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April 18, 1969

Introduction

This almanac page for Friday, April 18, 1969, pulls together various records created by the federal government and links to additional resources which can provide context about the events of the day.

Previous Date: Thursday, April 17, 1969

Next Date: Saturday, April 19, 1969

Schedule and Public Documents

  • The Daily Diary files represent a consolidated record of the President's activities. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    The President's day began at The White House - Washington, D. C.

  • The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents made available transcripts of the President's news conferences; messages to Congress; public speeches, remarks, and statements; and other Presidential materials released by the White House.

    Announcements

    Executive Orders

    Letters, Memorandums, Etc.

    • Federal Trade Commission (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 576, April 18, 1969)
      Exchange of Letters Between President Nixon and William T. Gossett, President of the American Bar Association, on a Forthcoming Study of the Commission by the ABA.

    News Conferences

    Digest of Other White House Announcements

    Following is a listing of items of general interest which were announced in the press but not made public as formal White House press releases during the period covered by this issue. Appointments requiring Senate approval are not included since they appear in the list of nominations submitted to the Senate, below.

    • In a ceremony in the Rose Garden, about 175 boys and girls representing the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia presented scrolls to the President with signatures of a quarter of a million Philadelphia school children pledging respect for law and authority.

    Nominations Submitted to the Senate

    Does not include promotions of members of the Uniformed Services, nominations to the Service Academies, or nominations of Foreign Service Officers.

    • WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, of Maryland, to be Commissioner of Patents, vice Edward J. Brenner.

  • Each Public Papers of the Presidents volume contains the papers and speeches of the President of the United States that were issued by the White House Office of the Press Secretary during the time period specified by the volume. The material is presented in chronological order, and the dates shown in the headings are the dates of the documents or events. In instances when the release date differs from the date of the document itself, that fact is shown in the text note.

    To ensure accuracy, remarks have been checked against audio recordings (when available) and signed documents have been checked against the original, unless otherwise noted. Editors have provided text notes and cross references for purposes of identification or clarity.

  • The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other Presidential documents.

  • The Congressional Record is the official daily record of the debates and proceedings of the U.S. Congress.

Archival Holdings

  • The H. R. Haldeman Diaries consists of seven handwritten diaries, 36 dictated diaries recorded as sound recordings, and two handwritten audio cassette tape subject logs. The diaries and logs reflect H. R. Haldeman’s candid personal record and reflections on events, issues, and people encountered during his service in the Nixon White House. As administrative assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, Haldeman attended and participated in public events and private meetings covering the entire scope of issues in which the Nixon White House engaged in during the years 1969-1973. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    • Transcript of diary entry - not yet online
    • Handwritten diary entry - not yet online

  • The National Archives Catalog is the online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records. It is the main way of describing our holdings and also provides access to electronic records and digitized versions of our holdings. 

    The Catalog searches across multiple National Archives resources at once, including archival descriptions, digitized and electronic records, authority records, and web pages from Archives.gov and the Presidential Libraries. The Catalog also allows users to contribute to digitized historical records through tagging and transcription.

    Nixon Library Holdings

    All National Archives Units

National Security Documents

  • The President's Daily Brief is the primary vehicle for summarizing the day-to-day sensitive intelligence and analysis, as well as late-breaking reports, for the White House on current and future national security issues. Read "The President's Daily Brief: Delivering Intelligence to Nixon and Ford" to learn more.

  • The Foreign Relations of the United States series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. Visit the State Department website for more information.

    Vol. XII, Soviet Union, January 1969-October 1970

    Initial Contacts, January-April 22, 1969

    Vol. XIX, Part 1, Korea, 1969-1972

    North Korean Shootdown of a U.S. Reconnaissance Flight and Contingency Planning, January-November 1969

    Vol. XXIII, Arab-Israeli Dispute, 1969-1972

    The Rogers Plan

    Vol. XXIX, Eastern Europe, 1969-1972

    Czechoslovakia

    Vol. XLI, Western Europe; NATO, 1969-1972

    France

    Vol. E-2, Documents on Arms Control and Nonproliferation, 1969-1972

    Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee; Seabed Arms Control Treaty

    • 86. Study Prepared by Ad Hoc National Security Council Steering Committee , Washington, April 18, 1969

      The study was prepared in response to NSSM 41 and addressed whether the agreement proposed by the U.S. was in its national interests; the feasibility of the alternative solutions introduced; whether the agreement should create a blanket ban or target only certain weapons; would apply to a specific zone; and if there should be provisions for inspection. The study continued with a discussion of possible difficulties and prospective successes on an issue by issue basis. It was then circulated, with revisions, on April 26 for discussion at the April 30 NSC meeting.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–22, NSC Meeting 4/30/69. Top Secret; Controlled Dissem; Limdis. Under cover of an April 26 memorandum, Jeanne Davis forwarded copies of the paper, for discussion at the NSC meeting on April 30, to Agnew, Rogers, Laird, Lincoln, Richardson, Wheeler, and Helms. She noted that the study had been revised to take into account comments received on the version distributed April 25. (Ibid.) The telegram at Tab C was repeated for information to USUN and USNATO.

    Vol. E-4, Documents on Iran and Iraq, 1969-1972

    Iran 1969

    • 11. Telegram 1371 From the Embassy in Iran to the Department of State, Tehran, April 18, 1969, 1040Z

      The telegram reported on the Shah’s concern at the Ambassador’s private suggestion that Iranian and Iraqi tension over the Shatt al-Arab might have a deleterious effect on US-Iranian relations.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 33 IRAN-IRAQ/Shatt al-Arab. Secret; Priority. Repeated to London, Jidda, and CINCSTRIKE.

    Vol. E-5, Part 1, Documents on Sub-Saharan Africa, 1969-1972

    Nigerian Civil War

    Vol. E-10, Documents on American Republics, 1969-1972

    Guatemala

    • 322. Telegram 617 From the Embassy in Nicaragua to the Department of State, April 18, 1969, 1737Z. , April 18, 1969, 1737Z

      From Nicaragua, where he had been posted as Guatemala’s Ambassador since April 1968, Colonel Carlos Arana announced that he would run for the Guatemalan presidency in upcoming elections.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1967–69, POL 17 GUAT–NIC. Unclassified. Repeated to Guatemala. In Airgram A–43 from Guatemala City, February 27, the Embassy in Guatemala reported at length on Arana’s political views and that he had been nominated for the presidency on January 10 by the Movimiento Liberación Nacional (MLN). (Ibid., POL 14 GUAT)

  • The Kissinger telephone conversation transcripts consist of approximately 20,000 pages of transcripts of Kissinger’s telephone conversations during his tenure as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (1969-1974) and Secretary of State (1973-1974) during the administration of President Richard Nixon. Visit the finding aid for more information.

    Digitized versions of many of these transcripts can be found on the Yale University Library website.

Audiovisual Holdings

  • The White House Photo Office collection consists of photographic coverage of President Richard Nixon meeting with prominent social, political, and cultural personalities; speaking engagements and news conferences of the President and various high-ranking members of the White House staff and Cabinet; Presidential domestic and foreign travel, including Presidential vacations; social events and entertainment involving the First Family, including entertainers present; official portraits of the President, First Family, and high-ranking members of the Nixon administration; the 1969 and 1973 Inaugurals; the President’s 1972 Presidential election campaign appearances (including speeches) and other official activities of the White House staff and the President’s Cabinet from January 20, 1969 until August 9, 1974 at the White House and the Old Executive Office Building; other locations in Washington, DC, such as The Mall; and the Presidential retreats in Camp David, Maryland, Key Biscayne, Florida, and San Clemente, California. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    Roll WHPO-0820 Photographer: Schuman | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0820-, Vice President Agnew meeting with unidentified African dignitaries. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. Executive Office Building, Office of the Vice President. Agnew, unidentified African dignitaries.

    Roll WHPO-0821 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0821-, President Nixon during a televised press conference dealing with a North Korean plane incident. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, East Room. President Nixon, press audience.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0821-12A, President Nixon at the microphone pointing during a televised press conference dealing with a North Korean plane incident. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, East Room. President Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0822 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0822-, President Nixon during a televised press conference. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, East Room. President Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-0823 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0823-, President Nixon with Pennsylvania Senator Hugh Scott, policemen and students from the Philadelphia Police Athletic League. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Rose Garden. President Nixon, Hugh Scott, unidentified members of the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia, aides, press.

    Roll WHPO-0824 Photographer: Schuman | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0824-, President Nixon with Pennsylvania Senator Hugh Scott, policemen and students from the Philadelphia Police Athletic League. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Rose Garden,. President Nixon, Hugh Scott, unidentified members of the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia, aides, press.

    Roll WHPO-0825 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0825-, President Nixon accepting award from members of the Philadelphia Police Athletic League. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Rose Garden. President Nixon, unidentified members of the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia, aides.

    Roll WHPO-0826 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0826-, President Nixon accepting award from members of the Philadelphia Police Athletic League. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Rose Garden. President Nixon, unidentified members of the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia, Pa. Senator Hugh Scott, aides.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0826-11A, President Nixon accepting award from members of the Philadelphia Police Athletic League. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Rose Garden. President Nixon, unidentified members of the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia, Pa. Senator Hugh Scott, aides.

    Roll WHPO-0829 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0829-01-04 No negatives - contact sheet only., President Nixon standing with guests at a reception for the American Society of Newspaper Editors. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Blue Room and State Dining Room. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, unidentified guests.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-0829-05-07, Guests at a reception for the American Society of Newspaper Editors. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Blue Room and State Dining Room. unidentified guests.

    Roll WHPO-0830 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0830-01A-07A, President Nixon sitting at his Oval Office desk,leaning back with with his feet placed up on the desk, during a meeting with H.R. Haldeman and Ron Ziegler. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, H. R. Haldeman, Ronald Ziegler.

    Roll WHPO-0886 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-0886-03-05, President Nixon greeting members of the Philadelphia Police Athletic League. 4/18/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Rose Garden. President Nixon, Senator Hugh Scott, Ron Ziegler, unidentified guests, military aide.

  • The White House Communications Agency Sound Recordings Collection contains public statements that took place between 1969 and 1974. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    P - Formal Presidential Remarks

    • WHCA-SR-P-690412
      Remarks by President Nixon in a press conference. (4/18/1969, East Room at the White House)

      Runtime: 30:20:00

      Keywords: Presidential press conferences, presidential news conferences, interviews, media, Vietnam War, Indochina War

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

  • The White House Communications Agency Videotape Collection contains “off-the-air” recordings of televised programs produced between 1968 and 1974. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    • WHCA-3306
      President's [Fifth] Press Conference. Also includes footage from the 1969 inaugural parade (probably left on tape when re-used) President Richard Nixon.
      NBC
      Runtime: 00:58:46
    • WHCA-3307
      President's [Fifth] Press Conference. Vice President Spiro Agnew and entertainer Johnny Carson.
      NBC
      Runtime: 1:00

Context (External Sources)