The papers of John Fitzgerald Kennedy cover the period 1917-65. They total 4,208 linear feet, 49 rolls of microfilm, 127 audiotapes, and 73 dictabelts. They are subdivided by form or by period of his career, and are further subdivided by subcollection. This is a brief outline of the collection and its organization.
PERSONAL PAPERS, 1917-63 .
Papers 1917-1963
Student, Choate Academy (1932-1935), Princeton University (1935-1936), Harvard College (1936-1940), Stanford University (1941); Naval Officer (1941-1945); Representative (1947-1953) and Senator (1953-1961) from Massachusetts; President of the United States (1961-1963). This is an artificial subcollection of the Papers of John F. Kennedy created by library staff for the convenience of research use. It brings together items originated by or associated with John F. Kennedy, particularly from the years prior to his Presidency. The collection is diverse and fragmentary. It includes childhood letters, diaries, correspondence, academic records (copies donated by Harvard University) and notebooks, financial papers, Navy records including medical files, records relating to the investigation of the sinking of the S.S. Athenia (copies donated by the State Department), manuscripts of Why England Slept (1940) and Profiles in Courage (1956), some Boston office House of Representatives files, Presidential doodles, and scrapbooks. Includes Historical Manuscripts and Autographs formerly listed as a separate collection (Manuscripts 18th to 20th centuries, presented to President Kennedy or given to the John F. Kennedy Library. Includes documents signed by George Washington, John Adams, Daniel Webster, William Howard Taft, and several letters written by a Union soldier during the Civil War.
PRE-PRESIDENTIAL PAPERS, 1946-60 .
Representative (1947-1953) and Senator (1953-1961) from Massachusetts; Presidential candidate and President-Elect (1960). This subcollection of papers reflects Representative and Senator Kennedy's major official activities. Though incomplete, (there are few documents for the 1946 congressional campaign, and many documents are missing from the House of Representatives years) it is a rich source of information on the major issues, events, themes, and legislation of the 1950s and on the 1960 Presidential campaign and transition. Series include: House Files: correspondence, cases and projects, general and legislative files, Boston office general files, fan mail, invitations, National Veterans Housing Conference 1948, polls of political opinion 1948, scrapbooks, service academy applications, speeches, Boston office thank yous. Campaign files: 1946 campaign [fragment], 1952 campaign, 1958 campaign. Senate files: cases and projects, correspondence copy file, general files, Holborn file, incoming mail, invitations, legislation, office operations, political miscellany, polls of political opinion, service academies file, speeches and the press. 1960 campaign file: campaigns by state, issues, speeches and the press. Transition files: Presidential election congratulations, staff post election correspondence, task force reports.
PRESIDENTIAL PAPERS, 1961-63 .
The working files of President Kennedy and his Presidential staff. The President's Office Files are the papers maintained by his personal secretary for his use; The National Security Files contain the files of the Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and his staff; The White House Central Files contain files of the White House bureaucracy, including an extensive Subject File and Name File, as well as a smaller Classified File and a Chronological File on outgoing Presidential correspondence; The Bureau of the Budget Bill Reports include memos, reports and recommendations to the President on bills coming before him for signature; The White House Social Files contain the records and general correspondence of the First Lady and the Social Office; and there is also a group of Miscellaneous Presidential Files. The White House Staff Files include working files of over thirty members of the White House staff.
The file groups mentioned here are described in detail in individual finding aids available at the Library.