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April 20, 1974

Introduction

This almanac page for Saturday, April 20, 1974, 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: Friday, April 19, 1974

Next Date: Sunday, April 21, 1974

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 Camp David, Maryland

  • 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.

    Digitized versions can be found at HathiTrust.

  • 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.

    No Federal Register published on this date

Archival Holdings

Any selection of archival documents will necessarily be partial. You should use the documents and folders identified below as a starting place, but consult the linked collection finding aids and folder title lists and the collections themselves for context. Many documents to be found this way do not lend themselves to association with specific dates, but are essential to a complete understanding of the material.

  • Selective document listing

    President's Office Files

    The President's Office Files consists of materials drawn together by the Special Files Unit from several administrative subdivisions within the White House Office. It is the handwriting and sensitive papers sent to the Staff Secretary that now comprise much of the President's Office Files. 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. E-11, Part 1, Documents on Mexico; Central America; and the Caribbean, 1973-1976

    Haiti

    • 401. Telegram 718 From the Embassy in Haiti to the Department of State, Port-au-Prince, April 20, 1974, 1615Z

      Summary: Ambassador Isham reviewed Senator Edward Brooke’s April 15–18 visit to Haiti and concluded that the trip had helped to convince the ranking Republican member of the Senate Appropriations Committee that the country deserved U.S. assistance.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D740093–0235. Confidential; Limdis. In telegram 720 from Port-au-Prince, April 22, the Embassy reported that Brooke had emphasized to Haitian officials the importance of improving the country’s image abroad in order to win U.S. support. (Ibid., D740094–0120) In telegram 722 from Port-au-Prince, April 22, the Embassy detailed Brooke’s activities during his stay in Haiti. (Ibid., D740094–0151) Telegram 726 from Port-au-Prince, April 22, provided a more detailed account of Brooke’s meeting with Duvalier. (Ibid., D740094–0440)

  • 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 can be found in the National Archives Catalog.

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-E2648 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E2648-02A-22A, A White House Garden Tour group. 4/20/1974, Washington, D. C. Rose Garden.

    Roll WHPO-E2649 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E2649-02-36, A White House Garden Tour group. 4/20/1974, Washington, D. C. Rose Garden.

    Roll WHPO-E2650 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-E2650-01A-19A, A White House Garden Tour group. 4/20/1974, Washington, D. C. Rose Garden.

  • 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-6888
      "Agronsky & Company". Mike Wallace; Morley Safer.
      CBS
      Runtime: 0:30
    • WHCA-6892
      Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 01:34:00

      41. Rather: Middle East fighting continues. Time Code Start: 83:18. Keywords: Middle East, Mideast, war, travel, trips, truces, treaty, treaties, negotiations. Network: CBS.

      42. Rather/Kalb: Secretary of State Kissinger in Atlanta, Georgia for meeting of Organization of American States (OAS). Time Code Start: 83:58. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, organizations, meetings. Network: CBS.

      43. Rather: Senator Ted Kennedy and Senator Mondale want tax cuts to reduce inflation. Time Code Start: 86:06. Keywords: Senate, Senators, taxes, taxation, revenue, decreases, reductions, economy, economics, budgets, finances, recession, inflation, money, wages, costs, unemployment, prices. Network: CBS.

      44. Rather/Schorr: Upcoming fight in Congress over National Health Insurance with Representative Mills and Senator Ted Kennedy. Time Code Start: 87:18. Keywords: health care, health insurance, insurance, benefits, medicine, medical care, hospitals, costs, financial aid, debates, health care, health insurance. Network: CBS.

      45. Rather/Jones: Vice President Gerald Ford in California to strengthen republican party. Time Code Start: 91:10. Keywords: Vice Presidents, speeches, statements, elections. Network: CBS.

Context (External Sources)