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May 20, 1970

Introduction

This almanac page for Wednesday, May 20, 1970, 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: Tuesday, May 19, 1970

Next Date: Thursday, May 21, 1970

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

    • Federal Farm Credit Board (6 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 665, May 20, 1970)
      Announcement of Intention To Nominate Three Members of the Board.

    Awards and Citations

    • Presidential Unit Citation (6 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 665, May 20, 1970)
      Announcement of Award to the 2d Battalion, 12th Cavalary, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) and to Troop B, 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalary Regiment, United States Army.

    Congress, Communications to

    • Marine Pollution from Oil Spills (6 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 660, May 20, 1970)
      The President's Message to the Congress Proposing Administrative and Legislative Actions.

    Proclamations

    Statements by the President

    • Retirement of Speaker McCormack (6 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 664, May 20, 1970)
      Statement by the President on Speaker John W. McCormack's Decision To Retire at the End of His Present Term.

    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 Russell E. Train, Chairman, Council on Environmental Quality; Andrew E. Gibson, Administrator, Maritime Administration; Rear Adm. O. R. Smeder, Assistant Chief of Staff for Ocean Sciences, United States Coast Guard; and Robert H. Neuman, Assistant Legal Adviser, Department of State, on the President's message on marine pollution from oil spills.

    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.

    • Fifteen black university and college presidents who are members of the National Association of Equal Opportunity in Higher Education met with the President at the White House to discuss problems of black students.

  • 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

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 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)
      Wednesday, May 20.

      Some general things in the morning. Jumped on the FSO's who protested Cambodia again. Feels strongly they should not go to Vietnam. Wants me to handle with Alex Johnson. Johnson feels wrong to change their orders because upsets department discipline and shows protest is way to get assignment changed.

      President had two hour meeting with black college presidents. Ehrlichman felt it went well - but they opened with the usual list of attacks and demands and that's what got the publicity.

      Had me in for hour and a half afterwards. Talking about PR, now reversing yesterday's view, thinks we need to get out background about President's meetings. Obviously felt he had done well with blacks and wants the story out. Also the variety of meetings he has, and how well he handles them. Then says maybe it's impossible because of staff weakness, or possible obstinacy. Reviewed bad Cabinet officers again. Disturbed regarding Mayo's blowing of budget story yesterday. Then mused, "How do we survive the economy problem, the war, and the dissent, and still have any support?" Pushing Flanigan hard about getting out positive word. Wants to take on Mansfield, since he's now crossed us completely.

      Talked with Harlow regarding Senate votes. Wants a group to run it, keep the talk going - no compromise, no vote. Wants time to get his own story out first. Then a long thing regarding now is time to hit on Cambodia - the tide of battle ebbs and flows, Monday was watershed, we can now really make our gains, but have to take all-out offensive. Especially wants VP to strike out now. Got our latest poll, shows great majority disapprove of student protest - so President wants to take that on hard.

      Some deep concern regarding his lack of leadership within the Administration. Feels he's got to fire someone and stop letting everyone get away with disloyalty, etc. Wants Ehrlichman and me and Rumsfeld to ponder this problem and meet with him tomorrow about recommendations. I think we have to start cracking down, or we'll lose control completely.

      Called tonight and really chewed me regarding Flanigan’s failure to get a positive story out of Burns regarding budget; the lousy press on black meeting; and Kissinger's whining attitude and bitching about Rogers and Laird. Told me to handle all these - then kept calling every few minutes to follow up. Pretty miserable mood but did cool off.
    • 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

    All National Archives Units

National Security Documents

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-3536 Photographer: Hartmann | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3536-, GINGER SaVILLE. 5/20/1970, unknown unknown. unknown.

    Roll WHPO-3537 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3537-02-14, President Nixon meeting with officers and leading members of the National Association of Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (Black Colleges and Universities). 5/20/1970, Washington, D.C. White House Cabinet Room. President Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-3538 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3538-01A-05A, President Nixon meeting with officers and leading members of the National Association of Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (Black Colleges and Universities). 5/20/1970, Washington, D.C. White House Cabinet Room. President Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-3539 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3539-02-09, Portrait of Dan Hofgren at his desk. 5/20/1970, Washington, D.C. unknown. Daniel W. Hofgren.

    Roll WHPO-3543 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: Color

    • Frame(s): WHPO-3543-02A-09A, Pat Nixon at Tea with District of Columbia foster mothers. 5/20/1970, Washington, D.C. White House East Garden. Pat Nixon.

  • 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-182
      Press briefing by Gerald Warren, Admiral Smeder, Russell Train, and Mr. Neuman re Oil Slick Legislation. (5/20/1970, Press Center, White House)

      Runtime: 15:00

      Keywords: Press conferences, news conferences, interviews, media

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by WHCA; Recorded by ADS (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-3730
      "The Merv Griffin Show" - Herb Klein, Director of White House Communications. Constance Dunaway.
      Undetermined
      Runtime: 00:28:35
    • WHCA-3733
      Weekly News Summary.
      ALL NETWORKS
      Runtime: 0:20

      3. University Presidents at the White House. Time Code Start: 05:09. Keywords: universities, colleges, faculty, executives, leaders, meetings. Network: CBS.

      4. University Presidents at the White House. Time Code Start: 07:32. Keywords: universities, colleges, faculty, executives, leaders, meetings. Network: NBC.

      5. University Presidents at the White House. Time Code Start: 09:26. Keywords: universities, colleges, faculty, executives, leaders, meetings. Network: ABC.

      6. Vice President Agnew at a Tennis Match. Time Code Start: 11:02. Keywords: Vice Presidents, sports, tennis, games. Network: ABC.
    • WHCA-3734
      "Face the Nation" - Herbert Klein, Director of White House Communications. Sarah McClendon, White House correspondent.
      Griffin Productions
      Runtime: 00:29:33

Context (External Sources)