WHORM Public Relations

Public Relations (0.2 ft; Box 1)
This primary subject category contains material relating to correspondence from the public, friends of the President, and members of Congress. Letters concern general support, or inform the President/staff of views on ongoing projects.

Administration Appreciation Letters (3.9 l. ft; Boxes 1-10)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to letters of appreciation to and from the public, entertainment figures, businesspeople, sports figures, members of Congress, state officials, White House staff, individuals involved in events, organizations, and campaigns of the Administration, SES personnel, personnel in agencies, departments, the Executive residence, and Schedule C personnel.

Administration Complaints-Criticism (0.1 l. ft; Box 11)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to criticisms of Administration policies (both foreign and domestic), from the public and from Congress.  Some of the topics covered include criticism of education policies, the deficit, taxes, care for the poor, and treatment of veterans.

Administration Support (7.9 l. ft; Boxes 11-29; Oversize 1-3, 9, 13-14 Flat-Small 1; Flat-Medium-1)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to messages of support sent to the President and his staff from the public, friends, relatives, schoolchildren, members of Congress, state and local officials, and businessmen.  The material includes messages of general support, support of foreign and domestic policies, support for Reagan’s re-election, congratulations on Reagan’s election victories, offers of assistance to the Administration, and support of Reagan’s two-term Presidency.

The following Case Files have been digitized: 284400-287999    

Anonymous - Illegible Communications (0.1 ft; Box 29)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to messages and letters from anonymous correspondents concerning personal hardship cases, requests for assistance, citizens donating money or items, and immigration to the United States.

Autographs - Photographs (3 l.ft; Boxes 29-36; Oversize Boxes 5,7,9-10; Flat Box Small 1; Flat Box Medium 1)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to requests for photographs and autographed photographs of the President, First Lady, Cabinet members, and the White House from the public and members of Congress on behalf of constituents.  It also contains material relating to requests for the President to autograph citations or military commissions; photo schedule proposals; and information about photograph sessions with the President.

The following Case Files have been digitized: 561380-575242

Autograph granted, Presidential (21.1 ft; Boxes 36-95; Oversize Boxes 3,5,35, Flat Box Small 1; Flat Box Medium 1)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to Presidential autograph and photograph requests granted by the administration.  It also contains material relating to requests for photos and autographs of the President, First Lady, and cabinet members; sample mail answered by inscribed photos; handwritten responses from the President; requests for photograph sessions; and requests for specific photos from members of Congress on behalf of their constituents, general public, acquaintances of the President and First Lady, and foreign dignitaries.

The following Case Files have been digitized: 129700-129968

Handwriting - Holographs, Presidential (0.1 ft; Box 96)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to requests for drawings by the President, handwritten signatures, and signatures for photos from collectors, and the public. 

Contests - Essays (0.8. ft; Boxes 96-97; Oversize Boxes 3,9,18)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to children's essays, essay contest winners, essays on foreign and domestic issues, and acknowledgments of various contest winners.

Engagements-Appointments-Interviews (22.6 l. ft; Boxes 1-56; Oversize Boxes 18-20, 36; Flat Box Medium 1)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to requests, both granted and declined (primarily decline), for appointments and interviews with the President, as well as the First Lady and the Vice President; including requests from congressmen, senators, members of the press, special interest groups, school groups, sports teams, senior citizens groups, beauty pageant winners, celebrities from sports or the entertainment industry; as well as requests from various groups for the President to attend or speak at conventions, meetings, luncheons, dinners or other types of events.

Presidential Appointments-Granted (13.4 l. ft; Boxes 1-33; Oversize Boxes 7,11,23; Flat Box Medium 1)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to appointments, meetings, and activities of the President, the Vice President and the First Lady.  Materials include Schedule Proposals; Approved Presidential Activities; Block Schedules; Long-Term Scheduling Proposals; Agenda; Itineraries; Daily, Weekly and Monthly Schedules; Schedules of Foreign Visitors; requests for appointments; correspondence and memoranda regarding meeting topics; scheduling strategy; background information; transcripts of meetings including memorandum of conversations; statistical reports regarding the frequency of Presidential meetings with various constituencies; Office of Public Liaison Weekly Schedules; documentation regarding the Presidential Diary System and the President's yearly desk calendars.  At the end of the administration, copies of the President's schedules for January 1981-May 1983 and for January 1989 were transferred to the Office of Records Management as a block.  Many of these schedules contain notations of changes which should also be reflected in the Presidential Daily Diary. 

The Library has transferred some material, originally filed in this category by the Office of Records Management, to the following staff member and office file collections:  U.S. Secret Service: Presidential Movement Logs; U.S. Secret Service: F-1 (Residence) Logs; Presidential Daily Diary; and the Arthur B. Culvahouse Collection.

Presidential Telephone Calls. (11.5 l.ft.; Boxes 1-29)
A secondary subject category containing information pertaining to Presidential telephone calls, including background, topics of discussion and memorandums for calls to congressmen and senators regarding pending legislation on such issues as the MX missile, B-1 bomber, foreign economic and military aid, aid to the Nicaraguan contras, tax reform acts, budget legislation and calls regarding nominations of judges and individuals for positions in the administration; requests from congressman, senators, and the general public for congratulatory telephone calls, birthday and get well greetings, and condolence calls. 

This category contains many examples of President Reagan's handwritten notes and comments regarding the telephone calls he made.

Presidential telephone logs covering the eight years of the Reagan Administration are also contained in this category.  Within the individual folders, the logs are arranged in reverse chronological order and are located in the following containers:

Container Nos.                        Date Span for Telephone Logs

Box  8                                     02/11/1981-06/06/1981
Box  9                                     06/07/1981-04/11/1982
Box 10                                    04/12/1982-01/23/1983
Box 11                                    01/24/1983-10/18/1983
Box 12                                    10/19/1983-12/31/1983
Box 16                                    01/01/1984-03/24/1984
Box 17                                    03/24/1984-12/21/1984
Box 18                                    12/22/1984-10/25/1985
Box 19                                    10/26/1985-12/03/1985
Box 24                                    01/01/1986-07/18/1986
Box 25                                    07/19/1986-04/30/1987
Box 26                                    05/01/1987-03/31/1988
Box 27                                    04/01/1988-01/18/1989

The following Case Files have been digitized:  475200-475999

Exhibits - Fairs - Expositions  (2.2 l.ft.; Boxes 1-5; Oversize Boxes 3,6-7,19,21,32)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to Federal Government participation in major and minor exhibitions and expositions, including U.S. participation in the 1982 Knoxville Energy Exposition, the 1984 New Orleans World's Exposition, and the site selection for a proposed World's Fair in 1992.  The material also includes requests for the President to participate in exhibits and expositions.

Graphics  (0.2 l. ft.; Box 5)
This secondary subject category contains material relating to posters, graphs, charts and other artwork submitted to the President or created by the Federal Government.

Lists of Names - Mailing Lists  (0.8 ft.; boxes 5-7)
A secondary subject category containing lists of names compiled by White House staff for particular events or subject areas, requests to be added to or deleted from White House mailing lists, and invitation lists for White House events.

Motion Pictures - Film Strips - Recordings (21 ft; boxes 7-59)
A secondary subject category containing information pertaining to requests for the President to make video or audio recordings; to appear in or endorse films, radio programs, and television programs; to make public service announcements; requests to film on the White House grounds; requests for the President or the White House staff to view audio and video recordings sent to the White House by the general public, organizations, media groups, and other government offices; and similar requests for the First Lady.

The following Case Files have been digitized: 606712-608999

Pens - Ceremonial (2.4 ft; boxes 1-6)
A secondary subject category containing information pertaining to the President presenting ceremonial signing pens; Congressional requests for pens used by the President in signing legislation; requests from the general public for any pen used by the President; type of pen used; and procedures for the provision of pens.

The following Case Files have been digitized:

Petitions - Resolutions - Multiple Signa­tures (12.4 ft.; boxes 1-31)
A secondary subject category containing material documenting the reception and handling of petitions, mass mailings, resolutions, and notifications of resolutions, mostly from nongovernment bodies.  Sources include chambers of commerce, business and agricultural alliances, political organizations, religious and ethnic associations, veterans groups, student/academic bodies, and, infrequently, state legislatures and Congress.  Some incoming material addressed ongoing policy areas such as the economy, crime, foreign relations (including the nuclear freeze movement and the Vietnam POW/MIA issue), civil rights, immigration, and the environment.  Other frequent subjects were headline events such as the shooting down of KAL Flight 007 (1983) and the President's trip to Bitburg (1985); AIDS; and Iran-Contra.  Also represented are various matters of narrow or local interest, including pardon requests.

Petitions - Resolutions from State Officials (4.9 ft.; boxes 32-44)
A secondary subject category containing material relating to the White House's reception and handling of resolutions, petitions, mass mailings, and related materials sent from (and usually created by) agencies representing states, possessions, commonwealths, trust territories, or regions.  Such agencies were usually legislatures, political organizations, agricultural groups, or business associations.  Topics included:  agricultural, trade, economic, and environmental issues; federal projects or designations in a given state; the status of U.S. possessions and trust territories; headlining issues, such as human rights abroad, nuclear proliferation, and the Vietnam POW/MIA controversy; and ceremonial condolences, commemorations, and expressions of support.  Many of the topics, especially those of nationwide interest, are also located in PR013 and PR013-02.

Petitions - Resolutions from Local Government Official (6.4 ft.; boxes 44-59)
A secondary subject category containing material documenting the White House's reception and handling of resolutions, mass mailings, petitions, and related materials which originated with, or were sent by, local organizations.  These local organizations were usually governmental, political, or religious.  Predominant topics were:  federal financial aid to localities, as through block grants or General Revenue Sharing; local federal projects, facilities, and land-use designations, either established or proposed; human rights abroad, the Vietnam POW/MIA controversy, nuclear arms, Social Security, and other national issues; and calls for commemorative acts, such as the renaming of a local structure.  Many of the topics, especially those drawn from headline events (such as the shooting down of KAL Flight 007), are also located in PR013 and PR013-01.

Presidential Favors, requests for (0.8 ft; boxes 1-2)
A secondary subject category containing material pertaining to requests from Congressmen, the general public, and children to President Reagan and the First Lady for advice, recipes, a chance to sleep in the White House, authorization to display an item from the President, authorization to use or receive White House stationery, authorization to use the Presidential Seal, an opportunity to ride one of the President's horses, a chance to travel with the President on a domestic or foreign trip, information regarding the White House, items for charity auctions, photographs of the President or First Lady, mementos, and Army surplus items.

The following Case File has been Digitized: 347224-449999

Children, Requests to the President from (3.4 ft; boxes 3-11)
A secondary subject category containing material pertaining to letters and drawings from children regarding the inauguration; taxes; the cost of fuel, clothing, and food; hostages; school busing; pollution and the environment; crime; nuclear weapons; gun control; and drug use.  This category also includes correspondence between President Reagan and his pen pal, Rudolph Hines, of Washington, DC (boxes 8 and 9).

Donations from the President, requests for (1.2 ft; boxes 11-14)
A secondary subject category containing material pertaining to requests from charity organizations, schools, universities, and the general public of the President and First Lady for recipe cards, jelly beans and jelly bean jars, items of clothing, money, photographs, doodles, and endorsement letters.  This category also contains letters regarding the percentage of the President's income that he contributes to charity, letters and memos regarding the First Lady's decision to no longer accept designer-loaned clothing, and letters regarding her decision to donate dresses to schools and museums.

Dedications to the President (one folder; box 14)
A secondary subject category containing material pertaining to poems, games, plays, music, songs, and books dedicated to the President. 

Entertain, Request to (3.2 ft; boxes 14-22)
A secondary subject category containing material pertaining to requests from individuals or groups who wish to or did perform for the President and First Lady at the White House, Camp David, or Rancho del Cielo.  Documents pertain to "In Performance at the White House," the Congressional Barbecue, the Senate Wives' Luncheon, "Young Artists at the White House," State Dinners, and the White House Staff and Congressional Christmas Parties.  Artists who are represented in the files include Beverly Sills, Gene Kelly, the Statler Brothers, Itzhak Perlman, the Boys Choir of Harlem, Leontyne Price, Mary Martin, John Raitt, Julio Iglesias, Isaac Stern, Bob Newhart, Charlie Daniels, Yakov Smirnoff, Vladimir Horowitz, Marvin Hamlisch, Liza Minnelli, and Dionne Warwick.  This category also contains material regarding the cancellation of a cabaret show, "Beach Blanket Babylon," because of its non-union status.

Excerpts, Presidential (0.8 ft; box 22-24)
A secondary subject category containing material pertaining to requests for quotations from the President for books, events, and individuals regarding topics such as the institution of marriage; women and the unemployment rate; the inauguration; other political leaders; and Eureka College football coach Ralph "Mac" McKinzie.  This category also contains a number of requests to the President and First Lady to write forwards to books and periodicals; and a collection of quotations from President Reagan.

Forwards, Requests for Presidential (0.2 ft; box 24)
A secondary subject category containing material pertaining to forwards written by President Reagan or the First Lady for books and periodicals.  The President wrote forwards for government publications such as The Public Papers of the Presidents;  Restoring America's Wildlife, 1937-1987; Schools that Work: Educating Disadvantaged Children;  the Tenth Annual Report of the Inspectors General; and the Report of the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency.  Some of the non-governmental publications for which the President wrote forwards are Norman Rockwell's Patriotic Times;  Lighting of America, a book about the Olympic torch crossing America;  and In Defense of Freedom, a collection of speeches by Margaret Thatcher.

Impersonation of the President (one folder; box 24)
This folder contains only one item, a letter to Rich Little.

Opinions - Statements - Questionnaires - Articles (15.6 ft.; boxes 1-39)
A secondary subject category containing materials relating to the preparation, dissemination, and use of statements or quotations by, or on behalf of, the President, his advisers, or the First Lady, including interviews, articles, endorsements, and commemorative statements.  Topics include the nominations of Judge Bork and Judge Kennedy to the Supreme Court, aid to the Nicaraguan "Freedom Fighters", the INF Treaty, and the Iran-Contra Report.  It also records the formulation of public documents issued by the Office of the Press Secretary.  Most of the material dating from late 1983 to Fall 1984 concerns the White House's correcting of interview answers and other material which the President's 1984 re-election committee drafted.  This category also contains Administration responses to questions posed by Senator Pell of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and by Senator Quayle of the Senate Armed Services Committee.  Finally, there are some compilations of Ronald Reagan statements, usually assembled by the White House.

The following Case Files have been digitized:

President's Name - Likeness (5.6 ft; boxes 1-14)
A secondary subject category containing information pertaining to the authorized and unauthorized use of the President's or First Lady's name, signature, or likeness, or the likeness of the White House.

The following Case Files have been digitized: 190000-191754; 200000-202238

Sell to the President, Request to (0.3 ft; box 15)
A secondary subject category containing information pertaining to requests for the President or the First Lady to purchase various items ranging from land to pieces of art.

Sit for Portrait Painters - Sculptors (0.5 ft; boxes 15-16)
A secondary subject category containing information pertaining to requests for and scheduling of Presidential portraits.

Sponsorship, Request for Presidential (9.2 ft; boxes 1-23)
A secondary subject category containing correspondence from the public requesting the President and the First Lady to serve as honorary chairpersons for committees, fundraising programs, and charities.  Includes requests for honorary membership and Presidential endorsement of candidates for public office; congressional bills; economic programs; fundraising organizations, and works of art.  

The following Case Files have been digitized: : 047000-053999

Pushing of Button - Ringing Bell, Request for (0 ft. box 24)
Empty at time of processing.

Flags flown over White House, Request for (0.1 ft. box 24)
A secondary subject category containing correspondence requesting flags flown over the White House from the public; students, and members of Congress on behalf of their constituents.

Gifts, Request for Presidential (0.3 ft. box 24)
A secondary subject category containing correspondence requesting White House gifts, and mementoes from the public, and members of Congress on behalf of their constituents. 

Public Opinion Polls (10 ft; boxes 1-25)
A secondary subject category containing information pertaining to the results and analysis of public opinion polls, including national polls such as the Harris and Gallup polls, network polls such as the ABC and CBS/Times polls, newspaper polls such as the LA Times and Washington Post polls, Decision/Making/Information (Dick Wirthlin) polls, USIA opinion polls (foreign views of US policies), polls taken by Senators, Congressman, state and local officials (regarding local issues and views), and polls taken by private organizations or citizens.  Topics covered by the polls include rating President Reagan's job performance and reaction to the President's State of the Union Address, and public views on the Reagan administration's economic, domestic, and foreign policies, and on such issues as Social Security, school prayer, defense spending and arms control policy.

The following Case Files have been digitized: 307001-318000

Publicity (7.2 ft; boxes 1-18)
A secondary subject category containing information pertaining to requests for interviews with President Reagan, Mrs. Reagan, and members of President Reagan's staff;  including briefings for interviews, draft presidential remarks, op. ed. pieces, press releases, questions concerning the press, and correspondence regarding issues relating to the press, such as S. 742, which would codify the "Fairness Doctrine".  Bulk copies of press releases have been transferred to the Office of the Press Secretary collection of press releases and press briefings.

Broadcasts - Telecasts (3.6 ft; boxes 19-27)
A secondary subject category containing general correspondence regarding President Reagan's and Mrs. Reagan's appearances on television, such as the interview with Walter Cronkite and in various Barbara Walters Specials;  guest appearances on news programs by Cabinet officials discussing administration policies, correspondence regarding decisions and rulemaking affecting television or networks, such as S.742 and S. 2436 the Public Broadcasting Amendments Act (see also UT001, UT001-01 and BE003-04);  and correspondence regarding specific television programs.

The following Case Files have been digitized: 041001-046000; 055001-057000  

Presidential News Summary (0.2 ft; box 28)
A secondary subject category pertaining to correspondence regarding the use and distribution of the White House News Summaries, specific highlights from the news summaries, copies of various daily news summaries, and issues relating to the White House News Service.  A complete set of the White House News Summaries is located in the following collection:  News Summary Office, White House: News Summaries, 1981-89.

Press Accreditation - Passes (0.2 ft; box 28)
A secondary subject category pertaining to correspondence regarding the obtaining of White House press passes by members of various news organizations, problems and issues concerning the issuing or denial of press credentials, and complaints from news organizations regarding White House access policies and procedures.

Press Briefings   (0.6 ft; boxes 28-30)
A secondary subject category pertaining to correspondence regarding access to press briefings by members of news organizations, topics discussed at press briefings, and press briefing materials.  A complete set of press briefings is located in the following collection:  Press Secretary, White House Office of the:  Press Releases and Press Briefings, 1981-89.

Seminars-Lectures-Forums-Debates-Symposiums (2.4 ft; boxes 30-36)
A secondary subject category containing correspondence regarding Presidential or Federal participation in various types of seminars or lectures including management seminars, such as the Harvard University/John F. Kennedy School of Government Seminars and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) seminars; and forums or lectures focusing on administration policies and current events in which administration or federal officials participated as speakers or guests, such as the National Forum of Women State Legislators and CloseUp Foundation seminars on the presidency.

White House Tours - Visitors (1 ft; boxes 36-38)
A secondary subject category containing correspondence regarding information on public tours of the White House and requests for special White House tour tickets from members of Congress for their constituents, school groups, senior citizens groups, and private individuals;  problems encountered in arranging tours or incidents during tours;  schedules for special tours, such as the Spring and Fall White House tours and the Christmas Candlelight tours;  and notices of special events causing cancellation of public and special tours.