2015 Press Releases

National Archives Richard Nixon Library to Release 193 Haldeman Audio Diary Entries
Press Release · Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Yorba Linda, CA

For Media Inquiries: Greg Cumming, gregory.cumming@nara.gov, 714-983-9131

For Researcher Inquiries: Cary McStay, cary.mcstay@nara.gov, 301-837-0916

On Thursday, November 6 at noon ET (9 a.m. PT), the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum will open to the public 193 days of former White House Chief of Staff, H.R. (Bob) Haldeman's audio diary online at www.nixonlibrary.gov

Haldeman served as Nixon's Chief of Staff from January 20, 1969, until his resignation on April 30, 1973. He kept a handwritten diary from January 18, 1969, through December 2, 1970. In late 1970, he began dictating his entries on audiocassette. This new release consists of audio entries from December 12, 1970, through March 13, 1973.

The diaries provide a daily record of events and conversations, as well as Haldeman's often candid thoughts at the end of each day. Topics include the Pentagon Papers, Vietnam negotiations, India-Pakistani War, Israel, and US relations with the Soviet Union and China. Haldeman donated these diaries to the National Archives in 1980.

Entries will be available as MP3 and WAV audio files. Each entry has a transcript (as a PDF file) to assist listeners and identify previously withheld information. Newly declassified segments are contextualized and have been reintegrated into the audio and transcripts. This release includes a downloadable PDF index and a finding aid that details the collection and its history.

"This latest release of materials from the Haldeman diaries demonstrates the Library's commitment to provide all researchers access to documents which allow them to fully evaluate this important period in American history," said acting Library Director Susan K. Donius.

At the request of the Nixon Library, the National Archives National Declassification Center worked with nine different agencies to facilitate declassification review of the withdrawn segments from the Haldeman diaries. With this release, 296 previously classified segments will be available, including 285 segments declassified in full. The Library continues to process the remainder of the diaries. Released material is at www.nixonlibrary.gov. For more information, see the Haldeman Diaries' "Questions and Answers" fact sheet.

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The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum is one of 13 Presidential Libraries operated by the National Archives and Records Administration. The Nixon Library and Museum is located at 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd, Yorba Linda, CA, and is open year round with the exceptions of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The Museum is fully handicapped accessible. For information about museum visitor and researcher hours, call 714-983-9120 or go to www.nixonlibrary.gov.

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