The Presidential historical materials of John R. Brown III, White House Staff Assistant, 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. In accordance with the Act and regulations, archivists reviewed the materials to identify personal and private materials and non-historical items. No such items were found.
Materials covered by the Act have been archivally processed and are described in this register. Items, which are security classified or otherwise restricted under the Act and regulations have been removed and placed in a closed file. A Document Withdrawal Record (GSA Form 7279 or NA Form 14021) with a description of each restricted document has been inserted at the beginning of each folder from which material has been removed. A Document Control Record marks the original position of the withdrawn item.
Employees of the National Archives will review periodically the unclassified portions of closed materials for the purpose of opening those, which no longer require restriction. Certain classified documents may be declassified under authority of Executive Order 13526 in response to a Mandatory Review Request (NA Form 14020) submitted by the researcher.
- Linear feet of materials: 1 linear foot, 4 linear inches
- Approximate number of pages: 2,400
Preservation Note
Holdings maintenance was performed on the collection in October 2011 in order to ensure the longevity of the documents. In some instances, the previous number of folders and/or boxes in a collection may have been increased. This finding aid has been updated to reflect any changes. The previous version of the finding aid is available upon request.
John R. Brown, III was born August 19, 1942 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania before going on to complete a Masters in Finance at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Business in 1965. Brown served as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve and was honorably discharged from the Army in 1967.
From January 21, 1969 to March 1, 1971, Brown served as Special Assistant on the staff of H. R. Haldeman. Brown had taken a leave of absence from his job at Koppers Industries to serve in the Nixon administration and returned to Koppers afterwards. He eventually became Vice President and General Manager at Koppers Industries before joining the Pittsburgh-based wealth management firm Bill Few Associates in 1988 and eventually becoming the company’s Chairman of the Board.
The Special Files of John R. Brown III were created or received by him during 1969. Brown served as a White House Staff Assistant and Staff Secretary on the staff of H.R. Haldeman from January 21, 1969, through March 1, 1971. Brown's later papers are contained in the files of the office of the Staff Secretary in the White House Special Files.
The materials are arranged into three series:
- Memoranda
- Personnel Files
- Administrative Files
The Memoranda series consists of communications circulated among members of the White House Staff. Most of these memoranda were sent by Ken Cole and deal primarily with requests for action resulting from White House news summaries – verifying facts, seeking additional information, and refuting statements. Many of the items are "action memos," which include a log number and due date in the lower right hand corner. The files of the Staff Secretary's office contain an index to action memos.
The Personnel Files series contains letters, memoranda, and resumes related to staffing the Nixon White House in 1969, including recommendations for positions, decisions on salaries, personnel forms, and memos on transferring people from government agencies. Most of these materials originated in the office of Larry Higby and Jean Robb. Also included are White House staff lists arranged alphabetically by senior staff member and office.
The Administrative File series contains an outline of the Johnson administration staff structure. The files includes a complete list of White House Staff by office and position; an outline of each office, its staff members and job descriptions; and a summary of the Staff and Operating Office salaries and expenses.
Boxes: 1
Series: Memoranda
Spans: 1969
Description: Photocopies and carbons of memoranda circulated among members of the White House Staff. Arranged alphabetically by recipient and thereunder in reverse chronological order.
Boxes: 1-2
Series: Personnel Files
Spans: 1969
Description: Photocopies, carbons, and originals of memoranda, resumes, and other forms related to White House staffing in 1969. Arranged in reverse chronological order.
Boxes: 3
Series: Administrative Files
Spans: 1969
Description: Reference files outlining Johnson administration staff structure and job descriptions. Arranged alphabetically by staff member or office.
MEMORANDA, 1969
Box 1
[Memoranda to White House staff members I] [1 of 4]
[Memoranda to White House staff members I] [2 of 4]
[Memoranda to White House staff members I] [3 of 4]
[Memoranda to White House staff members I] [4 of 4]
[Memoranda to White House staff members II] [1 of 2]
[Memoranda to White House staff members II] [2 of 2]
PERSONNEL FILES, 1969
Personnel File [1 of 3]
Personnel File [2 of 3]
Personnel File [3 of 3]
Personnel I [May-July, 1969] [1 of 3]
Personnel I [May-July, 1969] [2 of 3]
Personnel I [May-July, 1969] [3 of 3]
Personnel I [Jan.-Apr., 1969] [1 of 2]
Personnel I [Jan.-Apr., 1969] [2 of 2]
Box 2
Personnel II [Jul. 13-Oct. 20, 1969] [1 of 2]
Personnel II [Jul. 13-Oct. 20, 1969] [2 of 2]
Personnel II [Feb. 13-Jul. 12, 1969] [1 of 3]
Personnel II [Feb. 13-Jul. 12, 1969] [2 of 3]
Personnel II [Feb. 13-Jul. 12, 1969] [3 of 3]
Personnel II [Jan. 21-Feb. 12, 1969] [1 of 2]
Personnel II [Jan. 21-Feb. 12, 1969] [2 of 2]
U.S. Organization Manual List of White House Staff
White House Commissions
White House Staff [1 of 3]
White House Staff [2 of 3]
White House Staff [3 of 3]
ADMINISTRATIVE FILES
Box 3
Johnson Administrative File [1 of 2]
Johnson Administrative File [2 of 2]
Book I. Office Set-up as of Nov. 1, 1968 [1 of 2]
Book I. Office Set-up as of Nov. 1, 1968 [2 of 2]
[List of White House Staff, Johnson Administration]