(#3) POF: Series 1. General Correspondence

Administrative Information
Historical Note
Collection Overview

List of Series
Series 1. General Correspondence
Series 2. Special Correspondence
Series 3. Speech Files
Series 4. Legislative Files
Series 5. Press Conferences
Series 6. Staff Memoranda
Series 7. Departments and Agencies
Series 8. Subjects
Series 9. Countries
Series 10. Personal Secretary's Files
Series 11. Special Events through the Years
Series 12. White House Signal Agency
Series 13. Presidential Recordings (White House Meetings and Telephone Recordings file)
ADDITIONS
Addition of June 2005

Collection Description

Series 1. General Correspondence
Boxes 1-26B

Twenty-six boxes [10.8 linear shelf feet] of General Correspondence were opened to research in January 1974. One and one-half boxes [0.6 linear shelf foot] were closed due to donor restrictions or national security classification. One-half box [0.2 linear shelf foot] of valuable original documents was withdrawn for preservation and replaced in the open files by electrostatic copies.

The series consists chiefly of incoming letters and telegrams of a general nature, most of which are from the public and people not known by the President. Some items, however, are from friends, relations and people in public life. The series was formed around an original nucleus of "General Correspondence" files (letters from the public and routine social correspondence such as greeting cards) to which were added two boxes of cables received during the meeting with Nikita Khrushchev in Vienna, one box of formal Fourth of July and birthday greetings, and two boxes of requests for autographs and photographs, and some correspondence concerning gifts to the President. While the origins of the series is somewhat haphazard and the contents mostly unimportant, there is (in addition to pleas' for aid, anniversary messages, and other gratuitous communications) some interesting correspondence with journalists, Congressmen, campaign aides, politicians, and government officials. Of particular interest are letters from writers sending memoranda, drafts of articles, editorials, and press clippings for Mr. Kennedy's information and comment.

The bulk of the series is arranged by year and then arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent. Most items are for the years 1961-1963, although there are a few letters of both earlier and later dates. The original filing was inconsistent, and correspondence from a given individual may be found filed under either his name or under his business or institution's title. The remainder of the series consists of the five subseries: Birthday Greetings; Fourth of July Greetings; USS THRESHER (condolences); Gifts, Photographs, Autographs; and Vienna Meeting. These are also arranged alphabetically, by correspondent or by topic.

This series, while not a major reference source, may be of supplemental interest to researchers. Users should also refer to the Special Correspondence series, the Staff Memoranda series and to the White House Name Files.

28 Boxes. [11.6 Linear Shelf Feet]
  

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