W. Richard Howard Papers, White House Special Files, 1970-1974

Title: W. Richard Howard Papers, White House Special Files, 1970-1974

Dates: 1970-1974

Collection Number: 6829751

Creator/Collector: Howard, W. Richard

Extent: 2 linear feet, 7 linear inches; 6 boxes

Repository: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

Abstract: Richard Howard was Staff Assistant to Charles W. Colson. He worked in public relations with a concentration on professional and trade organizations and the "New American Majority." The files reflect Howard's public relations efforts and public opinion polls.

Language of Material: English

Collection is open for research. Some materials may be unavailable based upon categories of materials exempt from public release established in the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974.

Most government records are in the public domain; however, this series includes commercial materials, such as newspaper clippings, that may be subject to copyright restrictions. Researchers should contact the copyright holder for information.

W. Richard Howard Papers, White House Special Files, 1970-1974. Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

These materials are in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration under the provisions of Title I of the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-526, 88 Stat. 1695) and implementing regulations.

The materials of W. Richard Howard date from 1970 to 1974, during which time Howard served as Staff Assistant to Charles W. Colson. According to an undated Colson staff list, Howard's area of responsibility was "Administration." He communicated regularly with media and public opinion representatives to ensure that a favorable political and personal image of the President was presented to the public. In a 1973 memorandum to Alexander Haig, Howard defined his special areas of concern as professional and trade organizations, public opinion, and the New American Majority. This series contains the records of W. Richard Howard. The series is comprised of the Action Memos subseries, the Meetings Files subseries, and the Subject Files subseries. The Action Memos subseries contains Presidential and White House staff memoranda prepared primarily by Charles Colson, Howard, and two staff secretaries, Jon Huntsman and Bruce Kehrli. There also are memoranda to and from Dwight Chapin, H. R. Haldeman, Larry Higby, and President Richard M. Nixon. These memoranda deal with the administration's effort to maintain a favorable media image. The Meetings Files subseries contains memoranda, schedules, and copies of photographs concerning brief Presidential public relations meetings. The materials indicate the purpose of the meetings, the participants, plans for press releases, and possible talking points. The Subject Files subseries contains memoranda concerning special interest groups, the 1972 Presidential campaign, and public opinion polls. The Action Memos series contains original and electrostatic copies of Presidential and White House staff memoranda prepared during the period 1971-73. They are mainly between Colson, Howard, and two Staff Secretaries, Jon Huntsman (1971) and Bruce Kehrli (1972-73). There are also memoranda to and from Dwight Chapin, H. R. Haldeman, Larry Higby, and the President. These memoranda have the usual attachments and notations of the Staff Secretary's office, a cover sheet bearing a log number, which sometimes include a "P" prefix or an "H" suffix. The Action Memos series clearly reveals Howard's efforts to create a favorable media image for the administration. The Meetings File indicates another area of Howard's responsibility, that is, to arrange public relations meetings for the President. The files reveal that the meetings were usually brief, lasting from five to twenty minutes, and often included photographic sessions and award presentation ceremonies. The series contains information on the purpose of the meetings, participants, plans for press releases, and possible talking points. The Subject Files deal with such topics as special interest groups, the Teamsters Union, the war in Vietnam, the 1972 campaign, and the Watergate scandal. Most of the materials in this series pertain to public opinion polls, which Howard presumably used in preparing public relations strategy. The series also includes analyses of the Republican National Committee's budget, of election results, and of statements made by Democratic leaders. All photographs have been transferred to the audiovisual collection (PA 78-2-2-21). Each photograph has been replaced with a withdrawal sheet and an accompanying electrostatic copy.