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January 15, 1970

Introduction

This almanac page for Thursday, January 15, 1970, pulls together various records created by the federal government and links to additional resources which can provide context about the events of the day.

Previous Date: Wednesday, January 14, 1970

Next Date: Friday, January 16, 1970

Schedule and Public Documents

  • The Daily Diary files represent a consolidated record of the President's activities. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    The President's day began at Camp David, Maryland

  • The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents made available transcripts of the President's news conferences; messages to Congress; public speeches, remarks, and statements; and other Presidential materials released by the White House.

    Statements by the President

    • South Florida Jetport (6 Weekly Comp. Pres. Doc. 44, January 15, 1970)
      Statement by the President on an Agreement Governing Future Airport Construction in the South Florida Area.

    Checklist of White House Press Releases

    The releases listed below, made public by the Office of the White House Press Secretary during the period covered by this issue, are not included in the issue.

    • Press conference of Secretary of the Interior Walter J. Hickel and Secretary of Transportation John A. Volpe on airport construction in southern Florida.

  • Each Public Papers of the Presidents volume contains the papers and speeches of the President of the United States that were issued by the White House Office of the Press Secretary during the time period specified by the volume. The material is presented in chronological order, and the dates shown in the headings are the dates of the documents or events. In instances when the release date differs from the date of the document itself, that fact is shown in the text note.

    To ensure accuracy, remarks have been checked against audio recordings (when available) and signed documents have been checked against the original, unless otherwise noted. Editors have provided text notes and cross references for purposes of identification or clarity.

  • The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other Presidential documents.

  • Argued

Archival Holdings

  • The H. R. Haldeman Diaries consists of seven handwritten diaries, 36 dictated diaries recorded as sound recordings, and two handwritten audio cassette tape subject logs. The diaries and logs reflect H. R. Haldeman’s candid personal record and reflections on events, issues, and people encountered during his service in the Nixon White House. As administrative assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, Haldeman attended and participated in public events and private meetings covering the entire scope of issues in which the Nixon White House engaged in during the years 1969-1973. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

  • The National Archives Catalog is the online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records. It is the main way of describing our holdings and also provides access to electronic records and digitized versions of our holdings. 

    The Catalog searches across multiple National Archives resources at once, including archival descriptions, digitized and electronic records, authority records, and web pages from Archives.gov and the Presidential Libraries. The Catalog also allows users to contribute to digitized historical records through tagging and transcription.

    Nixon Library Holdings

    All National Archives Units

National Security Documents

  • The President's Daily Brief is the primary vehicle for summarizing the day-to-day sensitive intelligence and analysis, as well as late-breaking reports, for the White House on current and future national security issues. Read "The President's Daily Brief: Delivering Intelligence to Nixon and Ford" to learn more.

  • The Foreign Relations of the United States series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. Visit the State Department website for more information.

    Vol. I, Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

    Foundations of Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

    • 51. Address by Secretary of State Rogers, Washington, January 15, 1970

      Source: Department of State Bulletin, February 2, 1970, pp. 118-120. Secretary Rogers addressed the National Foreign Policy Conference for Editors and Broadcasters in the Department of State.

    Vol. XXXIV, National Security Policy, 1969-1972

    Chemical and Biological Warfare, Safeguard Phase II, the Draft

    • 118. Notes of Defense Program Review Committee Meeting , Washington, January 15, 1970

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, NSC Institutional Files (H-Files), Box H–99, DPRC Meeting, January 15, 1970. Top Secret. No drafting information appears on the original. The brackets are in the original.

    Vol. E-5, Part 1, Documents on Sub-Saharan Africa, 1969-1972

    Nigerian Civil War

    • 163. Telegram 6676 From the Department of State to the Embassy in Ivory Coast, Washington, January 15, 1970, 2010Z

      The telegram provided a situation report on Nigeria. Hostilities had ended despite assertions to the contrary by Lieutenant Colonel Ojukwu, Military Governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria. No evidence of atrocities by either side had turned up. The Federal Military Government (FMG) had blacklisted four governments and five relief agencies. Foreign relief workers who operated illegally in the Biafran enclave had been declared persona non grata.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 23 Nigeria. Confidential. Drafted by J.O. Westmoreland, and approved by Brubeck and the Nigeria Working Group. Also sent for action to Addis Ababa, Bonn, Lagos, Libreville, London, Lome, Niamey, Oslo, Paris, Rome, The Hague, Geneva, USUN, CINCSTRIKE, and MAC CP Scott AFB.

    • 164. Memorandum From Roger Morris of the National Security Council Staff to the Presidentʼs Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, January 15, 1970

      Morris recommended that Kissinger see Princess de Bourbon who flew out of Biafra with Lieutenant Colonel Ojukwu, Military Governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria, and had a message for the President. Kissinger deferred to Richardson, who objected because it could ruffle feelings in Lagos, and arranged for her to meet Deputy Assistant Secretary Moore.

      Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 742, Country Files, Africa, Nigeria, Vol. I. No classification marking. Kissinger initialed “HK” next to “Approve” but wrote, “(But give Richardson opportunity to object.)” A handwritten note on the attachment, “HAK will call,” indicated Kissinger would explain the situation to Galbraith.

    • 165. Transcript of Telephone Conversation , January 15, 1970, 4:20 p.m.

      Norman Cousins urged Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Kissinger to organize a large-scale “post-war reparations” program for Biafra.

      Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 361, Telephone Conversations, Chronological Files. No classification marking.

    • 166. Transcript of Telephone Conversation , Washington, January 15, 1970, 6:10 p.m.

      Kissinger told Nixon that Cousins felt the President could gain prestige with groups not usually accessible to him by stressing humanitarian relief to Biafra. Nixon indicated he wanted to be sure that the USG took a leadership role on humanitarian problems.

      Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Kissinger Papers, Box 361, Telephone Conversations, Chronological File. No classification marking.

    • 167. Telegram 432 From the Embassy in Nigeria to the Department of State, Lagos, January 15, 1970, 1703Z

      The telegram reported on conditions in the former Biafran enclave. There was no misbehavior of Federal troops, no evidence of guerrilla activity by Biafrans, and no pockets of serious malnutrition. There was a fragmentary report that food and drugs were needed at Orlu, but there was puzzlement over the failure to find areas of serious malnutrition.

      Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 23–9 Nigeria. Secret; Immediate. Repeated priority to London. Also repeated to Paris, Geneva, and USUN.

  • The Kissinger telephone conversation transcripts consist of approximately 20,000 pages of transcripts of Kissinger’s telephone conversations during his tenure as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (1969-1974) and Secretary of State (1973-1974) during the administration of President Richard Nixon. Visit the finding aid for more information.

    Digitized versions of many of these transcripts can be found on the Yale University Library website.

Audiovisual Holdings

  • The White House Photo Office collection consists of photographic coverage of President Richard Nixon meeting with prominent social, political, and cultural personalities; speaking engagements and news conferences of the President and various high-ranking members of the White House staff and Cabinet; Presidential domestic and foreign travel, including Presidential vacations; social events and entertainment involving the First Family, including entertainers present; official portraits of the President, First Family, and high-ranking members of the Nixon administration; the 1969 and 1973 Inaugurals; the President’s 1972 Presidential election campaign appearances (including speeches) and other official activities of the White House staff and the President’s Cabinet from January 20, 1969 until August 9, 1974 at the White House and the Old Executive Office Building; other locations in Washington, DC, such as The Mall; and the Presidential retreats in Camp David, Maryland, Key Biscayne, Florida, and San Clemente, California. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    Roll WHPO-2749 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2749-, Christening of Boeing 747 aircraft with Pat Nixon in attendance. 1/15/1970, Sterling, Virginia Dulles International Airport. Pat Nixon.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-2749-18, Pat Nixon sits in the cockpit of the newly christened Boeing 747 aircraft, with the pilot and co-pilot answering questions about the aircraft. 1/15/1970, Sterling, Virginia Dulles International Airport. Pat Nixon, pilot, co-pilot.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-2749-30, Pat Nixon and another man standing near and admiring the newly christened Boeing 747 aircraft. 1/15/1970, Sterling, Virginia Dulles International Airport. Pat Nixon, unidentified man.

    Roll WHPO-2750 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2750-, Christening of Boeing 747 aircraft with Pat and Tricia Nixon in attendance. 1/15/1970, Sterling, Virginia Dulles International Airport. Pat Nixon, Tricia Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-2751 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2751-, Christening of Boeing 747 with Pat Nixon in attendance. 1/15/1970, Sterling, Virginia Dulles International Airport. Pat Nixon.

    Roll WHPO-2752 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

    • Frame(s): WHPO-2752-, Christening of Boeing 747 aircraft with Pat Nixon in attendance. 1/15/1970, Sterling, Virginia Dulles International Airport. Pat Nixon.
    • Frame(s): WHPO-2752-21A, Pat Nixon sits in the cockpit of the newly christened Boeing 747 aircraft, with the pilot and co-pilot answering questions about the aircraft. 1/15/1970, Sterling, Virginia Dulles International Airport. Pat Nixon, pilot, co-pilot.

  • The White House Communications Agency Sound Recordings Collection contains public statements that took place between 1969 and 1974. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    G - Cabinet Officer Briefings

    • WHCA-SR-G-037
      Briefing by Secretary of the Interior Walter Hicker and Secretary of Transportation John Volpe. (1/15/1970, Roosevelt Room, The White House)

      Runtime: 18:00

      Production credits: Audio feed supplied by CBS; Recorded by JLS (initials of WHCA engineer)

      Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

  • The White House Communications Agency Videotape Collection contains “off-the-air” recordings of televised programs produced between 1968 and 1974. Visit the finding aid to learn more.

    • WHCA-3596
      "The Dick Cavett Show":Sec. of Labor George Shultz, Sasha Distel, Sidney Lumet.

      Runtime: 00:27:14
    • WHCA-3598
      Weekly News Summary - Excerpts. 1/12/1970 to 1/16/1970.
      All networks
      Runtime: 00:16:37

      6. First Lady Pat Nixon and the Boeing 747 wide-body, long-range jet airliner. Time Code Start: 10:00. Keywords: Presidents, families, wife, christenings, businesses, aviation industry, commercial airlines, aircraft, planes, jets, airliners. Network: CBS.

      7. First Lady Pat Nixon and the Boeing 747 wide-body, long-range jet airliner. Time Code Start: 11:50. Keywords: Presidents, familes, wife, christenings, businesses, aviation industry, commercial airlines, aircraft, planes, jets, airliners. Network: ABC.

Context (External Sources)