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Nixon Archive
Six annual volumes gather Richard Nixon's speeches, statements, messages, and other presidential papers from 1969 through 1974.
The Public Papers of Richard Nixon offer a year-by-year record of the presidency in its own words. These six official volumes cover January 1969 through August 1974 and can be read in full through GovInfo.
Collection overview
All six volumes can be read online through GovInfo. Ball Archives provides annual guides, collection context, and citations.
Collection reference
Cite this guide when referring to the collection as a whole. For a specific speech, letter, volume, or finding, use the citation on that record's page.
Preferred citation: Nixon Archive, Ball Archives, https://ballarchives.org/collections/nixon.
Collection contents
What you'll find here
Use this overview to understand the subjects, period, and kinds of records represented before opening individual documents.
Records in this guide
Documents available to explore
Six official Public Papers volumes cover Richard Nixon's presidency from January 1969 through August 1974.
- Records
- 6
- Series represented
- 1
- Date span
- January 20, 1969 to January 1, 1974
- Availability
- Read online
Collection context
The larger story
The Public Papers document the presidency's public voice. Private deliberations, campaign records, personal papers, and later historical interpretation require other collections and sources.
Research theme
The presidency in its own words
Speeches, statements, messages, and news conferences show how the administration explained its actions to Congress, the press, and the public.
Research theme
A year-by-year documentary sequence
Reading the volumes in order makes changes in emphasis, language, and political circumstance visible across the six years.
Research theme
Official record and historical interpretation
The Public Papers document what the presidency chose to say publicly; they are indispensable evidence, but not a complete account of private deliberation or later historical debate.
Collection highlights
- Six official annual volumes cover Nixon's presidency from inauguration through resignation.
- The volumes include speeches, statements, messages, news conferences, nominations, and other presidential documents.
- Each annual guide links to the complete official edition on GovInfo.
Key period
Timeline
The annual volumes follow the public presidency from its opening priorities through diplomacy, reelection, Watergate, and resignation.
1969
The opening year
The first volume records the inauguration, formation of the administration, early domestic priorities, and the first public rhythm of the Nixon presidency.
1970-1971
Domestic policy and diplomatic opening
The middle volumes combine domestic policy with the widening diplomacy that led toward the major summit initiatives of 1972.
1972
Campaign year and summit diplomacy
The 1972 volume captures a presidency shaped by reelection, highly visible foreign policy, and carefully managed public presentation.
1973-1974
Crisis and resignation
The final two volumes trace the public record through Watergate, the administration's last full year, and Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974.
Questions for further research
- How did the language of the presidency change from 1969 to 1974?
- Which issues recur across speeches, messages to Congress, and news conferences?
- How does the official record frame the final months of the Nixon presidency?
Browse by series
Follow the collection's arrangement
Series group related records by their origin and purpose, making it easier to follow a subject across the collection.
Highlights
Documents to begin with
Start with these documents, then browse the full collection or follow their subjects and series.
Search this collectionPublic Papers of Richard Nixon
PPP-1969-book1
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon (1969)
Official GovInfo volume covering the public papers of President Richard M. Nixon from January 20 through December 31, 1969.
Public Papers of Richard Nixon
PPP-1972-book1
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon (1972)
Official GovInfo volume covering the public papers of President Richard M. Nixon from January 1 through December 31, 1972.
Public Papers of Richard Nixon
PPP-1974-book1
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon (1974)
Official GovInfo volume covering the public papers of President Richard M. Nixon from January 1 through August 9, 1974.
All records
Browse this collection
6 records currently available in this collection.
Public Papers of Richard Nixon
PPP-1974-book1
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon (1974)
Official GovInfo volume covering the public papers of President Richard M. Nixon from January 1 through August 9, 1974.
Public Papers of Richard Nixon
PPP-1973-book1
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon (1973)
Official GovInfo volume covering the public papers of President Richard M. Nixon from January 1 through December 31, 1973.
Public Papers of Richard Nixon
PPP-1972-book1
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon (1972)
Official GovInfo volume covering the public papers of President Richard M. Nixon from January 1 through December 31, 1972.
Public Papers of Richard Nixon
PPP-1971-book1
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon (1971)
Official GovInfo volume covering the public papers of President Richard M. Nixon from January 2 through December 30, 1971.
Public Papers of Richard Nixon
PPP-1970-book1
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon (1970)
Official GovInfo volume covering the public papers of President Richard M. Nixon from January 1 through December 31, 1970.
Public Papers of Richard Nixon
PPP-1969-book1
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon (1969)
Official GovInfo volume covering the public papers of President Richard M. Nixon from January 20 through December 31, 1969.