congressional Papers: Subject File

Box 8 - Congressional Papers: 1964 Republican Platform File

Box 9 - Congressional Papers: 1964 Republican Platform File

Box 10 - Congressional Papers: 1964 Republican Platform File

Box 11 - Congressional Papers: 1964 Presidential Campaign File

Box 12 - Congressional Papers: Research File

Box 13 - Congressional Papers: Laird Books File

Box 14 - Congressional Papers: Laird Books File

Box 15 - Congressional Papers: Laird Books File

Box 15 (Continued) - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 16 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 17 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 18 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 19 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 20 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 21 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 22 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 23 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 24 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 25 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 26 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 27 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 28 - Department of Defense Papers: Subject File

Box 28 (Continued) - Department of Defense Papers: Chron File

Box 29 - Department of Defense Papers: Chron File

Box 30 - Department of Defense Papers: Chron File

Box 30 (Continued) - Nixon White House Papers: Subject File

Box 31 - Nixon White House Papers: Subject File

Box 32 - Nixon White House Papers: Subject File

Box 33 - Nixon White House Papers: Subject File

Box 34 - Nixon White House Papers: Subject File

Box 35 - Nixon White House Papers: Subject File

Box 36 - Nixon White House Papers: Subject File

Box 37 - Nixon White House Papers: Subject File

Box 38 - Nixon White House Papers: Staff Memoranda

Box 39 - Nixon White House Papers: Staff Memoranda

Box 40 - Nixon White House Papers: Staff Memoranda

Box 41 - Nixon White House Papers: Staff Memoranda

Box 42 - Nixon White House Papers: Chronological File

Box 43 - Nixon White House Papers: Chronological File

Box 44 - Nixon White House Papers: Chronological File

Box 44 (Continued) - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 45 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 46 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 47 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 48 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 49 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 50 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 51 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 52 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 53 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 54 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 55 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 56 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 57 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 58 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 59 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 60 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 61 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 62 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 63 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 64 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 65 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 66 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 67 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 68 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 69 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 70 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 71 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 72 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 73 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 74 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 75 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 76 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 77 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 78 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 79 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 80 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 81 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 82 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 83 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 84 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 85 - Ford White House Papers: Subject File

Box 85 - (Continued) - Ford White House Papers: Staff Memoranda

Box 86 - Ford White House Papers: Staff Memoranda

Box 87 - Ford White House Papers: Staff Memoranda

Box 87 (Continued) - Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda

Box 88 - Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda

Box 89 - Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda

Box 90 - Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda

Box 91 - Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda

Box 92 - Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda

Box 93 - Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda

Box 94 - Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda

Box 95 - Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda

Box 96 - Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda

Box 97 - Ford White House Papers: Presidential Personnel Office Memoranda

Box 98 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 99 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 100 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 101 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 102 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 103 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 104 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 105 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 106 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 107 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 108 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 109 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 110 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 111 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 112 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 113 - Ford White House Papers: White House Conferences on Domestic and Economic Affairs File

Box 114 - Ford White House Papers: Correspondence File

Box 115 - Ford White House Papers: Correspondence File

Box 116 - Ford White House Papers: Correspondence File

Box 117 - Ford White House Papers: Correspondence File

Box 118 - Ford White House Papers: Correspondence File

Box 119 - Ford White House Papers: Correspondence File

Box 120 - Ford White House Papers: Correspondence File

Box 121 - Ford White House Papers: Correspondence File

Box 122 - Ford White House Papers: Correspondence File

Box 122 (Continued) - Ford White House Papers: Chronological File

Box 123 - Ford White House Papers: Chronological File

Box 124 - Ford White House Papers: Chronological File

Box 125 - Ford White House Papers: Chronological File

Box 126 - Ford White House Papers: Chronological File

Box 127 - Ford White House Papers: Briefings for Associations and Groups

Box 128 - Ford White House Papers: Briefings for Associations and Groups

Box 129 - Ford White House Papers: Briefings for Associations and Groups

Box 130 - Ford White House Papers: Briefings for Associations and Groups