SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

This collection contains correspondence, clippings, speeches, schedules, and other material related to Robert Barrett's post-presidential activities on behalf of President Gerald R. Ford.

QUANTITY
3.35 linear feet (approximately 6,700 pages)

DONOR
Robert E. Barrett (accession number 91-NLF-025)

ACCESS
Open. This collection is available on a review-on-request basis. Researchers wishing to view material should consult with an archivist prior to their visit in order to request that specific folders be added to the Library's review-on-request queue. Even after the completion of this review 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).

COPYRIGHT
Robert E. Barrett donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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 Kari Theisen, February 2018
[s:\bin\Finding Aids & Guides\Barrett, Robert - Papers.docx]

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Robert E. Barrett

August 13, 1938 - Born in Brooklyn, New York

1960 - B.A., C.W. Post College

1960-1963 - High School Teacher, East Meadow Public Schools, New York

1963 - Joined U.S. Army

1971 - M.A., Syracuse University

August 1974 - Appointed U.S. Army Aide to the President

December 1976 - Resigned from the U.S. Army with rank of Major

December 1976 - Named to President Ford's transition team

1977-1981 - Executive Assistant to former-President Ford (Chief of Staff)

January 1982 - Founded Barrett and Associates, Inc., a public relations firm

May 1984 - Barrett and Associates, Inc. name changed to Barrett Consultants

INTRODUCTION

Major Robert Barrett served in the United States Army before being appointed as Military Aide to President Gerald R. Ford in August 1974. When Ford left office following his loss in the 1976 presidential campaign, Barrett resigned his military commission to serve as a member of Ford's post-presidential transition team and then his Executive Assistant in his California office from 1977-1981. In 1982 Barrett left Ford’s post-presidential office and opened Barrett and Associates, a public relations and consulting firm which assisted Ford during many of his post-presidential activities. Barrett also served as a trustee for the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation.

The Robert E. Barrett Papers document Barrett's post-presidential activities on behalf of President Ford from 1979 to 1988. Barrett assisted Ford with a range of events and activities including the 1981 dedication of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Ford's appearances at the 1984 and 1988 Republican National Conventions; and planning for overseas trips. He also assisted with the 1986 Humor and the Presidency symposium at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. The symposium brought together former political figures and political comedians to broach the topic of humor as commentary on politics. Barrett helped assemble an all-star cast of comedians and arrange television and media access to the event. He also assisted Ford with the Gerald R. Ford New Leadership Committee, a Political Action Committee (PAC) created to raise funds for Republican candidates running for office.

Related Materials (February 2018):
The Ford Library audiovisual department contains audiovisual and photographic materials donated by Robert Barrett, while the Susan Ford Bales Papers contain numerous photographs taken by Robert Barrett during three post-presidential consulting trips to Japan in 1979, 1981, and 1982.

The Gerald R. Ford Post-Presidential Office Files, 1977-2007, contain numerous series related to Barrett's activities during the post-presidential transition. These include materials relating to the Gerald R. Ford New Leadership Committee PAC, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Dedication, the Humor and the Presidency symposium, and Ford's March 1981 World Trip to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

Other collections containing related materials include the Elizabeth "Betty" Ford Papers: Audiovisual Material and the Hofstra University Seventh Annual Presidential Conference collections. The Robert Orben Papers contain audiovisual materials pertaining to the Humor and the Presidency symposium. The James D. Haldaman Photographs and Papers contain textual and audiovisual materials related to community events held in conjunction with the dedication of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in 1981.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

General Subject File, 1979-1988. (Boxes 1-4; 1.4 linear feet)
This series contains memoranda, speeches, and correspondence relating to the 1984 and 1988 Republican National Conventions, the Gerald R. Ford New Leadership Committee, and conferences that Gerald Ford attended. Also included are contracts for speaking engagements and files for Barrett Consultants clients.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

(Note: Access to material in this series requires advance consultation with an archivist. The purpose of this consultation is to identify specific folders of interest and place them, as needed, in work queues for privacy and related reviews.)

View container list for this series

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Dedication File, 1981.(Boxes 4-5, 0.75 linear feet)
This series contains correspondence, schedules, and brochures relating to the planning and execution of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum Dedication ceremony in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Related newspaper clippings and media coverage of the event are also included.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

(Note: Access to material in this series requires advance consultation with an archivist. The purpose of this consultation is to identify specific folders of interest and place them, as needed, in work queues for privacy and related reviews.)

View container list for this series

"Humor and the Presidency" Symposium File, 1986. (Boxes 6-7, 0.8 linear feet)
This series contains materials relating to the Humor and the Presidency symposium hosted by Gerald Ford at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Materials include correspondence, schedules, programs, and media coverage. Also included are plans for a book published by Arbor House that covers the events during the symposium.

Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

(Note: Access to material in this series requires advance consultation with an archivist. The purpose of this consultation is to identify specific folders of interest and place them, as needed, in work queues for privacy and related reviews.)

View container list for this series

Trips File, 1979-1984. (Box 8, 0.4 linear feet)
This series consists of materials pertaining to multiple international trips taken by Gerald and Betty Ford including trips to the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Australia. Materials include itineraries, schedules, correspondence, and talking notes.

Arranged chronologically by year of the trip and alphabetically thereunder.

(Note: Access to material in this series requires advance consultation with an archivist. The purpose of this consultation is to identify specific folders of interest and place them, as needed, in work queues for privacy and related reviews.)

View container list for this series