COLLECTION FINDING AID



GERALD R. FORD POST-PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE FILES, 1977-2007

CONTENTS

Summary Description | Series Descriptions | Container List


SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Material concerning the work and activities of former President Gerald Ford after he left the White House in 1977.  The collection includes Ford’s speeches, schedules, correspondence, trips and events, and materials related to the transition from the White House and the operation of the Office of Gerald Ford in Rancho Mirage, California.  It also documents Ford’s involvement in the 1980 presidential campaign, the AEI World Forum, the New Leadership Committee, and his work on various corporate boards.

QUANTITY
742.4. linear feet (ca. 1,484,800 pages)

DONOR
Gerald R. Ford (Contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library staff for a list of accession numbers)

ACCESS
Open in part. Researchers wishing to view this collection should consult with an archivist prior to their visit in order to request that specific folders be added to the Library’s review-for-access queue.  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
Gerald Ford donated to the United States of America (his/her) copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.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 William McNitt, Stacy Davis James Neel, John O’Connell, Jeffrey Senger, and Jeremy Schmidt; November 2016
[s:\bin\findaid\Ford, Gerald - Post-Presidential Office Files.doc]

 


 


SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Correspondence File, 1977-2007 (Boxes A1-551, 241.1 linear feet)
This series contains former President Gerald Ford's correspondence with politicians, journalists, businessmen, family friends and the general public concerning a wide variety of topics. For the years 1977-1979 bulk items were separated and filed by a cross-reference number

Arranged chronologically by year and alphabetically thereunder. For the years 1977-1979, bulk materials are arranged by cross-reference number at the end of the alphabet for that year.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim..

Trip and Events File, 1977-2007 (Boxes B1A-B340, 150.5 linear feet)
This series contains correspondence, schedules, and speeches related to former President Gerald Ford's trips and events throughout the United States and internationally.  Also included are events held at or near his home in Rancho Mirage, California. 

Arranged chronologically by date of trip or event.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim..

Transition Office Files, January-June 1977 (Boxes C1-C27, 11.8 linear feet)
This series contains correspondence, memoranda, invitations, and other material created by the Gerald R. Ford Transition Office in Washington, D.C. during the first six months after Gerald Ford left the White House.  Included are staff working files for Pat Butler (Speechwriting and Messages), Barry Roth (Legal Counsel), Larry Speakes (Press Secretary) and Robert Barrett (Executive Assistant). Also included are an Invitations File, and a Future Opportunities File containing offers of academic, corporate, legal and other positions for former President Ford.  Barrett continued to add some material to this series as late as 1979.

Arranged into subseries and alphabetically by folder title thereunder.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim..

Organizations File, 1977-2005 (Boxes D1-84, 36.8 linear feet)
This series contains correspondence, minutes, reports, and lists for organizations with which former President Gerald Ford was active.  Well documented organizations include the Academy for Educational Development, American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boy Scouts, Boys Clubs, Congressional Award, Eisenhower Exchange Fellowships, Grace Commission, Jerry Ford Celebrity Cup Ski Race, Jerry Ford Invitational Golf Tournament, and the University of Michigan (regarding the Campaign for Michigan fundraising effort).  This series does not contain all correspondence with organizations. Some material related to these and numerous other organizations can be found in the Correspondence File series of this collection.

Arranged alphabetically by name of organization and chronologically thereunder.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim..

AEI World Forum File, 1982-2006 (Boxes E1-E20, 8.8 linear feet)
This series contains agendas, correspondence, briefing papers, invitations, lists of participants, proceedings, press releases, reports, schedules, and other material concerning the annual AEI World Forum meetings of world leaders, former world leaders, and business and financial executives. The series documents activities during the forums as well as the original planning and post-meeting follow-up.

Arranged chronologically by year and by topic thereunder.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim..

New Leadership Committee File, 1975-1989 (Boxes F1-F29, 11.0 linear feet)
This series contains bank statements, cancelled checks, correspondence, invoices, lists, publications, reports, and other material concerning the raising and distribution of funds by the New Leadership Committee, a political action committee (PAC) founded by former President Gerald Ford to assist political candidates in their campaigns.  The PAC was the legal successor to the President Ford Committee, and the name was officially changed in October 1980.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim..

1980 Campaign File, 1978-1980 (Boxes G1-G15, 6.6 linear feet)
This series contains briefing books, correspondence, invitations, memoranda, reports, speeches, and other material concerning former President Gerald Ford's involvement in the 1980 election campaign, including his activities on behalf of candidates for various offices, attempts to draft him as a presidential candidate, and his role at the Republican Convention.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim..

Gerald R. Ford Schedules, 1977-2007 (Boxes H1-H30, 13.2 linear feet)
This series contains copies of former President Gerald Ford's daily schedules that detail his planned activities.

Arranged chronologically.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim..

Scheduling Subject File, 1977-2007 (Boxes I1-I41, 17.9 linear feet)
This series contains articles, clippings, correspondence, memoranda, lists, notes, schedules, and other material concerning the handling of invitations, trips, academic scheduling, and media interview requests by the staff of former President Gerald Ford.  This series contains general information, while information on specific trips or invitations can usually be found in the "Trips and Events File" or the "Invitations Regretted File" of this collection.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim..

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum Fundraising and Construction File, 1977-1985 (Boxes J1-J16, 7.3 linear feet)
This series consist of correspondence, memoranda, building plans, and contribution and invitation lists concerning the raising of funds to construct the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum and the planning and dedication of the two buildings.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim..

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library, Museum and Foundation Subject File, 1977-2008 (Boxes K1-K32, 14.0 linear feet)
This series contains correspondence, memoranda, financial statements, newsletters, notes, reports, and other material concerning the historical materials of former President Gerald Ford and the operation of his Library and Museum, the Gerald R. Ford Foundation and the Gerald R. Ford Commemorative Committee.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim..

General Subject File, 1977-2002 (Boxes L1-L98, 42.8 linear feet)
This series contains correspondence, memoranda, lists, press releases, speeches, clippings, publications, articles, and other material concerning a wide range of issues of interest to former President Gerald Ford. Topics include legislation, politics, the Republican Party, other presidents and first ladies, former Ford administration staff, foreign policy, politics, energy, the economy, healthcare, the Warren Commission, SALT II, and Ford office administration.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Corporate Directorships File, 1979-2001 (Boxes M1-M35, 15.3 linear feet)
This series contains correspondence, memoranda, directories, board meeting materials, financial reports, and published quarterly and annual reports of corporations for which former President Gerald Ford served on the board of directors.

Arranged by corporation name and chronologically thereunder.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Invitations Regretted, 1977-2000 (Boxes N1-N160, 70.0 linear feet)
This series contains invitations addressed to former President Gerald Ford that he declined. Reponses were made by letter, card, telephone call, and some invitations received no response. No invitations for 1987-1989 were received by the Ford Library.

Arranged chronologically by year and month of the event and unarranged thereunder. Invitations for the first six months of 1977 are divided into two sequences (January-March and April-June) and thereunder alphabetically by name of the correspondent.  In 1980 and from 1982 to 1986, the invitations arranged chronologically by year and thereunder by type of response (letter or cards/telephone call) and month.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Greeting Cards File, 1977-2006 (Boxes O1-O38, 16.7 linear feet)
This series contains birthday, anniversary, Father's Day, and get well cards received by former President Gerald Ford from friends, family, organization, and the general public.  There are also groupings of get well cards from the Gerald R. Ford Elementary School in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1992 and 2006, and cards compiled from visitors to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids in 1998.  Additionally, the series includes some thank you notes for cards and gifts.

Arranged by chronologically by year and by type of card thereunder.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Correspondence Chronological File, 1977-2006 (Boxes P1-P28, 12.3 linear feet)
This series consist of correspondence, memoranda, building plans, and contribution and invitation lists concerning the raising of funds to construct the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum and the planning and dedication of the two buildings.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

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Speech File, 1977-2006 (Boxes Q1-Q29, 12.7 linear feet)
This series contains speech drafts and reading copies of speeches given by former President Gerald Ford. Some correspondence and drafts of a few articles by Ford are also included.  Additional speech material appears in the Trips and Events File series of this collection.

Arranged chronologically by date of speech.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Speeches and Articles Background Materials File, 1977-2001 (Boxes R1-R7, 3.1 linear feet)
This series contains articles, speeches, memoranda, correspondence, clippings, and press releases used as background material for former President Gerald Ford’s speeches and articles.  Topics include childcare, healthcare, foreign policy, Jimmy Carter, privacy, Puerto Rican statehood, and the Jewish community.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Christmas Gift Lists and Thank You Notes, 1986-2006 (Boxes S1-S13, 5.7 linear feet)
This series consist of correspondence, memoranda, building plans, and contribution and invitation lists concerning the raising of funds to construct the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum and the planning and dedication of the two buildings.

Arranged chronologically.  The gift register is located at the end of the series.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Recommendations Written by Former President Gerald Ford, 1980-2006 (Boxes T1-T6, 2.7 linear feet)
This series contains letters of recommendation written by former President Gerald Ford and incoming requests for recommendations.  The bulk of the series concerns recommendations for positions in the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, but recommendations for college and other types of recommendations appear.

Arranged chronologically.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Office of Gerald Ford Telephone Bills, 1979-1994, 2002-2005 (Boxes U1-U7, 3.1 linear feet)
This series contains telephone bills for the post-presidential office of Gerald Ford.  There are significant gaps in the series.

Arranged chronologically.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Gifts and Autographs Sent Card Files, 1974-1978 (Boxes V1-V4, 1.8 linear feet)
This series contains two index card files that document gifts sent by Gerald and Betty Ford (1974-78) and autograph requests filled (1977-78).  The gift index includes personal gifts and appears to have been maintained by staff in the Office of the President at the White House before it was transferred to the Post-Presidential staff.  Index cards for autograph requests made during the Ford Administration (1974-1977) can be found in the Anne Kamstra Files.

Arranged alphabetically by name in two separate sequences.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Bulk Mail Regarding the 1980 Presidential Campaign, 1980 (Boxes W1-W25, 10.9 linear feet)
This series contains letters received by former President Gerald Ford asking him either to enter or not enter the 1980 presidential campaign. This mail was originally part of staff member Bob Barrett’s correspondence, which is now a part of the General Subject File of this collection.

Unarranged.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Book, Article and Student Paper Manuscripts Sent to Former President Gerald Ford, 1980-2006 (Boxes X1-X14, 6.2 linear feet)
TThis series contains manuscripts and page proofs sent to former President Gerald Ford with a request that he either read or endorse the work.  Also included are requests to read papers from students, many of which are from the University of Michigan.

Arranged alphabetically by author’s name.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Bulk Mail Sample, 1977-2006 (Boxes Y1-Y8, 4.8 linear feet)
This series contains a sample of routine mail sent by the general public to former President Gerald Ford.  It includes appreciation letters received by the Fords after leaving the White House; crank mail; and requests for Eagle Scout letters, autographs, auction items, school report information, and birthday, anniversary, or retirement greetings.  This representative sample was retained by the Ford Library prior the disposal of the majority of the bulk mail.

Arranged by type of letter, thereunder chronologically. Oversized items are located at the end of the series.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Penny Circle Correspondence File, 1978-2006 (Boxes Z1-Z9, 3.9 linear feet)
This series contains Penny Circle’s correspondence in her role as staff assistant and chief of staff of the post-presidential office of Gerald Ford in Rancho Mirage, California. It contains correspondence sent in response to a wide range of inquiries and requests as well as thank you letters in response to invitations and gifts.

Arranged chronologically.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Penny Circle General Subject File, 1977-2006 (Boxes AA1-AA14, 6.2 linear feet)
This series contains correspondence, memoranda, lists, press releases, notes, clippings, and other materials used by Penny Circle in her role as staff assistant and chief of staff of the post-presidential office of Gerald Ford in Rancho Mirage, California. It includes material for various events in Ford’s post presidential life such as birthday parties, Gerald R Ford Foundation Dinners, speaking invitations and engagements, interview requests, media relations, as well as solicitations and requests by various publishers and other companies.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Penny Circle Personnel File, 1976-2006 (Boxes AB1-AB3, 1.3 linear feet)
This series contains applications, requests for employment, personnel forms, recommendation letters, and insurance documents related to the personnel employed by the post-presidential office of Gerald Ford in Rancho Mirage, California. This material was maintained by Penny Circle in her role as chief of staff. Personnel employed by the office were classified as government workers and were partially subsidized by the federal government.

Arranged alphabetically by last name of employee.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Penny Circle Operations File, 1976-2006 (Boxes AC1-AC4, 1.8 linear feet)
This series contains reports, files, memoranda, mailing lists, desk calendars, and correspondence used by Chief of Staff Penny Circle in the operation of the post-presidential office of Gerald Ford. Topics include the office transition from the White House to Rancho Mirage, office budgets, federal monies spent on the office, the Former Presidents Act, and travel. Also included are files regarding the litigation of cases filed against the office by former employees Michelle Summers and Robert Vernon.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.