National Archives to Open Robert F. Kennedy Records Relating to the Cuban Missile Crisis
Press Release · Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Washington, DC
Media Alert
October 10, 2012
WHAT:
The National Archives and Records Administration and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library are releasing an additional seven boxes of material (more than 2,700 pages) from the Robert F. Kennedy Papers, housed at the Kennedy Library in Boston, including documents relating primarily to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
WHERE:
The records will be available both online at www.jfklibrary.org and in the Research Room at the Kennedy Library in Boston.
WHEN:
The records will be available at 8:30 A.M. EST on Thursday, October 11, 2012, both online and in the Kennedy Library Research Room.
“The National Archives is pleased to open these materials as the nation and the world mark the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis,” said David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States. “Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy played a crucial role in the peaceful resolution of the crisis, and researchers and the public are keenly interested in the information and insights contained in these documents.”
Background
The materials included in this opening consist of documents accumulated by Robert F. Kennedy in his capacity as both Attorney General and advisor to President Kennedy. The files relate chiefly to matters that ordinarily do not come under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General or the Justice Department, and include memos, correspondence, reports, notes from Executive Committee meetings, as well as CIA and State Department telegrams and cables chiefly related to the United States relationship with Cuba during the years 1961 to 1963 – a time which included the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bay of Pigs invasion.
While the majority of these materials will be opened in full, some will remain restricted because of classified material: no documents are closed due to restrictions related to personal privacy concerns.
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For press information, contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5326.
See background information about Robert F. Kennedy [www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/The-Kennedy-Family/Robert-F-Kennedy.aspx].
See a statement from the Robert F. Kennedy family.
See information about the 50th anniversary exhibit “To the Brink: JFK and the Cuban Missile Crisis.” [www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2012/nr12-146.html]
Learn more about the Cuban Missile Crisis [http://microsites.jfklibrary.org/cmc].
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to the memory of our nation's 35th president and to all those who through the art of politics seek a new and better world. Located on a 10-acre park, overlooking the sea that he loved and the city that launched him to greatness, the Library stands as a vibrant tribute to the life and times of John F. Kennedy. The Museum which portrays the life, leadership, and legacy of President Kennedy, conveys his enthusiasm for politics and public service, and illustrates the nature of the office of the President. Students and scholars can also arrange to conduct research using our collection of historical materials chronicling mid-20th century politics and the life and administration of John F. Kennedy.
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent Federal agency that preserves and shares with the public records that trace the story of our nation, government, and the American people. From the Declaration of Independence to accounts of ordinary Americans, the holdings of the National Archives directly touch the lives of millions of people. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries, and online at www.archives.gov.
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This page was last reviewed on August 15, 2016.
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