Dean F. Markham (#8.16)

An Inventory of His White House Staff Files, 1962-1965
In the John F. Kennedy Library
National Archives and Records Administration

Administrative Information
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
List of Series
Collection Description

Administrative Information

Abstract
White House Staff Files 1962-1965
Government official. Member, White House special projects staff (1961-1964); Executive Director, President's Advisory Committee on Narcotic and Drug Abuse (1963); Special Consultant to the President on Drug Abuse (1964-1965). Correspondence, planning and public relations materials, transcripts and records of meetings, publications and background materials.

Access
Open.

Usage Restrictions
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.

Copyright
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excesses of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. The copyright law extends its protection to unpublished works from the moment of creation in a tangible form. Direct your questions concerning copyright to the reference staff.

Provenance
The White House staff files of Dean F. Markham, White House special projects staff, were donated to the John F. Kennedy Library in 1965 as part of the papers of John F. Kennedy.

Extent
About 38,000 items (20 linear feet, 7 linear inches; 23.0 cubic feet).

Items Separated
Items separated include printed material (PM-8.16), oversize material (OVZ-8.16), index card boxes (IDX-8.16), and audiovisual material (AV-8.16).

Date Opened
October 1972.

Finding Aid Prepared by
James M. Williamson.

Revisions
Finding aid updated in November 2006 by Alison M. Anderson.

Related Collections
John J. McNally Papers, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
Dave Powers Papers, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
U.S. President’s Advisory Commission on Narcotics and Drug Abuse, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library

The White House Staff Files of Dean F. Markham

Biographical Note
Dean F. Markham was born January 3, 1924, in Pasadena, California. He attended Harvard University where he received his B.A. in Sociology in 1948. Markham served as a member of the White House Special Projects Staff as well as Executive Director, President's Advisory Commission on Narcotic and Drug Abuse (1963). During his tenure in the Special Projects Staff (1961-1964), Markham took on a variety of positions, including: Planning Director, White House Conference on Drug Abuse (1962); Deputy Director, President’s Commission on Juvenile Delinquency and Youth Crime; Director of Administration, President’s Council on Youth Fitness; and Coordinator, White House Regional Conferences. In November 1963, he was involved in organizing arrangements for President Kennedy’s funeral, and later worked on coordinating the John F. Kennedy Library traveling exhibit tour as well as fundraising for the future John F. Kennedy Library. Under the Johnson Administration, he acted as special consultant to the President on drug abuse (1964-1965). Dean Markham was killed in an airplane crash along with George Skakel, Jr. (brother of Ethel Kennedy) in Riggins, Idaho, on September 23, 1966.

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 Dean F. Markham consist principally of incoming and outgoing correspondence; transcripts and records of official meetings; and publications and background material used in writing the final report for the President's Advisory Commission on Narcotic and Drug Abuse. As a consequence of Markham's efforts to gather the information and opinions needed by the Commission, much of his correspondence is with specialists in the field, Federal agencies, and professional organizations. The remainder of the correspondence is administrative and includes invitations to the conference and requests for copies of the final report. A final series on Markham’s involvement with the White House Special Projects contains documents relating to the duties he was assigned following John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Files consist mainly of planning charts and notes, correspondence, and public relations material.

List of Series
Series 1. Chronological File, 1962-1965
Series 2. Conference File
Series 3. Commission File
Series 4. Congressional File
Series 5. Name File
Series 6. Federal Agency File
Series 7. Final Report File
Series 8. Legislation File
Series 9. Organization File
Series 10. Speech and Conference File
Series 11. State and Country File
Series 12. Press Materials File
Series 13. Miscellaneous Material
Series 14. Publications File

Additions
Series 15. Special Projects File, 1963-1964

Collection Description

Series 1. Chronological File, 1962-1965.
Arrangement: chronological.

Markham's outgoing correspondence.

Series 2. Conference File.
Arrangement: by type of material.

Includes background material, organization charts, programs, remarks of the president, transcript of proceedings, published report and other records dealing specifically with the White House conference on drug abuse.

Series 3. Commission File.
Arrangement: by type of material.

Includes background material, biographical material on commission members, correspondence with commission members, and records of the eight meetings held in 1963 of the President's Advisory Commission on Narcotic and Drug Abuse.

Series 4. Congressional File.
Arrangement: alphabetical.

Correspondence with members of Congress, much of it on pertinent legislation.

Series 5. Name File.
Arrangement: alphabetical.

General correspondence and a few publications.

Series 6. Federal Agency File.
Arrangement: by department.

Correspondence, statements and other material filed alphabetically by agency. This file contains the views of various Federal agencies regarding the problem of drug abuse and the work and recommendations of the commission.

Series 7. Final Report File.
Arrangement: by type of material.

Contains questions answered by each commission member regarding matters to be included in the final report, rough and final drafts of each chapter, comments on drafts by commission members, comments of Federal agencies on the final report, the final report (published version), and records concerning its compilation.

Series 8. Legislation File.
Arrangement: by congress.

Summary of legislation on narcotics, 1945-1963; pertinent legislation of 87th, 88th, and 89th Congresses; remarks of the President upon signing the "Drug Abuse Control Amendment of 1965"; and other related materials.

Series 9. Organization File.
Arrangement: alphabetical by organization.

Correspondence with professional organizations concerning matters of interest to them that were dealt with by the commission. Organizations include the American Medical Association, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, and others.

Series 10. Speech and Conference File.
Arrangement: chronological by date.

Contains speeches Markham gave and materials he collected while attending various conferences relating to the problem of drug abuse during 1963 - 1965. Includes Gracie Mansion Narcotics Conference, U.C.L.A. Conference, and others.

Series 11. State and Country File.
Arrangement: alphabetical by state or country.

Contains routine correspondence Markham filed.

Series 12. Press Materials File.

Contains clippings, press releases of the conference and commission, and Markham's correspondence with newspapers and periodicals. The correspondence consists of rebuttals to various newspaper articles that criticized the findings of the commission.

Series 13. Miscellaneous Material.

Contains 3x5 card invitations and mailing lists, extra copies of final report.

Series 14. Publication File.

A large collection of pamphlets, reports, news letters, and other documents about drug abuse, which Markham maintained to aid him in his work.

Additions

Addendum of November 2006
About 2,000 items (10 4 linear inches; 0.75 cubic foot).

The material in this addendum to the Dean F. Markham Papers arrived with the original accession, but was misfiled as John F. Kennedy Library Corporation Files. Had it not been separated, it would have been placed in the Dean F. Markham Personal Papers Series 15. Special Project Files, 1963-1964.

Note that, while this addition has not been integrated into the original deposit, it has been arranged according to the organization scheme of the previously deposited materials with Series 15 added.

Additions

Series 15. Special Projects File, 1962-1965.
About 2,000 items (10 linear inches; 0.75 cubic foot).
Arrangement: alphabetical by subject or type.

This series contains materials relating to three special projects that Dean F. Markham coordinated during his time spent under the Johnson Administration. These projects files include: organizing arrangements for President Kennedy’s funeral, coordinating the Museum traveling exhibit tour, and fundraising for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library. The John F. Kennedy Library Exhibit files consist of photographs, public relations material, and correspondence relating to tour planning. The John F. Kennedy Library Federal Employees Fund Drive files consist of planning material such as charts, lists, and contact sheets of potential contributors; public relations documents; correspondence; and contribution details. The John F. Kennedy Funeral files consist of planning charts, invitations, Mass cards, correspondence, press releases, and information about the movement of the grave markers for the Kennedy’s deceased children.