May 20, 1969

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

• Original typewritten diary (PDF)

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.

Addresses and Remarks

• National Multiple Sclerosis Society (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 722, May 20, 1969)
  Remarks of the President, Daniel J. Haughton and Shirley Temple Black at the Presentation of the Society's Hope Chest Award to the President.

Appointments and Nominations

• Agency for International Development (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 721, May 20, 1969)
  Announcement of Appointment of Lane Dwinell as Assistant Administrator for Administration.

Meetings With Foreign Leaders

• Luncheon Honoring King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 723, May 20, 1969)
  Exchange of Toasts Between President Nixon and King Baudouin at the Luncheon at the White House.

News Conferences

• Meeting With the Minority Leadership (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 719, May 20, 1969)
  News Briefing by Representative Gerald R. Ford and Press Secretary Ronald L. Ziegler Following a Meeting With the President.

Proclamations

• White Cane Safety Day, 1969 (5 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 722, May 20, 1969)
  Proclamation 3913.

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.

• President Thieu of the Republic of Vietnam and President Nixon have agreed to meet at Midway Island on Sunday, June 8, 1969. Because of the trip, President Nixon will be unable to deliver the commencement address at Ohio State University on June 7. He will be represented there by Vice President Agnew.
• The President has named Maj. Gen. Patrick F. Cassidy, USA, for assignment as Commanding General of the I Corps group in Vietnam and nominated him for the grade of lieutenant general.

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.

• JOHN N. NASSIKAS, of New Hampshire, to be a member of the Federal Power Commission for the remainder of the term expiring June 22, 1970, vice Lee C. White.
• WILLIAM E. Amos, of Maryland, to be a member of the Board of Parole for the term expiring September 30, 1974, vice Homer L. Benson.
• LANE DWINELL, of New Hampshire, to be an Assistant Administrator of the Agency for International Development.
• WADE H. BALLARD, III, of West Virginia, to be United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia for the term of 4 years vice Milton J. Ferguson.
• HAROLD S. FOUNTAIN, of Alabama, to be United States Marshal for the Southern District of Alabama for the term of 4 years vice George M. Stuart.
• GEORGE L. TENNYSON, of South Dakota, to be United States Marshal for the District of South Dakota for the term of 4 years vice Leonard T. Heckathorn.
• The following-named officer under the provisions of title 10, United States Code, section 3066, to be assigned to a position of importance and responsibility designated by the President under subsection (a) of section 3066, in grade as follows: To be Lieutenant General MAJOR GENERAL PATRICK FRANCIS CASSIDY, 032809, Army of the United States (brigadier general, United States Army).

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.

• Remarks on Accepting the Hope Chest Award of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
• Toasts of the President and King Baudouin of Belgium.
• Proclamation 3913—White Cane Safety Day, 1969

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.

• Federal Register of Tuesday, May 20, 1969

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

• Senate: May 20, 1969
• House of Representatives: May 20, 1969
• Extensions of Remarks: May 20, 1969

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 (PDF)
• Handwritten diary entry (JPG)

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

• Text search for May 20, 1969
• Date search for May 20, 1969

All National Archives Units

• Text search for May 20, 1969
• Date search for May 20, 1969

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.

• President's Daily Brief of 20 May 1969

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

The NSC System

• 46. Memorandum From the Assistant Director (Domestic Intelligence), Federal Bureau of Investigation (Sullivan) to the Director (Hoover) , Washington, May 20, 1969

  Source: National Archives, RG 460, Plumbers Task Force, Gray/Wiretap Investigation, Box 27, Witness Statements, Sullivan—Depositions. Confidential.

Vol. IV, Foreign Assistance, International Development, Trade Policies, 1969-1972

Foreign Assistance Policy, 1969-1972

• 8. Memorandum From C. Fred Bergsten of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) , Washington, May 20, 1969

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Agency Files, Box 193, AID Volume I 1969. Secret.

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.

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-1095 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1095-01-07, President Nixon standing by his desk, shaking hands with Michigan Senator Robert Griffin. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Robert Griffin.
• Frame(s): WHPO-1095-01A, President Nixon standing by his Oval office desk shaking hands with Michigan Senator Robert Griffin. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, Robert Griffin.

Roll WHPO-1096 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1096-03-06, Setting up of a photo shoot near the portrait of President Nixon. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Cabinet Room. Joseph King, unidentified photographer.
• Frame(s): WHPO-1096-07-11, Joseph King standing by his portrait of President Nixon. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Cabinet Room. Joseph King, unidentified photographer.

Roll WHPO-1098 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1098-02-06, President Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon greet King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium at their arrival under the North Portico of the White House. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, North Portico. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, King Baudouin, Queen Fabiola, Emil Mosbacher, Mrs. Emil Mosbacher.
• Frame(s): WHPO-1098-04A, President Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon greeting King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium upon their arrival under the North Portico of the White House. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, North Portico. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, King Baudouin, Queen Fabiola.
• Frame(s): WHPO-1098-07-12, President Nixon and Pat Nixon with King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium on the Grand Stairway stairs leading to the Grand Hall. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Grand Stairway. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, King Baudouin, Queen Fabiola, Emil Mosbacher, Mrs. Emil Mosbacher.

Roll WHPO-1099 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1099-03A-08A, President Nixon and Pat Nixon with King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House North Portico and Grand Staircase. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, King Baudouin, Queen Fabiola.

Roll WHPO-1100 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1100-02A-35A, President Nixon receiving a bronze "Hope Chest" from Mr. D. J. Haughton, President of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Shirley Temple Black, Silvia Lawry, and other Society representatives. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon, Shirley Temple Black, D. J. Haughton, Silvia Lawry, unidentified guests.

Roll WHPO-1101 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1101-01A-13A, Gerald Ford and Ron Ziegler at a microphone during a press briefing. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. Gerald Ford, Ronald Ziegler.

Roll WHPO-1102 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1102-04A-18A, President Nixon receiving a bronze "Hope Chest" from Mr. D. J. Haughton, President of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and other Society representatives. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon, Shirley Temple Black, D. J. Haughton, Silvia Lawry, unidentified guests.

Roll WHPO-1103 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1103-02A-04A, President Nixon and Pat Nixon greeting King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium upon their arrival at White House. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. North Portico, White House. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, King Baudouin, Queen Fabiola.
• Frame(s): WHPO-1103-05A-10A, President Nixon and Pat Nixon with King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium upon their arrival at White House. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. North Portico, White House. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, King Baudouin, Queen Fabiola.

Roll WHPO-1104 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1104-03A-14A, Formal portrait of President Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon with King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium, at the Grand Stairway stairs, leading to the Grand Hall. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. Grand Stairway, White House. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, King Baudouin, Queen Fabiola.

Roll WHPO-1105 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1105-02, 04-30, Head and shoulders portrait of Christopher DeMuth. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. unknown. Christopher DeMuth, unidentified woman.
• Frame(s): WHPO-1105-03, Portrait of unidentified woman. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. unknown. Christopher DeMuth, unidentified woman.

Roll WHPO-1106 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1106-01-16, President Nixon and Pat Nixon meeting with artist Joseph King and viewing his portrait of Nixon. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Cabinet Room. President Nixon, Pat Nixon, Joseph King.

Roll WHPO-1111 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1111-, Gerald Ford and Ron Ziegler at a press briefing. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. Gerald Ford, Ronald Ziegler, press photographers.

Roll WHPO-1112 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1112-, President Nixon receives a bronze 'Hope Chest" from D. J. Haughton, President of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, Roosevelt Room. President Nixon, D. J. Haughton, Shirley Temple Black, Sivlia Lawry, unidentified Society representative.

Roll WHPO-1113 Photographer: Kightlinger, Jack | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-1113-, Luncheon in honor of Belgian King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola. 5/20/1969, Washington, D.C. White House, State Dining Room. unidentified guests.

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-026
  Remarks by Henry Kissinger, Alexander Haig, and Helmut Sonnenfeldt at a NATO briefing; OFF THE RECORD: NOT FOR RELEASE. (5/20/1969, [None listed])
  
  Runtime: 1:15:00
  
  Keywords: Briefings, public briefings, statements to the press (see also Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media)
  
  Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by RRN (initials of WHCA engineer)
  
  Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

• WHCA-SR-H-027
  Remarks of Davis, H.R. Haldeman, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Henry Kissinger, and Herb Stein to staff members of Fortune Magazine; OFF THE RECORD: NOT FOR RELEASE. (5/20/1969, White House Family Theatre)
  
  Runtime: 85:00:00
  
  Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by JFH (initials of WHCA engineer)
  
  Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

P - Formal Presidential Remarks

• WHCA-SR-P-690522
  Remarks by President Nixon on Accepting the Hope Chest Award of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (opening Multiple Sclerosis Campaign), with Daniel J. Haughton, Shirley Temple Black. (5/20/1969, Roosevelt Room at the White House)
  
  Runtime: 4:02
  
  Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

• WHCA-SR-P-690523
  Remarks by President Nixon on 4th of July Rebild Festival. (5/20/1969)
  
  Runtime: 2:37
  
  Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

• New York Times of May 20, 1969

• AP Images photos from May 20, 1969
• Getty Images photos from May 20, 1969

The Vanderbilt Television News Archive is the world's most extensive and complete archive of television news. They have been recording, preserving and providing access to television news broadcasts of the national networks since August 5, 1968.

• May 1969 Broadcast Index

Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

• May 20, 1969