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Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-RFK-02
In this interview Robert F. Kennedy [RFK] discusses the 1961 Berlin crisis; American forces, military and diplomatic, in Germany; John F. Kennedy’s [JFK] recommendation for Americans to have fallout shelters; nuclear testing; problems with the Department of State; the start of the conflict in Vietnam, 1961; the Department of Justice under RFK and organized crime; RFK’s difficult relationship with J. Edgar Hoover; the wiretapping bill; new federal judgeships in 1961 and other presidential appointments; the Alliance for Progress; Red China; crises during JFK’s presidency and how he was an optimist; RFK’s move for an income tax increase during the Berlin crisis; RFK’s disagreements with President JFK; indecisiveness over picking JFK’s running mate, 1960; the missile gap; fighting and UN operations in the Congo; Nikita S. Khrushchev’s speeches; RFK’s 1962 trip to Japan, Indonesia, Germany, and other countries; the release of Allen L. Pope; Dutch disputes in Southeast Asia; the 1961 crisis in the Dominican Republic and the assassination of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina; the 1962 disarmament conference in Geneva; Edward M. Kennedy’s 1962 campaign for U.S. Senate; the Kennedy family national and political reputation; the Justice Department under RFK and civil rights; and the 1962 steel crisis, among other issues.
Oral history
John F. Kennedy Oral History Collection
JFKOH-TGW-01
In this interview Wicker discusses early impressions of John F. Kennedy [JFK], 1952–1961; Lyndon B. Johnson campaigning for JFK in the South, 1960; Richard M. Nixon and Henry Cabot Lodge’s 1960 presidential campaign; JFK and Johnson in the August 1960 special session of Congress; Wicker’s first interview with President JFK for the New York Times, 1961; building a rapport with JFK’s staff; various Times articles, by Wicker and others, about the Kennedy Administration and White House reactions to them; Wicker’s arguments with Pierre E.G. Salinger over certain articles; year-end briefings in Palm Beach; and President JFK’s press conferences, among other issues.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-195-003
Sound recording of President John F. Kennedy’s filmed remarks for the CBS network in response to questions concerning the tax cut bill, tax policy, Government spending, and the Federal debt.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-112
Sound recording of the President’s News Conference of July 5, 1962 (News Conference 38). The President begins the press conference by stating his support for two bills, one concerning foreign aid, and the second concerning medical care for the elderly. Following these statements the President answers questions from the press on a variety of topics including the Atlantic Alliance, current and future relations with the Soviet Union, the Sugar Act, a meeting between Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, the domestic economy, and the Chamizal Zone in El Paso, Texas.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-106
Sound recording of the President’s News Conference of June 14, 1962 (News Conference 36). The President begins the press conference with a statement concerning the strike being threatened by the flight engineers union against three major airlines, Trans World Airlines (TWA), Pan American World Airways (Pan Am), and Eastern Airlines. He states that a strike could have a significant effect on the economy and urged the flight engineers to reconsider striking and find some other means of settling their dispute without interrupting airline operation. Following this statement the President answers questions from the press on a variety of topics including why government deficits are not necessarily inflationary or harmful, the economy, support for his legislative program, the proposed farm bill, United States foreign policy, and foreign aid.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-102
Sound recording of the President’s News Conference of June 7, 1962 (News Conference 35). The President begins the press conference with a statement concerning the economic outlook of the United States and his administration’s economic program. He then announces that he is asking Congress to enact across the board reductions in personal and corporate income tax rates on January 1, 1963 in order to aid economic recovery. Following this statement the President answers questions from the press on a variety of topics including the foreign aid program, the 1962 tax bill, the proposed tax bill for 1963, whether the United States will assist France in the development of nuclear weapons, and the plan announced by United States Surgeon General Luther Terry to investigate the link between cigarette smoking and disease.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-084
Sound recording of the President’s News Conference of March 29, 1962 (News Conference 29). The President begins the press conference by announcing the retirement of Associate Supreme Court Justice Charles Evans Whittaker for health reasons. He then briefly discusses the importance of the tax revision bill before the House of Representatives and the obstacle of nuclear test inspections to the test ban treaty. Following the announcements the President answers questions from the press on a variety of topics including steel industry negotiations, the Supreme Court reapportionment decision in Baker v. Carr [369 U.S. 186 (1962)], the prospect of a balanced budget, and trade legislation increasing carpet and glass tariffs.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-130
Sound recording of President John F. Kennedy’s News Conference of September 26, 1962 (News Conference 44). The President begins the special press conference by greeting the delegates to the White House Conference of Business Editors and Publishers and summarizing the current state of the economy. He states that the United States is moving forward to meet a number of economic goals and emphasizes the importance of the free market system and maintaining a close relationship with business. Following these statements the President answers questions from the delegates on a variety of topics including the Administration’s relationship with the business world, the economy, union shops in the aerospace industry, the status of the Wilderness bill, and removal of agricultural inequities.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-122
Sound recording of the President’s News Conference of August 22, 1962 (News Conference 41). The President begins the press conference with a statement concerning the historic rendezvous under the Arctic ice pack between two nuclear powered submarines, the USS Skate and the USS Sea Dragon. He then states the importance of five measures Congress was to act upon within the next seven days: the farm bill that extends the current feed grain program an additional year and repealed the 1958 Benson feed grain approach; the drug bill; a constitutional amendment to outlaw the poll tax in federal elections; the trade expansion bill; and the United Nations (UN) bond bill. Following these statements the President answers questions from the press on a variety of topics including domestic and foreign affairs, the space program, the economy, the delay in the approval of Thurgood Marshall to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and an increase in supplies and technicians into Cuba from the Soviet Union.
Sound recording
White House Audio Collection
JFKWHA-116
Sound recording of the President’s News Conference of August 1, 1962 (News Conference 40). The President begins the press conference with a statement against the sedative thalidomide and its harmful side effects. He praises the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Dr. Francis Kelsey for preventing the commercial distribution of thalidomide in the United States, and announced a 25 percent increase in FDA staff. The President also emphasizes the importance of legislative safeguards for pharmaceuticals and states his support for the bill introduced by Congressman Oren Harris. The President also announces a review of technical issues associated with a test ban treaty and urged the House of Representatives to support the United Nations bond proposal. Following these statements the President answers questions from the press on a variety of topics including civil rights in Albany, Georgia; nuclear testing; the economy; disarmament; foreign affairs; the Alianzo para el Progreso (Alliance for Progress); and the rumored resignation of Ambassador to France James M. Gavin.
Photograph folder
White House Photographs
JFKWHP-1963-09-18-D
AR40, ST29
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-056a-001
This folder contains background material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, for the President's News Conference of June 14, 1962 (News Conference 36). Materials primarily consist of department and agency reports and briefing papers for the President on domestic and foreign affairs and national security. Topics include the economy, the Federal budget, the space program, labor disputes, and agriculture. Of note is a memorandum to President Kennedy from George Meany, President of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), regarding the recent economic developments in the United States.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-056-012
This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the President's News Conference of June 14, 1962 (News Conference 36). The President began the press conference with a statement concerning the strike being threatened by the flight engineers' union against Trans World Airlines (TWA), Pan American World Airways (Pan Am), and Eastern Airlines. He stated that a strike could have a significant effect on the economy and urged the flight engineers to reconsider this action and find some other means of settling their dispute without interrupting airline operation. Following this statement the President answered questions from the press on a variety of topics including why government budget deficits are not necessarily inflationary or harmful, the economy, support for his legislative program, the proposed farm bill, United States foreign policy, and foreign aid. Background materials in this folder include a weekly agency report summarizing Peace Corps activities and briefing papers for the President on foreign affairs and national security. The official White House transcript of the press conference and the stenotype transcript of the press conference are also included.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-056-010
This folder contains background material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, for the President's News Conference of June 7, 1962 (News Conference 35). Materials primarily consist of department and agency reports and briefing papers for the President on domestic and foreign affairs and national security. Topics include the economy, proposed tax legislation, nuclear testing, and foreign aid. Of note is a copy of an address given by Secretary of the Treasury Douglas Dillon at the annual dinner of the New York Financial Writers Association on the economy; memorandums to the President from economist and United States Ambassador to India John Kenneth Galbraith concerning the current economic situation in the United States and the proposed tax cuts; and a copy of a letter from economist Moses Abramovitz, sent to the President by Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Walter W. Heller, concerning the current economic situation in the United States. This folder also includes several draft press conference announcements.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-056-009
This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the President's News Conference of June 7, 1962 (News Conference 35). The President began the press conference with a statement concerning the economic outlook of the United States and his administration's economic program. He then announced that he was asking Congress to enact across the board reductions in personal and corporate income tax rates on January 1, 1963 in order to aid economic recovery. Following this statement the President answered questions from the press on a variety of topics including the foreign aid program, the 1962 tax bill, the proposed tax bill for 1963, whether the United States would assist France in the development of nuclear weapons, and the plan announced by United States Surgeon General Luther Terry to investigate the link between cigarette smoking and disease. Background materials in this folder consist of briefing papers for the President on foreign affairs. The official White House transcript of the press conference and the stenotype transcript of the press conference are also included.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-057-016
This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, for the President's News Conference of September 26, 1962 (News Conference 44). The President began the special press conference by greeting the delegates to the White House Conference of Business Editors and Publishers and summarizing the current state of the economy. He stated that the United States is moving forward to meet a number of economic goals and emphasized the importance of the free market system and maintaining a close relationship with business. Following these statements the President answered questions from the delegates on a variety of topics including the Administration's relationship with the business world, the economy, union shops in the aerospace industry, the status of the Wilderness bill, and removal of agricultural inequities. The official White House transcript of the press conference is included.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-057-014
This folder contains background material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, for the President's News Conference of September 13, 1962 (News Conference 43). Materials primarily consist of memorandums and briefing papers for the President on domestic and foreign affairs. Topics include the economy, legislation, and taxes. Also included are draft press conference announcements and newspaper clippings.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-057-007
This folder contains background material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, for the President's News Conference of August 22, 1962 (News Conference 41). Materials primarily consist of memorandums for the President on recent activities by various departments and agencies. Topics include the military space program, the economy, taxes, agriculture, legislation, and labor.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-057-006
This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the President's News Conference of August 22, 1962 (News Conference 41). The President began the press conference with a statement concerning the historic rendezvous under the Arctic ice pack between two nuclear powered submarines, the USS Skate and the USS Sea Dragon. He then stated the importance of five measures Congress was to act upon within the next seven days: the farm bill that extended the current feed grain program an additional year and repealed the 1958 Benson feed grain approach; the drug bill; a constitutional amendment to outlaw the poll tax in federal elections; the trade expansion bill; and the United Nations (UN) bond bill. Following these statements the President answered questions from the press on a variety of topics including domestic and foreign affairs, the space program, the economy, the delay in the approval of Thurgood Marshall to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and an increase in supplies and technicians into Cuba from the Soviet Union. Background materials in this folder include weekly department and agency reports summarizing activities and briefing papers for the President on domestic and foreign affairs. Of note is a memorandum to the President from the Director of the United States Information Agency Edward R. Murrow concerning the alleged suspension of high altitude nuclear tests by the United States at the request of the Soviet Union, and the status of the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The official White House transcript of the press conference and the stenotype transcript of the press conference are also included.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-057-005
This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the President's News Conference of August 1, 1962 (News Conference 40). The President began the press conference with a statement against the sedative thalidomide and its harmful side effects. He praised the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Dr. Francis Kelsey for preventing the commercial distribution of thalidomide in the United States, and announced a 25 percent increase in FDA staff. The President also emphasized the importance of legislative safeguards for pharmaceuticals and stated his support for the bill introduced by Congressman Oren Harris. The President also announced a review of technical issues associated with a test ban treaty and urged the House of Representatives to support the United Nations bond proposal. Following these statements the President answered questions from the press on a variety of topics including civil rights in Albany, Georgia, nuclear testing, the economy, disarmament, foreign affairs, the Alianzo para el Progreso (Alliance for Progress), and the rumored resignation of Ambassador to France James M. Gavin. Background materials in this folder include a memorandum on the communications satellite bill and briefing papers on domestic and foreign affairs. Of note are the transcript of a press conference conducted by Secretary of Labor Arthur J. Goldberg on August 1, 1962 and handwritten notes by the President in preparation for the press conference. The official White House transcript of the press conference and the stenotype transcript of the press conference are also included.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-057-001
This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning the President's News Conference of July 5, 1962 (News Conference 38). The President began the press conference by stating his support for two bills, one concerning foreign aid, and the second concerning medical care for the elderly. Following these statements the President answered questions from the press on a variety of topics including the Atlantic Alliance, current and future relations with the Soviet Union, the Sugar Act, a meeting between Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, the domestic economy, and the Chamizal Zone in El Paso, Texas. Background materials in this folder include a weekly agency report summarizing Peace Corps activities and briefing papers for the President on domestic and foreign affairs and national security. The official White House transcript of the press conference and the stenotype transcript of the press conference are also included.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-056a-005
This folder contains background material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, for the President's News Conference of June 27, 1962 (News Conference 37). Materials primarily consist of memorandums and briefing papers for the President on domestic and foreign affairs and national security. Topics include the economy, legislative record of the 87th Congress, aid to India, and recent action by Chinese Communist military forces in the Taiwan Strait area. Of note are materials relating to the recent United States Supreme court decision banning prayer in public schools.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Presidential Papers. President's Office Files.
JFKPOF-056a-002
This folder contains background material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, for the President's News Conference of June 14, 1962 (News Conference 36). Materials primarily consist of department and agency reports and briefing papers for the President on domestic and foreign affairs and national security. Topics include the economy, proposed tax cut legislation, and the balance of payments. Of note are memoranda to the President by Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Walter W. Heller concerning the current economic situation in the United States, current labor disputes, and budget deficits.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Pre-Presidential Papers. Presidential Campaign Files, 1960
JFKCAMP1960-1060-014
This folder contains a transcript of a press conference given by President-elect John F. Kennedy at his home in Palm Beach, Florida. Also attending the press conference are Vice President-elect Lyndon B. Johnson, Senator Mike Mansfield, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Sam Rayburn. President-elect Kennedy begins by announcing Vice President-elect Johnson as Chairman of the President’s Advisory Council on Space. The President-elect, Vice President-elect, Speaker Rayburn, and Senator Mansfield go on to answer questions from the press regarding the economy, the Federal budget, legislation, and potential changes to Congressional regulations.
Textual folder
Papers of John F. Kennedy. Pre-Presidential Papers. Presidential Campaign Files, 1960
JFKCAMP1960-1060-002
This folder contains transcripts of a press conference held by Senator John F. Kennedy in the Caucus Room of the Senate Office Building. Senator Kennedy answered questions from the press regarding civil rights legislation, right-to-work laws, the minimum wage bill, Soviet Union Premier Nikita Khrushchev’s visit to the United States, and the cost of living.