Nixon Library to Open Additional White House Tapes and Textual Materials
Media Alert · Monday, November 24, 2008

Washington, DC

What:

The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, one of 12 Presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration, will be opening approximately 198 hours of Nixon White House tape recordings and approximately 90,000 pages of textual materials from the Nixon Presidency.

When:

Tuesday, December 2, 2008
11:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (EST) - College Park, MD
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (PST) - Yorba Linda, CA
11:00 a.m. (EST) on the web site www.nixonlibrary.gov

Where:

National Archives at College Park
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, Maryland 20740

Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum
18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard
Yorba Linda, California 92886

Background

Tapes

On December 2, 2008, the Nixon Presidential Library will be opening approximately 198 hours of tape recordings from the Nixon White House recorded between November and December 1972 and consisting of approximately 1,398 conversations. The conversations cover topics such as the 1972 Presidential and Congressional elections, reorganization of the executive branch, creation of a “New Majority” for a reinvigorated Republican Party or new conservative third party, the late stages of the peace negotiations to end the Vietnam War, and the decision to bomb the Hanoi and Haiphong areas in North Vietnam. All 198 hours of tape recordings will be made available on the web site at www.nixonlibrary.gov. They will also be available at both the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, CA and at the National Archives College Park, MD facility.

There are no transcripts for these recordings, however, tape subject logs will be available at each location and on the web site to aide researchers in locating specific conversations and participants. Each log identifies the name, date, and location of the conversation as well as an outline of the general content. Listening stations will be available for researchers at both locations on a first come, first served basis.

This is the 12th opening of Nixon White House tapes since 1980 and with this release, approximately 2,217 hours of tape recordings from the Nixon White House are now available to the public.

Textual Materials

The opening will also consist of approximately 30 cubic feet of textual materials from the White House Central Files - Staff Member and Office Files of J. Fred Buzhardt, President Nixon’s attorney during the Watergate scandal, and Bryce Harlow, senior adviser and counselor to President Nixon. The opening will also include approximately 10 cubic feet of textual materials from the Jeb Stuart Magruder papers relating to his service on the Committee to Re-elect the President.

The collection pertaining to Mr. Buzhardt consists of approximately 65,600 pages reflecting his responsibilities as Special White House Counsel for Watergate Matters during the hearings of the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities and as the Administration’s legal authority on the White House tapes. These documents also reflect Buzhardt’s subsequent position of White House Counsel taking on additional duties unrelated to the President’s Watergate defense. This collection will be available only at the National Archives College Park, MD facility.

The collection pertaining to Mr. Harlow consists of approximately 4,450 pages that cover the period from November 1968 to January 1969 when Mr. Harlow served as the Assistant to the President with responsibility for Congressional Relations in the transition office of President-Elect Richard Nixon. This collection will be available only at the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, CA.

The collection pertaining to Mr. Magruder consists of approximately 8,050 pages including correspondence to and from Magruder and John Mitchell, Director of the Committee to Re-Elect the President; materials relating to individual states; voting blocs; political strategies; and day to day operations of the Committee. This collection will be available only at the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, CA.

In addition, the Library is releasing approximately 3,500 pages of previously classified materials under the mandatory review provisions of Executive Order 12958, as amended, and approximately 7,000 pages of previously withdrawn materials from the files of Charles W. Colson; J. Fred Buzhardt; H.R. Haldeman; Patrick J. Buchanan; and John W. Dean. These records will be available only at the National Archives College Park, MD facility.

Other Information

All researchers, including the media, must have a valid National Archives researcher card prior to gaining access to the records. Researcher cards may be obtained at either facility with a photo ID. Clean research room rules apply and no recording or transmission devices of any kind will be allowed in the research room. Laptop computers and scanners are permitted.

The National Archives facility in College Park does not currently provide wireless access to the Internet. A limited number of computers with Internet access will be available on a first come first served basis.

Due to parking limitations at College Park during openings, researchers are encouraged to use the National Archives shuttle bus service between the Washington, DC, and College Park, MD buildings. The shuttle buses depart from both buildings between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on the hour.

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For Press information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (202) 357-5300.

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