Gerald R. Ford Library 1000 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2114 www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov

First Lady's Staff

SUSAN PORTER

Appointments Secretary:

Files, 1974-77

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Material compiled by Porter and her assistant during the scheduling of activities and domestic trips for Mrs. Ford and the Ford children. Included are files concerning invitations extended to Betty Ford and the Ford children, presidential primary campaign activity, honorary affiliations, and scenarios and fact sheets on First Family activities.

QUANTITY

9.6 linear feet (ca. 19,200 pages)

DONOR

Gerald R. Ford (accession number 77-53 and 78-11)

ACCESS

Open. Some items are temporarily restricted under terms of the donor's deed of gift, a copy of which is available on request, or under National Archives and Records Administration general restrictions (36 CFR 1256).

COPYRIGHT

Gerald Ford has donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain.

Prepared by Leesa Tobin, April 1988

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BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Susan Anne Porter

1941 Born, Cincinnati, Ohio

1963 B.A., Earlham College

1966‑71 Assistant Director of Admissions, Mount Holyoke College

1970 M.S., Indiana State University

1971‑72 Assistant Director of Correspondence for the First Lady

1972‑73 Assistant to Appointments Secretary for the First Lady

1973‑77 Appointments Secretary to the First Lady

1977‑ Special Assistant to the Assistant Attorney General of the Office for Improvements in the Administration of Justice, Department of Justice

1980 Married to Jonathan Chapman Rose

‑ Staff, Assistant Attorney General for Administration, Department of Justice

‑ Staff, Office of Vice President, George Bush

INTRODUCTION

The Susan Porter files include correspondence, memoranda, schedules, calendars, fact sheets and scenarios compiled by Porter during her tenure as appointments secretary to Mrs. Ford and the Ford children from August 1974 until January 1977. Porter began working in the White House in 1971.

As appointments secretary Porter and her assistant, Sally Runion, organized schedules for Mrs. Ford and the Ford children. All incoming invitations were delivered to Porter's office and screened for likely events in which the First Family might wish to participate. These "possibles" were organized and passed along to the Fords for their consideration in consultation with the First Lady's press secretary, Sheila Weidenfeld, and members of the West Wing staff. After a decision was made Porter responded by letter or telephone to the issuing party. Invitations were extended to the Ford family from numerous and widely diverse individuals and groups. Porter typically responded to more than 500 invitations for Mrs. Ford alone each month. The Ford children, especially Susan, also received many invitations although fewer than their popular mother.

Planning and organization of activities for family members became particularly important during the presidential primary campaign. Often Mrs. Ford and all four children would be traveling simultaneously. Porter's files for these events include scenarios and press materials in addition to the invitation and preliminary planning materials. Material on most of these campaign events is also located in the files of Press Secretary Sheila Weidenfeld.

Another important aspect of Porter's work was to keep an accurate calendar for each family member and inform the West Wing staff about scheduled First Family appearances and trips. She also kept records as to which honorary affiliations family members had accepted. The Administrative Subject File and the Memoranda File in this collection document how this was accomplished.

Related Materials (April 1988):

Additional material concerning Mrs. Ford's public appearances is available in the files of her press secretary, Sheila Weidenfeld and speechwriter, Kaye Pullen, as well as the Betty Ford Papers. The White House Central Files Subject File category for Mrs. Ford (PP 5‑1), contains similar material.

Series Descriptions

1‑9 Administrative Subject File, 1974-77. (3.6 linear feet)

Memoranda, correspondence, agendas, invitation logs, calendars, advance material, scenarios and card files compiled by Porter in planning the First Lady's schedule and those of the Ford children. Much of the material concerns events the Fords attended during the 1976 presidential primary campaign. Also included is background on awards and honorary affiliations accepted and declined by Mrs. Ford and the children and detailed activity calendars for each family member.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

10‑13 Memoranda File, 1974-77. (1.6 linear feet)

Memoranda between Porter and White House staffers, other government offices and the President Ford Committee concerning schedule planning for the First Family. Also filed here is extensive material concerning coordination of the First Lady's schedule with that of the President.

Arranged alphabetically by corresponding individual or office.

14‑24 Invitation Response File, 1974-77. (4.4 linear feet)

An extensive file of carbon copies of responses to invitations for the First Lady and the Ford children. Most of these responses are form letters. The original incoming correspondence is filed in the White House Social Files which are currently unprocessed and unavailable for research.

For 1974, 1975 and 1977 responses to invitations for the First Lady are filed chronologically. Files for 1976 are organized by state. Files for each of the Ford children are arranged chronologically.

Container List

Box 1 Administrative Subject File

Administration Wives

Awards ‑ Ford, Betty ‑ Accept

Awards ‑ Ford, Betty ‑ Decline

Campaign Events

‑ 1976/02/24‑28 ‑ Florida ‑ Ford, Betty (1)‑(3)

‑ 1976/03/02‑05 ‑ Illinois ‑ Ford, Jack

‑ 1976/03/08 ‑ Florida ‑ Ford, Jack

‑ 1976/03/09‑12 ‑ Arizona and California ‑ Ford, Betty (1)-(4)

‑ 1976/03/29 ‑ Wisconsin ‑ Ford, Jack

‑ 1976/04/05 ‑ Wisconsin ‑ Ford, Betty

‑ 1976/04/12‑14 ‑ Texas ‑ Ford, Jack (1)‑(2)

Box 2 Administrative Subject File

Campaign Events

‑ 1976/04/19‑22 ‑ Texas ‑ Ford, Betty (1)‑(2)

‑ 1976/04/22‑23 ‑ Nebraska ‑ Ford, Jack

‑ 1976/04/25 ‑ 1976/05/02 ‑ Azalea Festival ‑ Ford, Susan (1)-(2)

‑ 1976/04/26‑27 ‑ Texas ‑ Ford, Jack

‑ 1976/04/29‑30 ‑ New York and Indiana ‑ Ford, Betty

‑ 1976/05/04‑07 ‑ Ohio, California, Nebraska ‑ Ford, Betty (1)-(2)

‑ 1976/05/14‑18 ‑ Michigan ‑ Ford, Jack

‑ 1976/05/15‑16 ‑ Michigan ‑ Ford, Betty

‑ 1976/05/19‑21 ‑ Oregon ‑ Ford, Steven

‑ 1975/05/21‑22 ‑ Ohio ‑ Ford, Jack

‑ 1976/05/21 ‑ 1976/06/05 ‑ New Jersey and California ‑ Ford, Jack

‑ 1976/05/27‑28 ‑ New Jersey and Ohio ‑ Ford, Betty

‑ 1976/06/04‑08 ‑ California ‑ Ford, Betty

‑ 1976/06/08‑10 ‑ Colorado, Ford, Jack

‑ 1976/07/16‑17 ‑ Connecticut ‑ Ford, Jack

Box 3 Administrative Subject File

Campaign Schedules

Campaign Schedules ‑ Ford, Jack (1)-(2)

Campaign Schedules ‑ Ford, Michael

Campaign Schedules ‑ Ford, Steven

Campaign Schedules ‑ Ford, Susan

Distribution Lists

East Wing Staff

Honorary Affiliations ‑ Children ‑ Accept

Honorary Affiliations ‑ Children ‑ Decline

Honorary Affiliations ‑ Ford, Betty ‑ Accept (1)-(6)

Box 4 Administrative Subject File

Honorary Affiliations ‑ Ford, Betty ‑ Decline (1)-(2)

Honorary Degrees ‑ Ford, Betty ‑ Decline

Invitation Logs (1)-(11)

Box 5 Administrative Subject File

Photo Opportunity ‑ Lupus Foundation (1)-(3)

Photo Opportunity ‑ National Women's Party

Photo Opportunity ‑ National Women's Political Caucus

President's Schedule (1)-(5)

Proposed Events

Box 6 Administrative Subject File

Scenarios (1)-(10)

Box 7 Administrative Subject File

Scenarios (11)-(22)

Box 8 Administrative Subject File

Schedules ‑ Ford, Betty

Schedules ‑ Ford, Jack

Schedules ‑ Ford, Michael

Schedules ‑ Ford, Steve

Schedules ‑ Ford, Susan

Washington Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (1)-(4)

White House Events ‑ Fact Sheets (1)-(2)

Box 9 Administrative Subject File

First Family Activities ‑ Card File

Honorary Affiliations ‑ Ford, Betty ‑ Card File

Box 10 Memoranda File

Advance Office

Advance Office ‑ Events ‑ Ford, Betty (1)-(10)

Box 11 Memoranda File

Advance Office ‑ Events ‑ Ford, Jack (1)-(2)

Advance Office ‑ Events ‑ Ford, Michael

Advance Office ‑ Events ‑ Ford, Steven

Advance Office ‑ Events ‑ Ford, Susan (1)-(2)

Bicentennial Office

Congressional Liaison

Curator's Office

Domestic Council

East Wing (1)-(3)

Flower Shop

Gift Unit

Editorial Office

Box 12 Memoranda File

Kennedy Center

Legal Office

Leonard, Mildred

Lukash, Dr. William

Miscellaneous

National Endowment for the Arts

National Security Council (1)-(2)

Photo Office (1)-(3)

President Ford Committee (1)-(4)

Usher's Office

Box 13 Memoranda File

White House Maintenance

White House Supply

Visitors Office (1)-(2)

West Wing ‑ Scheduling (1)-(7)

Women's Affairs

Box 14 Invitation Response File

Ford, Betty, Aug.-Nov. 1974

Box 15 Invitation Response File

Ford, Betty, Dec. 1974-March 1975

Box 16 Invitation Response File

Ford, Betty, April-June 1975

Box 17 Invitation Response File

Ford, Betty, July-Sept. 1975

Box 18 Invitation Response File

Ford, Betty, Oct.-Dec. 1975

Box 19 Invitation Response File

Ford, Betty, 1976 ‑ Alabama ‑ District of Columbia

Box 20 Invitation Response File

Ford, Betty, 1976 ‑ District of Columbia ‑ Massachusetts

Box 21 Invitation Response File

Ford, Betty, 1976 ‑ Michigan ‑ New York

Box 22 Invitation Response File

Ford, Betty, 1976 ‑ North Carolina ‑ Texas

Box 23 Invitation Response File

Ford, Betty, 1976 ‑ Utah ‑ Wyoming

Ford, Betty, 1976 ‑ Congressional Endorsements

Ford, Betty, 1976 ‑ International

Ford, Betty, 1977 (1)-(3)

Box 24 Invitation Response File

Ford, Jack (1)-(3)

Ford, Michael

Ford, Steven

Ford, Susan (1)-(9)