A Register of His White House Files, 1954-1964
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
Lawyer, government official. Assistant Special Counsel to the President (1961-63). General subject file and civil rights file containing correspondence, memorandums, reports, news clippings, drafts, printed material.
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 Files of Lee C. White, Assistant Special Counsel to President Kennedy, were donated to the Kennedy Library in 1965 as part of the papers of John F. Kennedy.
Extent
About 19,000 pages (10 linear feet, 11 linear inches ; 12.5 cubic feet).
Withdrawn Items
Items withdrawn: 28.
This material first became available for research use in July 1972. Prior to that time 28 items were removed and placed under seal because they were security classified, dealt with personnel matters, contained information relating to investigations of individuals or contained other information that might injure, embarrass or harass living persons. Upon request the Kennedy Library will review any material which has been closed for a period of not less than 2 years for the purpose of opening items which no longer require restrictions. Researchers should consult the reference staff to obtain the appropriate form(s).
Date Opened
July 1972.
Additional material opened in 1997.
Processed by
E. William Johnson.
Encoded by
Jennifer Miller.
Related Collections
Lee C. White Oral History Interviews, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
Harris Wofford Jr. White House Staff Files, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
Burke Marshall Papers, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
White House Central Subject Files
, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library
The White House Files of Lee C. White (#8.28)
Biographical Note
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1923 |
Born September 1, Omaha, Nebraska |
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1948 |
B.S., University of Nebraska |
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1950 |
LA.B., University of Nebraska |
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1950-54 |
Attorney, Legal Division, TVA |
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1954-55 |
Assistant to Joseph P. Kennedy and Member, Hoover Commission |
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1954-57 |
Legislative Assistant to Senator John F. Kennedy |
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1957-58 |
Counsel, Senate Small Business Committee |
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1958-61 |
Administrative Assistant to Senator John S. Cooper |
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1961-63 |
Assistant Special Counsel to President Kennedy |
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1963-65 |
Associate Special Counsel to President Johnson |
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1965-66 |
Special Counsel to President Johnson |
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1966-69 |
Chairman, Federal Power Commission |
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1969- |
Partner, Semer, White and Jacobsen, Washington, D.C. |
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 Files of Lee C. White cover the period 1961-1963 but include fragments dated as early as 1954 and as late as 1964. The bulk of the material relating to civil rights dates from 1962 to 1963.
As Assistant Special Counsel to the President, White worked directly under Special Counsel to the President, Theodore C. Sorensen. As reflected in the materials, White's duties included staff work on a wide range of administration programs. When Special Assistant to the President, Harris L. Wofford, Jr. left in 1962 to assume a post with the Peace Corps, White inherited much of his responsibility for the coordinating of civil rights activities for the White House.
The material consists of official correspondence with the public and individuals in the federal bureaucracy, along with internal exchanges within the White House. It includes both draft and finalized memoranda and reports from White to the President and material to the President from others which was referred to White for follow-up. The material has generally retained its original order and is divided into two series, General File and Civil Rights File. Both series are arranged alphabetically by topic.
List of Series
Series 1. General File, 1954 - 1964, undated
Series 2. Civil Rights File, 1961 - 1963, undated
Additions
Series
Description
Series 1. General File, 1954 - 1964, undated.
About 7000 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, drafts, printed matter, clippings and miscellaneous items arranged alphabetically by topic or organization and chronologically within each heading. This series covers a wide range of activities and legislative concerns including the communications satellite corporation, the Kennedy administration's economic program, conservation, the development and exploitation of water and other natural resources, public health, and mass transportation. An artificial chronological file consisting largely of extra copies of outgoing correspondence was created at the time of processing and placed at the beginning of the series.
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Box 1
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Chronological File, 1961 - 1963 (4 folders)
Advisory Committees: Standards and Procedures, 1961: 30 March - 27 June
Alaska |
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Conversion of Coal Burning Facilities, 17 Aug. 1961 - 8 May 1962 (2 folders)
U.S. Disputes, 26 Dec. 1961 - 16 Oct. 1962 (2 folders)
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Anti-poll Tax Amendments, 31 Jan. 1961 - 30 April 1963
Area Redevelopment Administration, 31 July 1961 - 21 March 1963 (3 folders) |
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Box 2
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Area Redevelopment Administration, 1963: 11 April - 19 April and undated (2 folders)
Atomic Energy |
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General, Feb. 1962 - Nov. 1963
Hanford Reactor, 1961-62
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Battle Act, 23 Oct. 1961
Berlin Crisis: Emergency Planning, 1950-62 (2 folders)
Bureau of the Budget, July 1961 - July 1963
Coal Mine Safety, 1963: June - Aug.
Columbia River Treaty (Canadian Treaty), Oct. 1962 - Nov. 1963
Commission on Campaign Costs, 9 May 1961 - 15 Nov. 1963 and undated (2 folders) |
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Box 3
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Commission on Registration and Voting Participation, 21 Dec. 1962 - 30 March 1964 (2 folders)
Communications Satellite Corp. General, 28 Feb. 1961 - 29 Jan. 1963 and undated (4 folders)
Federal Communications Commission Hearing, 5 June 1961
Reports to the Congress, 1961 - 1962
Communications Satellite Message, 14 Aug. 1961 - 4 Feb. 1963 and undated (2 folders)
Communications Satellite Corp. Inc., 1962: 1 June 30 Oct. (2 folders)
Communications Satellite Corp. Articles of Incorporation and By-laws, Feb. 1963 |
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Box 4
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Conflict of Interest and Ethics, 4 Jan. 1962 - 30 Oct. 1963 (3 folders)
Conflicts of Interest: Pres. Memo, 21 Jan. 1963
District of Columbia, 1963: 16 Jan. - 5 Nov.
Economic Program: Second Stage, 6 March 1951 - 23 June 1961 and undated (5 folders)
Economic Report, 1961: 24 Oct. - 13 Dec. and undated
Education, 5 Dec. 1961 - 9 July 1962
Education Message, 1962: 23 Jan. - 24 Mar. |
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Box 5
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Elections and Campaign, 1 March 1961 - 12 Dec. 1963
Executive Privilege, 17 May 1954 and undated (2 folders)
Export Control Act-Kitchin Committee, 24 Jan. 1961 - 10 July 1962 and undated (3 folders)
Federal Executive Boards, 10 Feb. 1964
Federal Executive Boards, 14 Nov. 1961 - 21 Oct. 1963
Federal Power Commission, 1963: Feb. 7 - June 26
Fishing, 22 Sept. 1961 - 5 Nov. 1963 and undated
Flood Insurance, 7 Aug. 1956 - 5 Oct. 1963
Foreign Aid Message, 1962: Feb. 26 - March 12
Government Service Employee Management, 15 Dec. 1961 - 15 Jan. 1963
Governors' Meeting with President, 12 July 1963
Guam, Jan. 1963 |
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Box 6
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Hatch Act, March 1962 - Aug. 1963
Hawaii, June 1961 - June 1963
Housing and Home Finance Agency, Feb. 1961 - Nov. 1963 (3 folders)
Immigration Bill, 1963: Feb. - Dec.
Indians, 1962:July - Sept.
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (JCAE): Meeting with Senator Pastore, 1963: Feb. - April
Krebiozen, April 1961 - Jan. 1963 (2 folders) |
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Box 7
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Land Laws Review, May 1963
Public Land Laws Study, Aug. 1962 - June 1963
Legislation |
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Pres. Advisory Council on Arts, May 1962 - Sept. 1963
D.C., March 1961 - May 1963
Drug, 1962: 5 Aug. - 6 Aug.
Education, July 1961 - Nov. 1963 and undated (3 folders)
Follow Up, Feb. 1961 - May 1961
Highways, 20 March 1962 - 18 July 1963
Federal Employees Dues Check Off, 1962: 27 March - 12 April |
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Box 8
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Land and Water Conservation Fund, 5 Nov. 1962 - 5 Nov. 1963
National Academy of Foreign Affairs, 1963: 12 Jan. 1963 - 11 Feb. and undated
Nursing Home Care, 1963: 20 Feb. - 2 Oct.
Saline Water Conversion, June 1961 - Nov. 1963 and undated
Standby Public Works Act 1962, 12 Dec. 1961 - 18 June 1963and undated (5 folders)
Taxes, March 1961 - Oct. 1962 and undated |
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Box 9
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Veterans, Feb. 1961 - Oct. 1963 and undated (4 folders)
Water Resources, July 1961 - May 1963
Wilderness Bill, 1963: 9 Jan - 12 Nov. and undated
Youth Conservation Corps, 30 Jan. 1961 - 23 March 1962 and undated (2 folders)
Youth Employment Opportunities, 10 April 1961 - 24 March 1962 and undated (2 folders) |
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Box 10
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Miscellaneous, 12 Feb. 1961 - 11 Dec. 1963 and undated (5 folders) |
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Legislative Program, 1961 - 1963 and undated (4 folders)
Libraries, March-July 1963 |
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Box 11
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Narcotics |
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March 1961 - Nov. 1963 and undated (7 folders)
Proposed New York Hospital, 1962: March - Nov.
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Box 12
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National Parks, July 1961 - March 1962
National Science Foundation (Loyalty Case), June 1961 - 21 Jan. 1963
National Service Corps, Nov. 1962 - Aug. 1963 and undated
Office of Economic Adjustment, 1963: 27 May - 3 June
Oil Shale, 7 Nov. 1961
Pennsylvania Avenue 1963: 12 Aug. - 4 Nov.
Proposed New System for Numbering Executive Orders 1963: Jan. - Nov.
Public Works Projects, Dec. 1961 - Oct. 1963
The Radical Right, Nov. 1961 - June 1962
Recreation, 1963
Renegotiations
Research - Federal Fire Research Program, 25 Jan. 1962 - 14 Aug. 1963
Resources |
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Administration's Program, 1961: 22 Oct. - 1 Dec. and undated (2 folders)
Agriculture, Interior - Transmission Lines, 1963: 11 Feb. - 14 June
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Box 13
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Bureau of the Budget Circular A-47 Water Resources, 14 Oct. 1961 - 26 Dec. 1962 and undated (2 folders)
Colorado River Power Project, 2 Nov. 1952 - 23 April 1963 and undated
Columbia River Basin, 14 Dec. 1956 - 7 Dec. 1963 and undated (2 folders)
Delaware River Basin, 4 April 1961 - 8 Nov. 1962 and undated (2 folders)
Forest and Timber Development, 9 Jan. 1961 - 11 Oct. 1962 and undated
Garrison Diversion project, 9 Jan. 1960 - 1 Jan. 1961 and undated
Indiana Dunes-Burns Ditch, June 1962 - May 1963 (1-2 of 4 folders)
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Box 14
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Indiana Dunes-Burns Ditch, June 1962 - May 1963 (3-4 of 4 folders)
Kinzua Dam, Jan. 1961 - Oct. 1963 and undated (5 folders)
Knowles Dam, 1963: Feb. - Aug.
Missouri River Basin Project, 1963
Pacific Northwest, 1963
Passamaquoddy Power Project, July 1963
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Box 15
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Passamaquoddy Power Project, 1963: Aug. - Nov.
Power, June 1962 - July 1963
Snake River, 1962: 15 March - 30 Nov.
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Rural Electrification Administration (2 folders)
Rural Electrification for Latin America, 1 Nov. 1962
School Dropouts, Feb. 1962 - 15 Nov. 1963 and undated (3 folders)
Sears Roebuck Exhibit at Lima Peru Trade Fair, 1961: 18 Oct. - 20 Dec. (2 folders) |
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Box 16
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Small Business Administration, 16 March 1961 - 15 Nov. 1963 and undated (4 folders)
St. Lawrence Seaway, June 1963
National Stockpile, June 1958 - July 1963 and undated (3 folders)
Stockpile Program, Sept. 1961 - Nov. 1963 and undated (4 folders) |
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Box 16A
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President's Committee on Stockpiling, 1961-63 (2 folders)
State Department, 1961-63 |
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Box 17
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Strip Mining, Nov. 1962 - Aug. 1963
Summer Employment, 1963: April - May
Taxes on Savings and Loan Associations and Mutual Savings Banks, June 1960 - 8 Oct. 1963 (2 folders)
Tennessee Valley Authority, March 1961 - Nov. 1963 and undated (2 folders)
Mass Transit |
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1961 - July 1963 and undated (5 folders)
Labor Provisions, 25 Feb. 1962 - 28 May 1963 and undated (2 folders)
Los Angeles, 1962: May - Dec. and undated
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Box 18
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Urban Affairs, Dept. of, 3 June 1959 - 23 May 1963 (2 folders)
Urban Affairs Message, 1957 - 1962 and undated (3 folders)
Veterans, 18 Dec. 1961 - 12 Nov. 1963 and undated (5 folders)
V.A. Hospital in Gainesville, Fla., 30 Aug. 1961 - 20 May 1963
Veteran Preference Act, Oct. 1961 - Sept. 1963
Virgin Islands, 1 Feb 1962 - 6 Aug. 1963 and undated
Water Pollution, 1963: Sept. 16 - 18
White House and President, 25 Jan. 1962 - 2 Jan. 1963
W.H. Conf. on Community Development, 1963: 6 May - 18 Nov. and undated (3 folders)
White House - Guides, 12 Feb. 1962 - 25 July 1963
White House Regional Conferences, 18 Oct. 1961 - 10 Oct. 1962
Yugoslav Claims, 19 May 1960 - 12 Aug. 1963 and undated |
Series 2. Civil Rights File, 1961 - 1963, undated.
About 2500 items.
Arrangement: alphabetical.
Correspondence, memoranda, reports, drafts, printed matter, clippings and miscellaneous items arranged alphabetically by topic or organization and chronologically within each heading. This series deals with both civil rights in general and specific topics such as education, equal employment opportunity and housing. It also contains material relating to activities of the subcabinet group on civil rights and meetings of various citizens' groups concerning civil rights.
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Box 19
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Alabama, 1963: 2 May - 9 Oct. and undated
Business Council Meeting, 11 July 11 1963 (2 folders)
Civil Rights - General, 16 June 1962 - 16 Nov. 1963 and undated
Civil Rights Commission, 1963: 11 Jan. - 19 Nov.
Community Relations Service, 1963: 19 June 19 - 17 Oct. and undated
Defense Department, 31 Aug. 1961 - 20 Nov. 1963 (2 folders)
District of Columbia, 15 June 1962 and undated
Education, 26 Feb. 1962 - 17 Dec. 1963 (4 folders)
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Box 20
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Educators' Meeting with President, 19 June 1963 (2 folders)
Emancipation Proclamation Anniversary, 24 April 1962 - 19 Nov. 1963 (2 folders)
Equal Employment Opportunity, 7 March 1961 - 16 Oct. 1963 (9 folders)
Federal Airport Act Amendment, Nov. 1963
Federal Employees, June 1962 - Sept. 9, 1963 (3 folders)
Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Act, 7 March 1961 - 25 June 1963 (2 folders)
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Box 21
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Federal Leases: Non-Discrimination Clause, Apr. 25, 1962 - Sept. 30, 1963
Foreign Nationals, 26 Oct. 1962 - 10 June 1963
Georgia, 18 May 1962 - 27 June 1963
Governors Meetings with the President, 1963: 24 May - 14 June and undated
Health and Welfare Agencies, 1963: 4 July 4 - 22 Aug.
Hotel, Restaurant, Theater Leaders meeting with President, 1963: 29 May - 1 July and undated (2 folders)
Housing
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Committee on Equal Opportunity in Housing, April 11 - Sept. 19, 1963
Executive Order Background, 14 July 1961 - 10 Nov. 62 (5 folders)
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Box 22
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Executive Order Background, 1963: 4 Jan. - 26 July and undated
Executive Order Background: The Princeton Conference, 1962: 16 Oct - 18 Oct.
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Justice Department, 1963
Labor Leaders Meeting with the President, 13 June 1963 (2 folders)
Lawyers Meeting with the President, 21 June 1963 (3 folders)
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights: Proposals, 29 Aug. 1961
Legislation, 13 Nov. 1961 - 12 Nov. 1963
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Box 23
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Meetings with the President
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Letters from those attending, 1963: 5 June - 9 Aug. (5 folders)
Miscellaneous, 1963: 5 June 5 - 19 June
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Mississippi, 1963: 8 Apr. - 29 Oct .
Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1962: 13 Aug. - 8 Oct.
Plans for Progress Program, 3 Jan. 1962 - 13 Dec. 1963 and undated (3 folders)
Post Office Department, 1963: 27 Aug. - 12 Nov.
President's Committee on Equal Opportunity in the Armed Forces - Proposals, 7 June 1962 - 9 Oct. 1963 (2 folders)
Public Opinion Mail, 3 Oct. 1962 - 7 Nov. 1963 (3 folders)
Religious Leaders Meeting with the President, 17 June 1963 (2 folders)
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Box 24
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St. Augustine Quadricentennial Commission, 1963: 4 May - 25 Sept
Subcabinet Group, 1962: 4 Feb. - 19 June (5 folders)
Subcabinet Agency Reports, 5 May 1961 - 4 June 1963 (5 folders)
Veterans Administration, 1963: 25 Feb. - 22 Nov.
Women's Meeting with the President, 9 July 1963 (3 folders)
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Addition of 1997
Series 1. General File, 1954 - 1964, undated.
About 300 items.
Material opened in 1997 has been integrated into the original order of the collection and the finding aid. This list documents material added at that time and is duplicate information.
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Box 2
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Berlin Crisis: Emergency Planning, 1950-62 (2 folders) |
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Box 6
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Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (JCAE): Meeting with Senator Pastore, 1963: Feb. - April |
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Box 16A
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President's Committee on Stockpiling, 1961-63 (2 folders)
State Department, 1961-63 |
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