Core Collection on the Presidency of Richard Nixon
August 2007

Many Ford Library collections contain substantive materials from the presidency of Richard M. Nixon. The more notable are cited and summarized below. This summary does not include files that concern Nixon after he left the presidency, such as those relating to the Nixon pardon, disposition of the Nixon papers, or transition expenditures.

Anyone is welcome to use these collections, and Library staff can provide assistance in finding material on specific topics. The reference desk may be reached by telephone at (734) 205-0555 or via e-mail at ford.library@nara.gov. Research room hours are 8:45 am to 4:45 pm , Monday through Friday except Federal holidays. View detailed inventories of the archival collections summarized below by clicking on the collection titles.


AMERICA SINCE HOOVER: Selected documents from the Presidential libraries, 1929-1980 (3 feet)
Photocopies of 1200 pages from the Nixon Presidential Materials Project concerning abortion policy, President Nixon’s trip to the People’s Republic of China, his relationship with the press, inflation, wage-price controls, the Pentagon Papers, revenue sharing, Watergate, the Students for a Democratic Society, the War Powers Act, arms control, and the Vietnam War. The materials on the Vietnam War concern the antiwar movement, the bombing of Cambodia , and the Paris Peace Talks. This artificial collection was created in 1992 as a resource for teaching and student papers.

BAROODY, WILLIAM J.: Papers, 1961-1988 (202 feet)
The collection contains much on his work as an aide to Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, 1969-73, and on the White House staff handling liaison with interest groups in the Nixon and Ford administrations, 1973-77. The Department of Defense materials focus on Secretary Laird’s public appearances, long-range planning, and such topics as Vietnam, military spending, NATO, and national security. Nixon White House files concern interest groups, the 1972 campaign, and a White House program to generate support for the President as the threat of impeachment arose. Included is some material that Baroody inherited from his predecessor Charles Colson.

BURNS, ARTHUR F.: Papers, 1969-1987 (239 feet)
Included are 14 feet of White House files from Burns’ service as Counsellor to President Nixon for domestic affairs, 1969-70, and extensive files on his work as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 1970-78. The Federal Reserve materials concern such topics as domestic and international monetary policy, banking industry regulation and reform, the Nixon Economic Stabilization Program (wage-price controls), Federal Open Market Committee meetings, and administration and reform of the Federal Reserve System.

FORD, GERALD R.: Congressional Papers, 1948-1973 (921 feet)
Included is material on such topics as President Nixon’s legislative initiatives, the 1968 and 1972 Republican conventions and presidential campaigns, and interactions between Ford and the Nixon White House.

FORD, GERALD R.: Vice Presidential Papers, 1973-1974 (105 feet)
The collection concerns Ford’s nomination, confirmation, and service as Vice President under President Nixon following the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew in October 1973.

HARTMANN, ROBERT T.: Papers, 1934-1983 (96 feet)
Hartmann served as an aide during Gerald Ford’s service as House Minority Leader, Vice President, and President. Included are case files on weekly liaison meetings of the Republican leaders of Congress with President Nixon and his staff, information on other Ford contacts with the White House, and materials on legislation introduced by the Nixon administration.

HUTCHINSON, EDWARD: Papers, 1959-1976 (173 feet)
Republican U.S. Representative from Michigan and ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee. The collection contains extensive materials on the Judiciary Committee’s investigations into the Watergate affair and attempts to impeach President Nixon. Other files concern the confirmation of Gerald Ford as Vice President and legislation considered by the Judiciary Committee.

JONES, SIDNEY L.: Papers, (1954) 1969-1992 (1995) (8 feet)
Included is material on his work as senior economist and special assistant to the chairman, Council of Economic Advisers (1969-71); minister-counselor for economic affairs, U.S. Mission to NATO, Brussels, Belgium (1972-73); and assistant secretary for economic affairs, Department of Commerce (1973-74).

LAIRD, MELVIN R.: Papers, (1941) 1953-2004 (124 feet)
This collection spans Mr. Laird’s distinguished career, especially from 1961 onward. It also includes files of Mr. Laird’s long-time aide William J. Baroody, Jr. Materials from the Nixon administration concern Laird’s work as Secretary of Defense (1969-73) and the work of both Laird and Baroody on the Nixon White House staff (1973-74). Prominent topics include the 1972 presidential campaign; the Vietnam War; a wide range of Defense Department procurement, planning, and policy issues, both regional and global; many domestic policies; and Nixon White House efforts to avoid impeachment. Portions of the collection remain closed pending declassification.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER. Memoranda of Conversations, 1973-1977 (8 feet)
Transcript-like records, and the notes from which they were prepared, of presidential conversations with heads of state and foreign officials, senior intelligence and national security officials, American ambassadors, Cabinet members, members of Congress, and other distinguished foreign and American visitors. The collection includes almost 170 memoranda from the Nixon administration, covering January 1973 to August 1974.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER. Kissinger-Scowcroft West Wing Office Files, 1969-1977 (16 feet)
Although the bulk of this collection remains unprocessed and closed to research, the Library has opened several segments. These relate primarily to the Vietnam War (including Cambodia ). Materials from the Nixon administration concern such topics as secret peace talks (1968-73) and troop withdrawals in 1971.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER. Legislative Interdepartmental Group Files, 1971-1974 (1976) (1 foot)
This group coordinated congressional liaison activities on foreign affairs and defense matters for the White House, NSC, CIA, and the Departments of State, Justice and Defense. The bulk of the collection dates from 1971 and 1972, with fewer meetings and less documentation for later periods. Some folders are unprocessed and closed to research. Open materials focus on the Vietnam War.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER. NSC East Asian and Pacific Affairs Staff Files, (1969) 1973-1977 (17 feet)
Although the bulk of this collection remains unprocessed and closed to research, the Library has opened segments relating primarily to the Vietnam War and negotiations on the status of Micronesia. Some materials on both topics date from the Nixon administration, including documents on trips by Alexander Haig and Henry Kissinger to southeast Asia or Paris in 1972 and 1973 and on several meetings of the Washington Special Actions Group in 1973 and 1974.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER. NSC Press and Congressional Liaison Staff: Files, 1973-1976 (3 feet)
Materials concerning the work of NSC staff members Leslie Janka and Margaret Vanderhye on press and congressional relations. Included from the Nixon administration is foreign affairs press guidance provided to the White House Press Secretary plus outgoing letters and memoranda.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER. Saigon Embassy Files Kept by Ambassador Graham Martin: Copies Made for the NSC, (1963) 1970-1975
(3 feet)
Copies of State Department telegrams and White House backchannel messages between U.S. ambassadors in Saigon (primarily Ellsworth Bunker and Graham Martin) and White House national security advisers, talking points for meetings with South Vietnamese officials, intelligence reports, drafts of peace agreements, and military status reports.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER. Vietnam Information Group: Intelligence and Other Reports, 1967-1975 (5 feet)
Mostly Department of State cables and CIA intelligence information cables concerning North and South Vietnam dating from the Nixon administration. Topics include the Vietnam War, U.S.-South Vietnam relations, South Vietnam 's political climate, opposition groups, religious sects, ethnic groups, labor unions, corruption, press censorship, the North Vietnam ’s military and economy, peace negotiations, and events in Cambodia and Laos .

POTTINGER, J. STANLEY:  Papers, 1968-1981 (56 feet)
Materials relating primarily to his work as Director of the Office of Civil Rights in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (1970-1973) and Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (1973-1977).  The collection documents the investigation and enforcement of various civil rights issues, including: desegregation, busing, women’s rights, affirmative action, education, employment, government surveillance, Kent State, and Wounded Knee. 

REICHLEY, A. JAMES: Research Interviews, 1977-1981 (1 foot)
Notes on interviews conducted with former Nixon and Ford administration officials from the White House staff, Cabinet departments, National Security Council, Office of Management and Budget, and the Council of Economic Advisers about White House operations, issues faced by the administrations, and the philosophies of the Presidents and their staffs. Also included are interviews with members of Congress about their experiences with these administrations.

SCOTT, STANLEY S.: Papers, (1969) 1971-1977 (20 feet)
Materials relating to Scott’s work in the White House Office of Communications (1971-1973) and as the White House liaison with minorities (1973-1975). The bulk dates from the Nixon administration, but significant materials from the first year of the Ford administration also appear. The documents concern such matters as minority business, civil rights, equal employment opportunity, White House contacts with the Congressional Black Caucus, the role of African-Americans in the Republican Party, and the role of Mr. Scott and other Black appointees in the two administrations.

SIMON, WILLIAM E.: Microfiche of Papers, 1972-1977 (ca. 4,000 fiche and ca. 1,000 pages)
Copies of the Simon Papers and an oral history interview at Lafayette College . The collection concerns his work as Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, 1973-74, and Secretary of the Treasury, 1974-77. While Deputy Secretary, he also served as Director of the Federal Energy Office and was often referred to as the Nixon administration’s “Energy Czar.” His collection focuses primarily on economic and energy matters.

TEETER, ROBERT: Papers, 1972-1977 (25 feet)
Teeter directed public opinion polling for the 1972 Nixon presidential campaign. His collection contains memoranda to other campaign officials along with extensive polling data.

U.S. COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS: Records, 1974-1977 (70 feet)
CEA members Gary Seevers and William Fellner were appointed by President Nixon in 1973, although their files include some documents from earlier years. Their Nixon administration files concern various economic and energy issues, especially the Economic Stabilization Program (wage-price controls).

U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: Institutional Files (1969) 1974-1977 (47 feet)
Although the focus of this collection is on the Ford administration, many files contain documents dating back into the Nixon years. Nixon-era documents concern the organization and operation of the NSC plus a wide range of issues, including environmental warfare, chemical munitions, arms control, port security, Civil defense, and Law of the Sea.


Please contact the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library for information about their holdings.

Researchers interested in the Nixon Presidency may also wish contact the Bentley Historical Library (1150 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, 734-764-3482). The Bentley Library, located next door to the Ford Library, holds the Nixon administration files of George Romney, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Paul McCracken, Council of Economic Advisers Chairman; Wendell Hulcher, Office of Intergovernmental Relations; and Virginia Allen, Department of State Public Affairs Office. In addition, the Bentley Library has the papers of Michigan Governor William Milliken, U.S. Senator Philip Hart, and several members of the U.S. House of Representatives, all of whom interacted frequently with the Nixon White House.