Bradley H. Patterson, Jr. Papers, White House Central Files, 1969-1974

Title: Bradley H. Patterson, Jr. Papers, White House Central Files, 1969-1974

Dates: 1969-1974

Collection Number: 6213051

Creator/Collector: Patterson, Bradley H. (Bradley Hawkes), 1921-

Extent: 38 linear feet, 6 linear inches; 88 boxes

Repository: Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

Abstract: Bradley H. Patterson, Jr., served as an Executive Assistant, Special Consultant to the President in the office of Leonard Garment. The file group reflects Patterson’s responsibilities in civil rights, plans for the American Revolution Bicentennial celebration, oversight of both the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment of the Humanities, U.S.-American Jewish affairs, Native Americans, and cable TV regulation. Patterson also has a three (3) box series entitled “The Late Accretion File.” The files consist of an alpha-subject series that approximately parallels the Alpha-Subject Files in the Patterson papers but was added after the main body of documents had already been processed. The emphasis of the documents in this file is on African Americans.

Language of Material: English

Collection is open for research. Some materials may be unavailable based upon categories of materials exempt from public release established in the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974.

Most government records are in the public domain; however, this series includes commercial materials, such as newspaper clippings, that may be subject to copyright restrictions. Researchers should contact the copyright holder for information.

Bradley H. Patterson, Jr. Papers, White House Central Files, 1969-1974. Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

These materials are in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration under the provisions of Title I of the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-526, 88 Stat. 1695) and implementing regulations.

The materials of Bradley H. Patterson, Jr., executive assistant to Leonard Garment, reflect his responsibilities in civil rights, plans for the American Revolution Bicentennial celebration, oversight of both the National Endowment of the Arts and the National Endowment of the Humanities, U.S.-American Jewish affairs, and cable T.V. regulation. Patterson has stated that he "helped [Garment] across the board in everything he did" with the exception of Watergate. In the areas of school desegregation, busing and fair housing, he estimated that his input was 25% to Garment's 75%, while in Indian affairs he had 90% input to Garment's 10%. "I didn't know very much about [Indian matters] in the beginning but have learned a lot since then...and I'm now sort of considered a resident overseer on Indian matters here in the White House." Garment and Patterson were primarily responsible for drafting President Nixon's July 8, 1970 message establishing tribal self-determination as basic federal policy. In other civil rights areas - problems of the elderly, women, ethnic and religious minorities, and student unrest (Kent State), their input was roughly equal. The Patterson materials consist of five series: White House Memo Files, Correspondence Files, Alpha-Subject Files, Court Hearings, and Late Accretion File. The White House Memo Files cover a one-year period from March 1973 through February 1974 and are arranged chronologically. The Correspondence Files are arranged alphabetically by subject or name of correspondent and contain letters to and from both Garment and Patterson on a broad range of topics. A few documents in this series concern the immigration struggle of John Lennon and Yoko Ono and the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Court Hearings Series contain the records and related materials in the U.S. Court of Claims case of The Innocent Victims of the Occupation of Wounded Knee, S.D. vs. the United States, May 6-20, 1980. This case contains documents concerning the occupation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs building in November 1972 by the American Indian Movement as well as the Wounded Knee incident. This is an incomplete series because several plaintiff exhibits as well as correspondence from Patterson, General Haig, Garment and John C. Whitaker were not received from the Justice Department. The collection also includes short hand notes which Patterson created while attending various meetings such as the Wounded Knee negotiations, December Group, et al.; these have been removed pending transaction. The Late Accretion File consists of an alpha-subject series that approximately parallels the Alpha-Subject Files in the Patterson papers but was added after the main body of documents had already been processed. The emphasis of the documents in this file, unlike the Patterson materials where the emphasis is on Native Americans, is on Afro-Americans.