The Presidential historical materials of Geoffrey Shepard, an Associate Director on the Domestic Council Staff, are in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration under the provisions of Title I of the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-526, 88 Stat. 1695) and implementing regulations. In accordance with the act and regulations, archivists reviewed the file group to identify personal and private materials or nonhistorical items. No such items were found.
Materials covered by the act have been archivally processed and are described in the register. Items which are security classified or otherwise restricted under the act and regulations have been removed and placed in a closed file. A Document Withdrawal Record (GSA Form 7279) with a description of each restricted document has been inserted at the beginning of each folder from which material has been removed. A Document Control Record marks the original position of the withdrawn item.
Employees of the National Archives will review periodically the unclassified portion of closed materials for the purpose of opening materials which no longer require restriction. Certain classified documents may be declassified under authority of Executive Order 13526 in response to a Mandatory Review Request (NA Form 14020) submitted by the researcher.
- Linear feet of materials: 1.3
- Approximate number of pages: 2,400
1944 November 7 Born in Santa Barbara, California
1966 B.A., Whittier College
1969 J.D., Harvard Law School
1969-1970 White House Fellow; working with the Secretary of the Treasury
1970-1974 Domestic Council, Associate Director
The materials of Geoffrey Shepard cover the years 1969-74. During this period Shepard served first as a White House Fellow working in the Secretary of the Treasury's office (1969-70) and then as an Associate Director on the Domestic Council Staff (1970-74). The Domestic Council assessed national needs and coordinated the establishment of national priorities on outstanding domestic problems, recommending to the President integrated sets of policy choices and policy advice on pressing domestic issues.
One of the two major subjects covered in these files is the widespread use and abuse of drugs (marijuana, cocaine, heroin, opium). The papers reflect the efforts of the Nixon administration to deal with the drug problem both at home and abroad. Much of the file is devoted to detailing the widespread use of marijuana among young people, proposals for reducing the stringent penalties for the use of small quantities, the growing addiction to hard drugs among Vietnam veterans and inhabitants of inner city areas, and detection and treatment of users of hard drugs.
The second major topic covered in the Shepard papers is violent crime committed with cheap hand guns known as Saturday Night Specials and the administration's efforts to introduce legislation to curb the widespread manufacture, importation, and use of these weapons. The files reveal the lobbying efforts of the American Rifle Association and its official magazine, Gun Week.
Correspondents include Egil Krogh, Jr., John D. Ehrlichman, G. Gordon Liddy, Jeff Donfeld, and Dr. Jerome Jaffe.
On September 11, 1974, the Office of Presidential Papers recorded an exit interview with Shepard upon his departure from the White House staff.
The materials are arranged into one series:
- Subject Files
Boxes: 1-3
Series: Subject Files
Spans: 1969 - 1973
Description: Copies and some originals of memoranda and correspondence; reports, fact sheets, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, and other printed material; drafts and copies of Presidential addresses, White House press releases, and proposed legislation.
SUBJECT FILES, 1969-73
Box 1
The American Connection - Drugs
BK's Referrals to Jeff Donfeld - Drugs, etc.
Boy Scout Booklets
DEFT Instructors
[Drug Education Field Teams (DEFT)]
Drugs [1 of 2]
Drug [2 of 2]
Drug Prosecution Program
Drug Speech File
Ehrlichman to Connally Memo
FBI Drug File
FBI Statistics
Box 2
Goals and objectives: State-SAODAP [Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention]-Dale-IRS Customs-BNDD [Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs]
Guns & Ammunition [July, 1972-Nov. 1970] [1 of 2]
Guns & Ammunition [Sept. 1970-July, 1969] [2 of 2]
Heroin Shortage Report-BNDD
Jaffe-McGovern
Jim Gregg-National Strategy (SAO) [Special Action Office]
Key Facts on Crime & other Domestic [Policy Areas]
Key Resource Individuals
Legislative Proposals
Lunch with Congressmen & Mission Representatives, Sept. 20, '72
Box 3
Narcotics Fireside chat
Narcotics Programs - Supplemental Appropriation
1972 Policy Planning Process - Harper's office
Overseas Guidelines - Narcotics Intelligence Center
Pat Gray - Gun Control
SAO [Special Action Office]/National Institute of Mental Health/Bert Brown
SAO-Veterans Administration
Saturday Night Specials
Thai Opium - Jack Anderson
W.H. Conference on Drug for Athletes (2/3/72)
World Opium Survey 1972