May 11, 1971

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

• Original typewritten diary (PDF)

The President's day began at The White House - Washington, D. C.

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.

Digitized versions can be found at HathiTrust.

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.

• Remarks About a Proposed National Cancer Program.
• Statement About Proposed Legislation To Establish a National Cancer Program
• Proclamation 4053—Voluntary Overseas Aid Week and Human Development Month

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.

• Federal Register of Tuesday, May 11, 1971

The Congressional Record is the official daily record of the debates and proceedings of the U.S. Congress.

• Senate: May 11, 1971
• House of Representatives: May 11, 1971
• Extensions of Remarks: May 11, 1971

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.

• Transcript of diary entry (PDF)
• Original audio recording (MP3)

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

• Text search for May 11, 1971
• Date search for May 11, 1971

All National Archives Units

• Text search for May 11, 1971
• Date search for May 11, 1971

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.

• President's Daily Brief of 11 May 1971

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. II, Organization and Management of U.S. Foreign Policy, 1969-1972

The Intelligence Community and the White House

• 230. Memorandum From the Assistant Director, Office of Management and Budget (Schlesinger) to the Director (Shultz), Washington, May 11, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Subject Files, Box 332, Intelligence Reorganization, Vol. I. Top Secret. A copy was sent to Kissinger. In a May 17 memorandum to Kissinger, Wayne Smith provided a more detailed summary of the comments by CIA, DOD, State, and the Science Adviser, and he attached copies of the respective comments. (Ibid.)

Vol. V, United Nations, 1969-1972

UN Finances and Reduction of the U.S. Assessment

• 163. Airgram From the Mission to the United Nations to the Department of State, New York, May 11, 1971

  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, UN 10–4. Confidential. Drafted by Seymour M. Finger.

Vol. XIII, Soviet Union, October 1970-October 1971

"One of Two Routes": Soviet-American Relations and Kissinger's Secret Trip to China, April 23-July 18, 1971

• 208. Action Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Hillenbrand) to Secretary of State Rogers, Washington, May 11, 1971

  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 29 USSR. Secret. Drafted by Mainland; cleared by Atherton. Davies initialed the memorandum for Hillenbrand. Eliot also initialed the memorandum, indicating that he had seen it.

• 209. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) and the Soviet Ambassador (Dobrynin), Washington, May 11, 1971, 9:10 a.m.

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, Henry Kissinger Telephone Conversation Transcripts, Box 27, Dobrynin File. No classification marking. Kissinger corrected a copy of the transcript; these corrections were non-substantive and have been silently incorporated in the text of the transcript printed here. (Ibid., Kissinger Office Files, Box 78, Country Files, Europe, USSR, SALT, Jan. 9–May 20, 1971) For his memoir account of this “rather blunt conversation,” see Kissinger, White House Years, pp. 818–819; see also Dobrynin, In Confidence, pp. 214–215.

Vol. XXI, Chile, 1969-1973

Cool and Correct: The U.S. Response to the Allende Administration, November 5, 1970-December 31, 1972

• 227. Memorandum From Arnold Nachmanoff of the National Security Council Staff to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Washington, May 11, 1971

  Source: National Security Council, Nixon Intelligence Files, Subject Files, Chile, 1971–72. Secret; Sensitive; Eyes Only; Outside System.

Vol. XXIX, Eastern Europe, 1969-1972

Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty

• 52. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Helms to President Nixon, Washington, May 11, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Box 379, Subject Files, Radio Free Europe & Radio Liberty, Vol. I. Secret; Sensitive. In a covering memorandum of the same date, Helms wrote Kissinger: “Even though the 40 Committee will consider the problem of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty at its meeting on the 13th, there is a great deal to be done in a short space of time if the Radios are to avoid being without funds on 1 July. Therefore, I would appreciate your seeing that the President is made promptly aware of this since it may be necessary for him to become personally involved if the situation is to be salvaged in time.”

Vol. XXIX, Eastern Mediterranean, 1969-1972

Cyprus

• 366. Telegram From the Embassy in Cyprus to the Department of State, Nicosia, May 11, 1971, 1153Z

  Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Files 1970–73, POL 27 CYP. Confidential. Repeated to Ankara, Athens, London, USNATO, EUCOM, USDOCOSOUTH, and USUN.

Vol. XL, Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

Germany and Berlin, 1969-1972

• 235. Message From the Ambassador to Germany (Rush) to the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger), Bonn, May 11, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt. No time of transmission appears on the message; a handwritten note indicates that it was received in Washington on May 11 at 2230Z.

• 236. Message From the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Kissinger) to the Ambassador to Germany (Rush), Washington, May 11, 1971

  Source: National Archives, Nixon Presidential Materials, NSC Files, Kissinger Office Files, Box 59, Country Files, Europe, Ambassador Rush, Berlin, Vol. 1. Top Secret; Sensitive; Exclusively Eyes Only. The message was sent through the special Navy channel in Frankfurt; no time of transmission or receipt appears on the message.

Vol. E-1, Documents on Global Issues, 1969-1972

Oceans Policy

• 391. Memorandum of Conversation, Brasilia, May 11, 1971, 10:00 a.m.

  Department of State Legal Adviser Stevenson and other representatives sent by President Nixon met with Brazilian officials to discuss problems associated with Brazil’s claim to a 200-mile limit.
  
  Source: National Archives, RG 59, L/OES Files: Lot 75 D 88, Box 1, LOS Ecuador (January-July) 1971. Secret; Exdis. Drafted by Stephen Low on May 17. The meeting was held at the Brazilian Foreign Ministry.

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.

The White House Tapes are sound recordings of President Richard Nixon's telephone conversations and of meetings held in the Oval Office and the Cabinet Room in the White House, the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building (OEOB), the Lincoln Sitting Room in the residence section of the White House, and several locations at the Presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland. These recordings document many of the major events and decisions of the Nixon Administration from February 16, 1971 to July 18, 1973. Visit the White House Tapes finding aid to learn about the taping system's operation and archival processing.

Cabinet Room

• 56-4; Unknown between 8:02 a.m. & 9:45 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Agnew, Spiro T. (Vice President); Cabinet officers; Rogers, William P.; Connally, John B.; Chafee, John H.; Mitchell, John N.; Blount, Winton M. ("Red"), Jr.; Morton, Rogers C. B.; Hardin, Clifford M.; Stans, Maurice H.; Hodgson, James D.; Richardson, Elliot L.; Romney, George W.; Volpe, John A.; Kennedy, David M.; Shultz, George P.; Finch, Robert H.; Rumsfeld, Donald H.; Bush, George H. W.; Ehrlichman, John D.; MacGregor, Clark; Flanigan, Peter M.; Peterson, Peter G.; David, Edward E., Jr. (Dr.); Price, Raymond K., Jr.; Butterfield, Alexander P.; Ziegler, Ronald L.; Brown, Robert J.; Sohmer, Arthur J.
• 56-5; Unknown between 9:45 a.m. & 11:59 p.m.; [Unknown person(s)]
• 56-6; Unknown between 9:45 a.m. & 11:59 p.m.; [Unknown person(s)]

Oval Office

• 497-1; 11:04 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Ehrlichman, John D.; Bull, Stephen B.
• 497-2; 11:20 a.m. - 11:51 a.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Saxbe, William B.; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.
• 497-3; 11:53 a.m. - 12:07 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Barnum, John W.; Bodman, Richard S.; Fri, Robert W.; Kurzman, Stephen; Letson, William N.; Sanchez, Phillip V.; Malek, Frederic V.; Kinsley, Daniel T.; White House photographer
• 497-4; Unknown between 12:07 p.m. & 12:08 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Bull, Stephen B.
• 497-5; 12:07 p.m. - 12:22 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob")
• 497-6; 12:22 p.m. - 12:22 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); [Unknown person(s)]
• 497-7; Unknown between 12:22 p.m. & 2:10 p.m.; [Unknown person(s)]
• 497-8; 2:14 p.m. - 3:08 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Woods, Rose Mary; Haig, Alexander M., Jr.; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); Bull, Stephen B.; Ziegler, Ronald L.
• 497-9; 3:08 p.m. - 5:09 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Shultz, George P.; Ehrlichman, John D.; Connally, John B.; Mitchell, John N.; Flanigan, Peter M.; Butterfield, Alexander P.; [Unknown person(s)]; Haldeman, H. R. ("Bob"); White House operator; Hruska, Roman L.; Eastland, James O.; Kleindienst, Richard G.

White House Telephone

• 3-1; Unknown between 4:50 p.m. & 4:52 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator; Shultz, George P.; Mitchell, John N.
• 3-2; 4:52 p.m. - 4:53 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Connally, John B.; Shultz, George P.
• 3-3; Unknown between 4:53 p.m. & 7:10 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator
• 3-4; 7:15 p.m. - 7:16 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); Connally, John B.
• 3-29; 5:27 p.m. - 5:27 p.m.; Nixon, Richard M. (President); White House operator

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-6275 Photographer: Schumaker, Byron | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-6275-, President Nixon addressing conducting a press conference concerning a proposed cancer cure program. 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. Briefing Room, White House. President Nixon, press corps reporters and photographers.
• Frame(s): WHPO-6275-06, President Nixon addressing conducting a press conference concerning a proposed cancer cure program (fisheye lens). 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. Briefing Room, White House.

Roll WHPO-6276 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: Color

• Frame(s): WHPO-6276-, President Nixon and Administration officials briefing the press on a proposed cancer cure program. 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. Briefing Room, White House. President Nixon, Elliot Richardson, Dr. Robert Marston, Dr. Edward David, Jr., aides, press corps reporters and photographers.
• Frame(s): WHPO-6276-11A, President Nixon and Administration officials briefing the press on a proposed cancer cure program. 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. Briefing Room, White House. President Nixon, Elliot Richardson, Dr. Robert Marston, Dr. Edward David, Jr., aides, press corps reporters and photographers.
• Frame(s): WHPO-6276-14A, President Nixon and Administration officials briefing the press on a proposed cancer cure program. 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. Briefing Room, White House. President Nixon, Elliot Richardson, Dr. Robert Marston, Dr. Edward David, Jr., aides, press corps reporters and photographers.

Roll WHPO-6277 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-6277-, President Nixon seated with new Presidential appointees John Barnum, Richard Bodman, Robert Fri, Stephen Kurzman, William Letson and Phillip Sanchez. 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, John Barnum, Richard Bodman, Robert Fri, Stephen Kurzman, William Letson, Phillip Sanchez.

Roll WHPO-6278 Photographer: Atkins, Oliver | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-6278-, President Nixon in the Oval Office shaking hands with Senator William Saxbe and new Presidential appointees John Barnum, Richard Bodman, Robert Fri, Stephen Kurzman, William Letson and Phillip Sanchez. 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, William Saxbe, John Barnum, Richard Bodman, Robert Fri, Stephen Kurzman, William Letson, Phillip Sanchez.

Roll WHPO-6279 Photographer: Schumaker, Byron | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-6279-, Pasha, the Nixon's family terrier dog looking at a statue of a pig at the Salute to Agriculture exhibit. 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. White House grounds. Pasha, unidentified man.

Roll WHPO-6280 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-6280-, President Nixon attending the annual seafood luncheon in the Speaker's Dining Room in the Capitol, hosted by Congressman William Colmer. 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. Speaker's Dining Room, Capitol Building. President Nixon, William M. Colmer, Ray Madden, William M. Colmer, Ray J. Madden, James J. Delaney, Richard Bolling, Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr., B. F. Sisk, John Young, Claude Pepper, Spark M. Matsunaga, William R. Anderson, H. Allen Smith, John B. Anderson, David T. Martin, James H. Quillen, Delbert L. Latta. Carl Albert, Gerald R. Ford, Hale Boggs, Leslie C. Arends, Clark MacGregor, William Timmons, Richard Cook, Lewis Deschler, Laurie Battle, Robert Hines, Dr. Rufus Pearson, Judge Howard Smith, Trent Lot.
• Frame(s): WHPO-6280-07A, President Nixon poses for a group portrait with four officials attending the annual seafood luncheon in the Speaker's Dining Room in the Capitol, hosted by Congressman William Colmer. 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. Speaker's Dining Room, Capitol Building. President Nixon, Hale Boggs, William M. Colmer, John W. McCormack, unidentified official or aide.

Roll WHPO-6281 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-6281-, President Nixon seated in the Oval Office during a meeting with John Mitchell, Senator Roman Hruska, Senator James Eastland, and Richard Kleindienst. 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. White House, Oval Office. President Nixon, John Mitchell, Roman Hruska, James Eastland, Richard Kleindienst.

Roll WHPO-6282 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: B&W

• Frame(s): WHPO-6282-, Julie Eisenhower and David Eisenhower holding a press conference. 5/11/1971, Virginia Beach, Virginia unknown. Julie Eisenhower, David Eisenhower, press corps members.

Roll WHPO-6283 Photographer: Schumacher, Karl | Color or B&W: Color

• Frame(s): WHPO-6283-, Julie and David Eisenhower holding a press conference. 5/11/1971, Virginia Beach, Virginia unknown. Julie Nixon Eisenhower, David Eisenhower, press corps members.

Roll WHPO-6284 Photographer: Schumaker, Byron | Color or B&W: Color

• Frame(s): WHPO-6284-, Pat Nixon at an awards luncheon. 5/11/1971, Washington, D.C. National Gallery of Art. Pat Nixon, J. Carter Brown, unidentified men, women, and children.

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.

I - Various Administration Events

• WHCA-SR-I-035
  PA and audio test in Hangar # 6 at Andrews AFB [not rec'vd by NARA]. (5/11/1970)
  
  Runtime: 30:00:00
  
  Original Format: 1/4-inch reel-to-reel audiotape. Original source type: Original.

P - Formal Presidential Remarks

• WHCA-SR-P-700505
  Remarks by President Nixon at state dinner for Sir Alec Douglas-Hume. (5/11/1970)
  
  Runtime: 16:00
  
  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-4363
  "Protest '71: The Changing Faces of Dissent".
  ALL NETWORKS
  Runtime: 00:59:20
• WHCA-4364
  "Thirty Minutes".
  WTOP
  Runtime: 00:30:35
• WHCA-4365
  "60 Minutes". includes a segment on the newly opened LBJ Library in Austin, Texas John Kerry, leader of "Vietnam Veterans Against the War"; "FTN": U.S. Senator Robert Dole.
  CBS
  Runtime: 00:58:51
• WHCA-4368
  Weekly News Summary, Tape II.
  ALL NETWORKS
  Runtime: 1:30
  
  1. Reasoner: Secretary of State Rogers' trip results. Time Code Start: 00:00. Keywords: cabinet, advisors, travel, trips. Network: ABC.
  
  2. Smith: Supersonic Transport (SST) and revenue sharing in Congress. Time Code Start: 00:53. Keywords: Supersonic Transport, SST, aircraft, speed of sound, subsonic airliners, bills, laws, State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972, financial aid. Network: ABC.
  
  3. Smith/Hill: Vice President Agnew speaks in Illinois. Time Code Start: 01:33. Keywords: Vice Presidents, travel, trips, speeches. Network: ABC.
  
  4. Smith: President Nixon pledges money for war on cancer. Time Code Start: 04:00. Keywords: Presidents, speeches, medical research, cure for cancer, funds, financial aid. Network: ABC.
  
  5. Brinkley: President Nixon pledges money for war on cancer. Time Code Start: 05:34. Keywords: Presidents, speeches, medical research, cure for cancer, funds, financial aid. Network: NBC.
  
  6. Brinkley: Senator Eagleton on President Nixon's Vietnam policy. Time Code Start: 06:15. Keywords: Presidents, Presidential elections, campaigns, candidates, Vietnam War. Network: NBC.
  
  7. McGee: Speculators on the money market. Time Code Start: 08:08. Keywords: stock markets, investments, stock exchange, securities, Wall Street, Dow Jones, New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, finances, recession, inflation. Network: NBC.
  
  8. Cronkite/Rather: President Nixon pledges money for the war on cancer. Time Code Start: 08:42. Keywords: Presidents, speeches, medical research, cure for cancer, funds, financial aid. Network: CBS.
  
  9. Cronkite/Kalb: Senator Eagleton on President Nixon's Vietnam policy. Time Code Start: 11:37. Keywords: Presidents, Presidential elections, campaigns, candidates, Vietnam War. Network: CBS.
  
  10. Cronkite/Sevareid: Commentary on Senator Eagleton's statements on President Nixon's Vietnam policy. Time Code Start: 14:34. Keywords: Presidents, Presidential elections, campaigns, candidates. Network: CBS.

• New York Times of May 11, 1971

• AP Images photos from May 11, 1971
• Getty Images photos from May 11, 1971

The Vanderbilt Television News Archive is the world's most extensive and complete archive of television news. They have been recording, preserving and providing access to television news broadcasts of the national networks since August 5, 1968.

• May 1971 Broadcast Index

Wikipedia is a free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

• May 11, 1971