1. Home
  2. Research
  3. Almanac

July 21, 1969

Introduction

This almanac page for Monday, July 21, 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: Sunday, July 20, 1969

Next Date: Tuesday, July 22, 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.

    Appointments and Nominations

    • Communications Satellite Corporation (6 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 969, July 21, 1969)
      Announcement of Intention To Nominate Rudolph A. Peterson as a Member of the Board of Directors.

    Checklist of White House Press Releases

    The releases listed below, made public by the Office of the White House Press Secretary during the period covered by this issue, are not included in the issue.

    • Press conference of Colonel Frank Borman and Ronald Ziegler concerning the Apollo 11 mission.

  • 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.

    No Federal Register published on this date

  • 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.

  • 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. I, Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

    Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

    Vol. II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

    The NSC System

    Vol. III, Foreign Economic Policy; International Monetary Policy, 1969-1972

    Foreign Economic Policy

    Vol. VI, Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    Vietnam, January 1969-July 1970

    • 100. Memorandum From the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Wheeler) to Secretary of Defense Laird, Washington, July 21, 1969

      Source: Washington National Records Center, DOD/ISA Subject Files: FRC 330 72 A 6308, Box 8, Vietnam #2, 1969, 000.1. Top Secret; Sensitive. Kissinger sent a copy of this memorandum to Nixon under cover of a July 22 memorandum in anticipation of a meeting the President was to have at 6:30 p.m., July 22, with Laird and Wheeler. Kissinger wrote: “Although there is much substantive discussion which could be held as a result of Gen. Wheeler’s report, this meeting should be primarily cosmetic, with the view to setting the stage for more detailed subsequent discussion. General Wheeler’s trip report is optimistic in terms of progress being made in all areas of Vietnamization, and especially in terms of the military situation in Vietnam which he assesses is the best he has ever found it.” Also attached to Kissinger’s covering memorandum was a draft of a mission change statement that was undergoing coordination with the JCS. (National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 1320, Unfiled Material, 1969)

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

    Establishment of the Kissinger-Dobrynin Channel; Dialogue on the Middle East; and the Sino-Soviet Dispute, April 23-December 10, 1969

    • 70. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rogers to President Nixon, Washington, July 21, 1969

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 689, Country Files, Europe, Germany, Berlin, Vol. I. Secret. A copy is also ibid., Box 341, Subject Files, Kissinger/Nixon Memoranda. There is no indication of approval or disapproval of the recommendations, but on July 22, Sonnenfeldt sent Kissinger a memorandum that recommended his approval of Rogers’ proposed démarche to the Soviets. On August 5, Kissinger initialed approval for Nixon. (Ibid.) Two days later, Ambassador Beam met Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister Kozyrev in Moscow to deliver the text of Beam’s oral statement; printed in Foreign Relations, 1969–1976, volume XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969–1972.

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

    The Rogers Plan

    • 39. Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs (Sisco) to President Nixon and Secretary of State Rogers, Washington, July 21, 1969

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 650, Country Files, Middle East, Middle East Negotiations. Secret; Nodis. Sisco’s memorandum is attached to a July 23 memorandum from Kissinger to Nixon, which is stamped: “The President has seen.” Kissinger wrote that Sisco’s “most interesting reflections” were that: 1) Soviet officials judged that they could “live with the present situation in the Near East”; and 2) the United States could “get through the next six weeks with the British and French,” but they would “become restless” if no progress was made by the time the UN General Assembly opened on September 16.

    Vol. XXXII, SALT I, 1969-1972

    Preparations for SALT, January 27-November 12, 1969

  • 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-1584 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-1584-, President Nixon in an Oval Office meeting with Gerard Smith, Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and Henry Kissinger. 7/21/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Henry Kissinger, Gerard Smith.

    Roll WHPO-1585 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-1585-, Pat Buchanan at his desk with intern Ken Smith. 7/21/1969, Washington, D.C. Executive Office Building. Pat Buchanan, Ken Smith.

  • 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.

    H - White House Staff Member Recordings

    • WHCA-SR-H-051
      Press briefing by Ronald Ziegler, Frank Borman, and Captain Elsey regarding the president's talk with astronauts. (7/21/1969, Roosevelt Room, White House)

      Runtime: 12:00

      Keywords: NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, space program, astronauts, Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media, press secretary

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by "Mutual"; Recorded by GLT (initials of WHCA engineer)

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.
    • WHCA-SR-H-052
      Interview with Frank Borman, including Ronald Ziegler and Herbert Kaplow. (7/21/1969, North Lawn, White House)

      Runtime: 5:00

      Keywords: interviews, media

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by ABC; Recorded by LNH (initials of WHCA engineer)

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

    P - Formal Presidential Remarks

    • WHCA-SR-P-690715
      Congratulatory message by President Nixon to those involved in Apollo 11 mission. (7/21/1969, Retiring Room, the White House)

      Runtime: 0:02:02

      Keywords: NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, space program, astronauts

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by RER (initials of WHCA engineer)

      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-3377
      Apollo 11 - Live Broadcast From the Moon, Part Three. News coverage of the first astronauts landing on the moon.
      CBS
      Runtime: 00:59:09

Context (External Sources)