Frederick L. Holborn (#8.11)

A Register of His White House Files, 1959 - 1963
In the John F. Kennedy Library
National Archives and Records Administration

Administrative Information
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
List of Series
Series Description


Administrative Information

Abstract
White House Staff Files 1961-1963
The Presidential Papers of John F. Kennedy.  Special Assistant, White House office (1961-65). Correspondence, public opinion mail.

Access
Open. 

Usage Restrictions
According to the letter of transfer 1965, copyright of these materials has been assigned to the United States. Documents in this collection that were prepared by officials of the United States as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Users of these materials are advised to determine the copyright status of any document from which they wish to publish.

Provenance
The White House staff files of Frederick L. Holborn, administrative assistant to President Kennedy, were donated to the John F. Kennedy Library in 1965 as part of the papers of John F. Kennedy.

Extent
About 3,200 pages (1 linear feet, 9 linear inches ; 2.0 cubic feet).

Withdrawn Items
Items closed: 27
These materials first became available for research use in 1981. Documents which, if published, would result in unwarranted invasion of personal privacy have been removed and placed under seal. Document withdrawal sheets have been inserted in the file where items have been removed. The Library will review this closed material upon request for the purpose of opening items which no longer require restriction.

Date Opened
1981

Processed by
Martin F. McGann

Encoded by
Jennifer M. Miller

Revisions
Finding aid reformatted in December 2002 by Jennifer M. Miller

Related Collections
White House Central Subject Files: Messages
President’s Office Files: Personal Secretary’s Files
Pre-Presidential Papers of John F. Kennedy
Oral History Interviews, Frederick L. Holborn

The White House Files of Frederick L. Holborn

Biographical Note

Frederick L. Holborn received his M.P.A. from Harvard University. After serving as part of John F. Kennedy’s Senatorial staff, he was appointed special assistant in the White House Office, a position he held throughout the Kennedy administration. Holborn's other government service included work in the Attorney General's Office and at the Department of State, along with acting as consultant for various members and committees of Congress. Formerly a professor at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institution of Technology, Holborn is now Senior Adjunct Professor of American Foreign Policy at Paul H. Nitze school of Advanced International Study at Johns Hopkins University.

Collection Overview
The Presidential papers of John F. Kennedy consist of several major bodies of research material. The White House Central Subject File is the principal White House file. The White House Name File contains copies of most incoming correspondence arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent and is cross-referenced to the Subject File. The Chronological File contains copies of documents prepared for the President's signature and is also cross-referenced to the Subject File. The Social File contains the records of the White House Social Office and includes the correspondence of the First Lady. The President's Office File contains the papers maintained by the President's personal secretary for his use. The National Security File contains the records of the staff of the special assistant to the President for national security affairs.

In addition, in what were called in the White House "storage" or "overflow" files are found various miscellaneous materials and the records of the offices of most members of the President's staff. The files described in this finding aid constitute one of the series of White House staff files included in the Presidential papers of John F. Kennedy.

The White House Staff Files of Frederick L. Holborn cover the period 1961 to 1963, though some items date as early as 1959. As special assistant in the White House office, Holborn answered incoming White House mail. These letters often requested personal endorsements or appearances by President Kennedy and it was Holborn's responsibility to reply to these requests, usually stating the president's general policy to refuse such invitations. Holborn's papers also include congratulations on Kennedy's election and inauguration, public opinion mail and weekly and monthly statistical summaries of incoming correspondence. A small amount of the material is from Kennedy's pre-presidential years and relates to his president's role as an overseer at Harvard College.

The material is divided in to 6 series, Pre-Inaugural Messages, 1960 – 1961; Correspondence, 1961 – 1963; Mail Room Weekly Reports, 1961 – 1963; Public Opinion Mail, 1961 – 1963; Harvard Board of Overseers, 1959 – 1963; and Miscellany, 1961 - 1963. The original order of the material has been retained.

List of Series
Series 1. Pre-Inaugural Messages, 1960 – 1961.
Series 2. Correspondence, 1961 - 1963.
Series 3. Mail Room Weekly Reports, 1961 - 1963.
Series 4. Public Opinion Mail, 1961 - 1963.
Series 5. Harvard Board of Overseers, 1959 - 1963.
Series 6. Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1961 - 1963.

Series Description

Series 1. Pre-Inaugural Messages, 1960 – 1961.
About 400 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical, then chronological.

Letters congratulating Kennedy on his Presidential election and inauguration. Congratulatory messages from heads of state are arranged alphabetically by country; the remainder of the material is arranged chronologically. The pre-inaugural mail folders also include suggestions for cabinet appointments.

Series 2. Correspondence, 1961 - 1963.
About 400 items.
Arrangement: chronological by subject.

Arranged into Outgoing Correspondence, Memoranda to the President and Others, JFK Correspondence Referred to Holborn, and Messages, material consists of letters from the general public, civic, private and religious organizations, and members of Congress requesting personal appearances, endorsements and testimonials from President Kennedy.

Series 3. Mail Room Weekly Reports, 1961 - 1963.
About 400 items.
Arrangement: chronological.

Statistical reports of mail received by the White House during the years 1961 - 1963 counting both the number of cards, letters and requests sent to President and Mrs. Kennedy and the amount of mail received concerning important political, social, or world events. Included in are monthly statistical summaries of incoming correspondence. 

Series 4. Public Opinion Mail, 1961-1963.
About 100 items.
Arrangement: by subject.

Letters from citizens expressing their opinions on issues of the Kennedy administration.

Series 5. Harvard Board of Overseers, 1959-1963.
About 100 items.
Arrangement: chronological.

Correspondence, reports, letters of recommendation, agenda, and notifications of meetings relating to the Kennedy's role as an overseer of Harvard College.

Series 6. Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1961-1963.
About 50 items.
Arrangement: by subject.

Letters from Earl Warren, Andrew Wyeth, and persons recommending Winston Churchill for honorary citizenship, along with correspondence arranging for the Royal Scots Greys and Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to perform for the President and his family.