An Inventory of His Personal Papers
1952-1965
At the John F. Kennedy Library
National Archives and Records Administration
Administrative Information
Biographical Note
Collection Overview
List of Series
Series Description
Administrative Information
Abstract
Papers, 1952-1965
Clark Clifford (1906-1998), lawyer, Kennedy family attorney, and presidential adviser. Personal files and papers relating to the 1960 Presidential transition, to his investigation of the authorship of
Profiles in Courage
, and to legal matters.
Access
Open.
Usage Restrictions
According to the deed of gift signed October 2000, copyright of these materials has been assigned to the United States of America. Some materials may require the use of additional viewing equipment.
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 The copyright law extends its protection to unpublished works from the moment of creation in a tangible form.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
Received from Clark Clifford of Washington, D.C., in September 1984 (Acc. 1984-078).
Extent
About 3,000 items (10 linear inches ; 1.0 cubic foot)
Date Opened
October 2001
Processed by
James M. Roth
Encoded by
James M. Roth
The Personal Papers of Clark Clifford
Biographical Note
Clark McAdams Clifford (1906-1998) was born in Fork Scott, Kan., on Christmas day. The son of an auditor for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, he grew up in St. Louis, Mo. He attended Washington University in St. Louis, where he also received a law degree in 1928. For the next 16 years, he practiced law in that city. After World War II, Clifford became special counsel to Harry S. Truman. In addition to his work for Truman, he served Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Jimmy Carter in a variety of capacities. Clifford was an advisor to the Kennedy family on a variety of matters, including his investigation of the authorship of
Profiles in Courage
. After John F. Kennedy won the 1960 Democratic presidential nomination, Clifford prepared a blueprint on the transition to the executive branch of the government. After the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961, Clifford advised Kennedy to establish an independent organization to oversee the intelligence community. In 1962, Clifford represented Kennedy during negotiations over the price of steel. [Adapted from Washington Post obituary by Bart Barnes, Sunday, October 11, 1998.]
Collection Overview
Personal files and papers relating to the 1960 Presidential transition, to his investigation of the authorship of
Profiles in Courage
, and to legal matters. Three rolls of microfilm contain early correspondence with John F. Kennedy and pre-campaign material, personal correspondence with Jacqueline Kennedy, through 1965, material concerning legal matters Clifford handled for the Kennedys (real estate, etc.), and material copied from Clifford’s papers on transition, including original folder titles.
List of Series
Series Description
Presidential Transition, 1960-1961
About 1500 items (1.0 ft.)
Arrangement: By subject
Files of Clifford’s participation in the presidential transition.
|
Box 1
|
Brookings Institute study and recommendations on "Presidential Transition 1960-1961"
"Memorandum on Transition," Clark Clifford
McKinsey and Company, managing and restaffing studies
|
|
|
|
H.E.W.
V.A.
Housing and Home Finance Agency
F.A.A.
G.S.A.
Department of State
|
|
Box 2
|
|
Department of Labor
Treasury
Defense (Army, Navy, Air Force)
Justice
Post Office
Interior
Agriculture
Atomic Energy Commission
N.A.S.A.
Commerce
|
|
|
McKinsey studies, complete copy
"Report on Regulatory Agencies to the President-Elect," James M. Landis
Brookings memorandum No. 1, "Priorities for the President-Elect"
John F. Kennedy "Profiles in Courage"
|
Microfilm
Roll 1, Correspondence and Pre-Campaign, 1952-1964
74 feet
Arrangement: by subject.
Early correspondence with John F. Kennedy and pre-campaign material.
|
1
|
Senator John F. Kennedy—1960 campaign, including correspondence between Clifford and Kennedy, 5 items
|
|
2
|
JFK Senate races, 1952-1958, 4 items
|
|
3
|
Blauvelt controversy, 1962, 7 items
|
|
4
|
Drew Pearson charge on Mike Wallace Show that
Profiles in Courage
was ghost-written, including JFK—ABC—Clifford correspondence, 1958, 31 items
|
|
5
|
Inaugural events, 1961, 6 items
|
|
6
|
Evelyn Lincoln correspondence, 1964, 17 items
|
|
7
|
Memoranda, 1961-1962, 9 items
|
|
8
|
Correspondence: appointments and post-election procedures, 1961-1963, 31 items
|
|
9
|
Miscellaneous material: JFK funeral, PT 109 Warner Brothers movie, television rights for Profiles in Courage, 1961-1965, 30 items
|
|
10
|
Campaign strategy: Catholic vote, Communism, Cuba, China, Fulbright letters, 1960, 75 items
|
|
11
|
Finance Committee (donations), 1960, 10 items
|
|
12
|
Campaign telegrams and schedules, 1960, 24 items
|
|
13
|
Nixon-Kennedy debates and campaign strategy, 1960, 10 items
|
|
14
|
Personnel, 1961, 16 items
|
Roll 2, Legal Papers and Jacqueline Kennedy Correspondence, 1961-1965
66 feet.
Arrangement: by subject.
Personal correspondence with Jacqueline Kennedy, through 1965. There is also a large amount of material concerning legal matters Clifford handled for the Kennedys (real estate, etc.)
|
1
|
Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., Foundation: officers, members, charter, 1 item
|
|
2
|
Jacqueline B. Kennedy correspondence: Ladies Home Journal article (4/61); insult to Ann Lowe, dress material designer, 1961-1965, 27 items
|
|
3
|
Contract with McGraw-Hill Co. for Mrs. Kennedy’s book, My favorite Stories, 3 items
|
|
4
|
Miscellaneous JBK-Clifford letters (many JBK handwritten letters and notes), 1961-1962, 55 items
|
|
5
|
Property transactions in Virginia (Atoka, Middleburg), 190 items
|
Roll 3, Transition Files, 1952-1961
Arrangement: by subject.
Material copied from Clifford’s papers on transition, including folder titles.
|
1
|
"General Description of Clifford Transition Operation"
|
|
2
|
"Transition Memoranda"
|
|
3
|
"Clifford-Kennedy Correspondence and Notes"
|
|
4
|
"Eisenhower-Kennedy Meeting of January 19, 1961"
|
|
5
|
"Eisenhower-Kennedy Meeting of December 6, 1960"
|
|
6
|
"Conference on the Public Service"
|
|
7
|
"Transcription of Brookings Interview with Clifford of February 24, 1961"
|
|
8
|
"Transition: Cabinet and Staff-Miscellaneous"
|
|
9
|
"NewsClips on Transition"
|
|
10
|
"Louisiana Petition: School Desegregation"
|
|
11
|
"Appointments: Miscellaneous"
|
|
12
|
"Senator Stuart Symington: Committee on Defense"
|
|
13
|
"Richard Neustadt"
|
|
14
|
"Brookings Institution"
|
|
15
|
"Corson-McKinsey Study for 1952"
|
|
16
|
"George M. Elsey"
|
|
17
|
"Clifford-Transition: Miscellaneous and Personal"
|
|