Washington D.C. & elsewhere: Associated Press, 1969-1976. 425 photographs, approximately 25 of which are duplicates. Primarily, gelatin silver prints and the average size of each 8 x 10 inches. A few photos with color mark notes from print production work. The overall condition is very good to near fine.

This archive of 400 wire press photographs offers a strong visual record of President Richard Nixon’s administration, capturing the key moments from his 1969 Inauguration to Watergate and then several years beyond. Each photograph is accompanied by informative captions, printed within the image or on slips affixed to the individual photographs.

Almost half of the archive’s images offer a focused view on Nion’s notable summit meetings with foreign leaders. Among these significant encounters are his groundbreaking visit to China in 1972 and the historic meeting with Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev in Moscow during the same year.

The summit meetings documented in these photographs were instrumental in Nixon’s foreign policy strategy to enhance diplomatic relations, ease tensions, and foster dialogue between the United States and these respective nations. These high-level engagements were part of Nixon’s broader efforts to improve relations with China and the Soviet Union, utilizing them as leverage in negotiations with other countries, notably North Vietnam.

Beyond Nixon’s diplomacy, the archive reveals his involvement in various activities: addressing a postal strike or high food prices, signing bills like land grants to the Pueblos, meeting foreign dignitaries, military officials, high-level politicians, and celebrities, engaging in public appearances, visiting disaster sites, holding press conferences, and delivering a State of the Union address. It also captures pivotal events linked to the Vietnam War, the Middle East crisis, energy policies, and the Watergate Scandal, offering a comprehensive portrayal of Nixon’s administration. A small subset of photograph document Nixon’s family life, showcasing images of Nixon’s family home in San Clemente, images of First Lady Pat Nixon and the Nixon family, and photographs of Nixon’s brothers.

A rich visual narrative of Nixon’s administration.