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Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-RFK-02
In this interview Robert F. Kennedy [RFK] discusses the 1961 Berlin crisis; American forces, military and diplomatic, in Germany; John F. Kennedy’s [JFK] recommendation for Americans to have fallout shelters; nuclear testing; problems with the Department of State; the start of the conflict in Vietnam, 1961; the Department of Justice under RFK and organized crime; RFK’s difficult relationship with J. Edgar Hoover; the wiretapping bill; new federal judgeships in 1961 and other presidential appointments; the Alliance for Progress; Red China; crises during JFK’s presidency and how he was an optimist; RFK’s move for an income tax increase during the Berlin crisis; RFK’s disagreements with President JFK; indecisiveness over picking JFK’s running mate, 1960; the missile gap; fighting and UN operations in the Congo; Nikita S. Khrushchev’s speeches; RFK’s 1962 trip to Japan, Indonesia, Germany, and other countries; the release of Allen L. Pope; Dutch disputes in Southeast Asia; the 1961 crisis in the Dominican Republic and the assassination of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina; the 1962 disarmament conference in Geneva; Edward M. Kennedy’s 1962 campaign for U.S. Senate; the Kennedy family national and political reputation; the Justice Department under RFK and civil rights; and the 1962 steel crisis, among other issues.
Sound recording
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-TPH-16A
Dictation Belt 16A contains five sound recordings. Item 16A.1 is a recording of remarks made by President John F. Kennedy to an unidentified group of visitors. The remarks concern the United States economy. This is not a telephone conversation. The recording begins in mid-sentence. Item 16A.2 is a fragment of a telephone conversation held on March 26, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. They discuss congressional hearings. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Item 16A.3 is a telephone conversation held on March 26, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara. They discuss hearings concerning the TFX airplane. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Item 16A.4 is a telephone conversation between President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. They discuss Senate hearings concerning the TFX airplane. They also discuss a raid by Cuban exiles targeting a ship, concerns about a Russian ship being targeted, and consultations with John A. McCone. The recording begins in mid-conversation. Item 16A.5 is a telephone conversation held on March 28, 1963, between President John F. Kennedy and Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs William R. Tyler. They discuss press reports of Canadian Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker possessing a working paper written by Walt W. Rostow on relations between the United States and Canada.Transcript included. Each item listed above is also available individually as an excerpt derived from this full-length digitized recording. See Related Records for more information.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-114
Sound recording of the President’s News Conference of July 23, 1962 (News Conference 39). The President begins the press conference by announcing that part of the conference is being broadcast across the Atlantic Ocean by the Telstar communications satellite. He then states the importance of the satellite to provide fast communication, resulting in peace and security for all people. Following this statement the President answers questions from the press on a variety of topics including a possible peace treaty between the Soviet Union and East Germany (Democratic Republic), nuclear testing by the Soviet Union, tax cut hearings, the domestic economy, foreign affairs, Martin Luther King, Jr. and segregation, strike increases, and the appointment of General Lyman Lemnitzer as Commander in Chief of U.S. Forces in Europe.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-016
Sound recording of the President’s News Conference of March 8, 1961 (News Conference 6). President Kennedy begins the press conference by urging the public to support Radio Free Europe. He then announces that he would be making a statement concerning his views of problems in the Americas following an upcoming reception at the White House; that he has directed Federal departments and agencies to speed up government spending; and the upcoming visit of Swedish Prime Minister Tage Erlander to the United States. He then makes several statements concerning the building of schools for Native American and Inuit children, the distribution of surplus food, and the polio outbreak in Cuba. Following the announcements the President answers questions from the press on a variety of topics including the President’s economic program, the situation in Laos, and federal aid to education.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-066A
Sound recording of the second part of President John F. Kennedy’s State of the Union message addressed to Congress at The House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. The recording continues from [Reel 1] (Accession Number WH-066). In his speech President Kennedy discusses his plans to strengthen the economy in response to the recent recession and threat of inflation, and the need for Congress to respond to certain domestic issues, including pollution, education, mass transit, urban housing, civil rights, public health, and welfare assistance programs. The President also addresses the possible spread of communism through Asia and Latin America, his plan for Cold War diplomacy, and the importance of organizations such as the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in managing international affairs. This is [Reel 2] (Accession Number WH-066A) of 2 audio tape reels.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-066
Sound recording of the first part of President John F. Kennedy’s State of the Union message addressed to Congress at The House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. In his speech President Kennedy discusses his plans to strengthen the economy in response to the recent recession and threat of inflation, and the need for Congress to respond to certain domestic issues, including pollution, education, mass transit, urban housing, civil rights, public health, and welfare assistance programs. The President also addresses the possible spread of communism through Asia and Latin America, his plan for Cold War diplomacy, and the importance of organizations such as the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in managing international affairs. This is [Reel 1] (Accession Number WH-066) of 2 audio tape reels. The recording continues on [Reel 2] (Accession number WH-066A).
Moving image
United States Government Agencies Collection
USG-01-26
Motion picture of the President's News Conference of March 1, 1961 (News Conference 5). President John F. Kennedy begins the press conference by announcing the upcoming visit of German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to the United States, proposed legislation to restore former President Eisenhower's military rank of General of the Army, the reduction in the outflow of gold to foreign countries, the reduction of home mortgage rates, and the establishment of the Peace Corps on a temporary pilot basis. Following the announcements the President answers questions from the press on a variety of topics including the Republic of the Congo, nuclear disarmament, the economy, and United States-Soviet relations.This is a recording by the United States Information Agency (USIA) and the White House Army Signal Agency (WHASA).
Moving image
Television Network Columbia Broadcasting System Collection
TNC-005
CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) motion picture covering the President's News Conference of March 1, 1961, from the State Department Auditorium, Washington, D.C. (News Conference 5). See "Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, John F. Kennedy, 1961: Item 62." President John F. Kennedy begins the press conference by announcing the upcoming visit of German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to the United States, proposed legislation to restore former President Eisenhower's military rank of General of the Army, the reduction in the outflow of gold to foreign countries, the reduction of home mortgage rates, and the establishment of the Peace Corps on a temporary pilot basis. Following the announcements the President answers questions from the press on a variety of topics including the Republic of the Congo, nuclear disarmament, the economy, and United States-Soviet relations. Question/Answer 24 as documented in the Public Papers was not included in the original material received from CBS, and it is not known if there was a malfunction during the recording or if the section was removed. Press Secretary Pierre Salinger and Associate Press Secretary Andrew Hatcher accompany the President onstage. CBS No. 610306-09. Copyright restrictions apply.
Photograph folder
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-1962-01-11-A
AR15, ST08
Textual folder
James C. Thomson Personal Papers
JCTPP-019-014
Textual folder
James C. Thomson Personal Papers
JCTPP-008-011
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-305-004
This folder contains letters, memoranda, and drafts of speeches by President John F. Kennedy on a variety of topics including economics; foreign aid; communism; nuclear weapons; and international relations, particularly Berlin, Cuba, the Soviet Union, and Latin America.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-314-002
This folder contains an agenda, background memoranda, a list of attendees, and a Record of Action for meeting number 508 of the National Security Council (NSC) wherein President John F. Kennedy discusses national security issues. Topics include Cuba; France, Great Britain, and a multilateral nuclear force; United States trade negotiations; foreign aid; and the economy. Of note is a meeting summary containing the President’s handwritten notes. Also included in this folder is a transcript of a news conference held by White House Press Secretary Pierre Salinger.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-326-015
This folder contains correspondence between Walt Rostow, Deputy Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and numerous individuals on various topics including economics, foreign aid, limited warfare, and the centennial of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Also included is a paper titled, "U.S. Foreign Policy: A Strategic Concept."
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Pre-Presidential Papers. Senate Files
JFKSEN-0894-030
This folder contains drafts of a speech given by Senator John F. Kennedy before the National Women's Democratic Club. Topics of the speech include foreign policy under President Dwight D. Eisenhower's administration including the Soviet Union, military strength and national security, and domestic economic issues and policies. Of note are drafts with notations by the Senator.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-054-008
This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the President's News Conference of March 8, 1961 (News Conference 6). President Kennedy began the press conference by urging the public to support Radio Free Europe. He then announced that he would be making a statement concerning his views of problems in the Americas following an upcoming reception at the White House; that he had directed Federal departments and agencies to speed up government spending; and the upcoming visit of Swedish Prime Minister Tage Erlander to the United States. He then made several statements concerning the building of schools for Native American and Inuit children, the distribution of surplus food, and the polio outbreak in Cuba. Following the announcements the President answered questions from the press on a variety of topics including the President's economic program, the situation in Laos, and federal aid to education. Background material in the folder consists of briefing papers for the President on domestic and foreign affairs and national security. Topics of the briefing papers include nuclear weapons and disarmament, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), United States-Soviet relations, the situation in the Republic of the Congo, the increase in Communist military forces in Laos, and United States-Cuban relations. The official White House transcript of the press conference and the stenotype transcript of the press conference are also included.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-054-007
This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the President's News Conference of March 1, 1961 (News Conference 5). President Kennedy began the press conference by announcing the upcoming visit of German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to the United States, proposed legislation to restore former President Eisenhower's military rank of General of the Army, the reduction in the outflow of gold to foreign countries, the reduction of home mortgage rates, and the establishment of the Peace Corps on a temporary pilot basis. Following the announcements the President answered questions from the press on a variety of topics including the Republic of the Congo, nuclear disarmament, the economy, and United States-Soviet relations. Background material in the folder includes drafts of press conference announcements and a copy of President Kennedy's letter to Congressman Carl Vinson about restoring former President Eisenhower's military rank. The official White House transcript of the press conference and the stenotype transcript of the press conference are also included.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-056-007
This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the President's News Conference of May 17, 1962 (News Conference 33). During this press conference President Kennedy answered questions from the press on a variety of topics including the investigation of Billie Sol Estes' involvement in federal farm programs; United States-French political differences concerning the Berlin negotiations and French President Charles De Gaulle's proposal for an independent European nuclear deterrent; the dispatch of United States forces to Thailand; and the situation in Laos. Background materials in this folder consist of briefing papers on domestic and foreign affairs including the economy and the Billie Sol Estes case. Of note are Department of State telegrams concerning West New Guinea dispute between the Dutch and Indonesian governments. The official White House transcript of the press conference and the stenotype transcript of the press conference are also included.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-056-004
This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the President's News Conference of April 18, 1962 (News Conference 31). The President began the press conference by announcing that the United States had that day presented an outline of basic provisions for a treaty on general and complete nuclear disarmament at Geneva. He then said a few words in follow-up to the previous week's events concerning steel prices emphasizing the goodwill and the commonality of goals between his administration and American industry. Then he announced that he had directed the Army to cancel the trial of reservist Private Larry D. Chidester and to remit the balance of sentence of reservist Private Bernis G. Owen, both court marshaled for their complaints about being called up for active service. Finally, the President briefly announced the release of reports by the Presidential Commission on Campaign Costs, and that former First Lady Mamie Eisenhower had agreed to serve as honorary co-chairman, with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, of the National Cultural Center. Following the announcements the President answered questions from the press on a variety of topics including the situation with the steel industry, nuclear disarmament and the status of a test ban treaty, and the situation in Berlin. Items consist of the official White House transcript of the press conference and the stenotype transcript of the press conference.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-055-008
This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the President's News Conference of February 14, 1962 (News Conference 24). The President began the press conference with a statement concerning the release of Soviet intelligence officer Colonel Rudolph Abel in exchange for the release of the American U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers and American student Frederic Pryor from detention in the Soviet Union and East Germany. Following this statement the President answered questions from the press on a variety of topics including United States involvement in Vietnam, the status of the nuclear test ban treaty, and restrictions on public statements by military personnel. Background materials in this folder include a draft press conference announcement, executive department and agency reports, and briefing papers for the President on domestic and foreign affairs and national security. Topics of the briefing papers include the economy, negotiations for a nuclear test ban treaty, and the situation in South Vietnam. The official White House transcript of the press conference and the stenotype transcript of the press conference are also included.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-292-006
This folder contains telegrams, press releases, and memoranda concerning the withdrawal of United States military forces from Europe and a reduction in Department of Defense spending to improve the balance of payments.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. National Security Files
JFKNSF-292-005
This folder contains telegrams and memoranda concerning the withdrawal of United States military forces from Europe and a reduction in Department of Defense spending to improve the balance of payments.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-037-004
This folder contains materials collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning President Kennedy's State of the Union address to Congress at The House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. In his speech President Kennedy discusses his plans to strengthen the economy in response to the recent recession and threat of inflation, and the need for Congress to respond to certain national matters, including pollution, education, mass transit, urban housing, civil rights, public health, and welfare assistance programs. The President also addresses his plan for Cold War diplomacy, the possible spread of communism through Asia and Latin America, and the importance of organizations such as the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in managing international affairs. Materials in this folder include draft and press copies of the address. The drafts of the speech include handwritten notations by the President.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-037-003
This folder contains a reading copy of President John F. Kennedy's State of the Union address to Congress at The House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. The reading copy includes handwritten notations by the President. In his speech President Kennedy discusses his plans to strengthen the economy in response to the recent recession and threat of inflation, and the need for Congress to respond to certain national matters, including pollution, education, mass transit, urban housing, civil rights, public health, and welfare assistance programs. The President also addresses his plan for Cold War diplomacy, the possible spread of communism through Asia and Latin America, and the importance of organizations such as the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in managing international affairs.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-064-003
This folder contains memoranda between the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, and Carl Kaysen, Deputy Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. Topics include nuclear weapons, Department of Defense expenditures and the international balance of payments, Spain, and foreign aid. Of note are tables summarizing correspondence between President Kennedy and Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru and President of Pakistan Ayub Khan. Also included in this folder is an issue of The Outsider’s Newsletter.