John C. Stennis papers, Series 001: Executive

The Executive Series is made up of a number of sub-series chronicling Stennis' interactions with the Executive Branch of the US Government.

The Presidential Correspondence is composed of White House-General Correspondence and Presidential Correspondence.

White House-General Correspondence includes letters sent and received between the White House and Senator Stennis and his staff from 1957-1982 and letters regarding presidential administrations for the same period. The administrations included are those of Jimmy Carter, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Lyndon B. Johnson, John F. Kennedy, Richard M. Nixon, and Harry S. Truman. Specific subjects covered in this series are the integration of the University of Mississippi, the hostage rescue attempt in Iran, the Vietnam War, World War II disarmament, SALT, Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, school integration, Panama Canal treaties, the Little Rock crisis, the Mayaguez incident, the Indochina peace proposal, amnesty for Vietnam draft evaders, John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Richard Nixon’s pardon, and Nixon’s final address as president.

Vice-Presidential Correspondence consists of letters between Senator Stennis and vice-presidents from 1949-1977. It also contains copies of correspondence from Mississippians to vice-presidents and correspondence regarding the individual vice-presidents, including the following: Spiro T. Agnew, Alben Barkley, Gerald Ford, Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale, Richard Nixon, and Nelson Rockefeller.

White House Programs Sub-Series is composed of two record groups–the Bicentennial and White House Fellowships. The Bicentennial contains primarily correspondence and information regarding national and Mississippi bicentennial plans from 1974-1977. Correspondents include the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission and Mississippi constituents. The Mississippi correspondence involves local aid for programs, progress of local bicentennial plans, and a Mississippi grant. White House Fellowships comprises correspondence regarding applications about White House Fellowships from 1967-1977.

The Central Intelligence Agency Sub-Series contains correspondence between the CIA and Senator Stennis and his staff from 1955-1978. Significant topics covered are the congressional investigation of the CIA, hearings regarding Intelligence Oversight bills, a Russian Radio Broadcast about Senator Stennis, elimination of aid to Turkey, and the building of new CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. For information regarding agency directors see individual name entries in the index.

The Energy Sub-Series includes correspondence and information regarding the Department of Energy, the Federal Energy Administration, and the Federal Energy Office from 1974-1980. Other topics mentioned are the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, the Northwest Mississippi Junior College Solar Energy Project, and legislation creating the Department of Energy.

The Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) Sub-Series contains correspondence regarding the OEP, the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization and the Office of Defense Mobilization. Another topic included is the wage and price freeze during President Richard Nixon’s administration.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Sub-Series consists primarily of general correspondence between the OMB and Senator Stennis and his staff from 1955-1982. Significant OMB personnel are listed individually in the index.

The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) Sub-Series consists of correspondence between Senator Stennis and his staff and the OEO from 1955-1975. It also includes correspondence from constituents regarding the OEO and its programs and correspondence and information relevant to Senator Stennis’ investigation of the OEO Headstart Programs in Mississippi. For information on the Stennis investigation, individual OEO personnel and Headstart projects see appropriate entries in the index, including sub-headings under Stennis’ name. Additional significant topics covered are Mary Holmes Junior College; Mid-State Opportunity, Inc.; Star, Inc.; Yazoo Community Action; and legal aid programs. The Sub-Series also contains a large amount of OEO grant announcement and press releases relevant to programs in Mississippi.