This speech file was maintained by Hugh Morrow, Nelson Rockefeller's press secretary. Mr. Morrow was a speech writer for Mr. Rockefeller during his first term as Governor of New York and became his press secretary beginning with his second term in 1963. Mr. Morrow continued to serve with Mr. Rockefeller through his years as Governor, his tenure as U.S. Vice President, and his years as a private citizen before and after the Vice Presidency.

The Central Files series contains the general correspondence of the Office of the Vice President from Nelson A. Rockefeller's tenure (December 19, 1974, to January 20, 1977). The series offers partial documentation of Rockefeller's role in the development of national policy and his duties as President of the U.S. Senate. There is correspondence with President Gerald R. Ford and members of his staff, congressional representatives, senators, other government officials, and foreign dignitaries. However, there is very little in this series documenting actual policy formation. Much of the correspondence with government officials concerns the Vice President's information-gathering activities on behalf of the White House and executive agencies, as well as his support of the President's policies. There are also reports and position papers on national issues submitted to the Vice President by individuals both within and outside the federal government. Virtually all of these were unsolicited.

Types of records include: speeches.

Over the course of Nelson Rockefeller's tenure as Vice President of the United States, he served on several commissions, including the National Commission on Water Quality. Vice President Rockefeller also served as chair of the Domestic Council. The majority of Rockefeller's actions as Vice President are documented in this series of 63 volumes. They contain schedules, agenda and minutes of meetings, position papers, and memoranda and correspondence generated as part of the Vice President's daily activities.

The bulk of this series of papers consists of files kept by Captain Jonathan T. Howe, Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs, who served Nelson A. Rockefeller during his entire vice presidency (December 19, 1974 to January 20, 1977) in the Gerald R. Ford Administration. The contents reflect international relations and national security topics that Capt. Howe monitored closely for the Vice President. He also oversaw Mr. Rockefeller's appointment schedule on these matters and coordinated with Peter Wallison, Counsel to the Vice President, on suggested responses to inquiries involving foreign officials or national security issues.

When President Gerald R. Ford selected Nelson A. Rockefeller to fill the vacant vice presidency on August 20, 1974, Rockefeller's staff began preparing material for the confirmation hearings. Much of the material in this series was gathered from the Rockefeller family archives, which was located in Rockefeller Center.

Types of records include: press releases.

The National Commission on Water Quality (NCWQ) was formed in 1972 by President Richard Nixon, who appointed Nelson A. Rockefeller (then-governor of New York) chair of the Commission. It was an outgrowth of the 1972 Water Pollution Control Act. The Commission got off to a late start: The first meeting was in May 1973. It did not meet its reporting deadline of October 1975 but continued into 1976. The Commission consisted of five members from the public sector and ten from Congress--five each from both chambers. Senator Edmund Muskie and Senator Robert Jones co-chaired the Commission. (Throughout the collection, there is evidence of in-fighting between Rockefeller and Muskie.) The staff of 60 was headed by General Frederick Clarke.

This small series contains only a portion of the files of the New York State Committee to Reelect the President [Nixon]. The original extent of the materials was twelve cubic feet. However, shortly after the materials were deposited in the Rockefeller Family Archives, the NYS Committee to Reelect the President (NYS CREEP) was audited by the Internal Revenue Service. The majority of the materials was sent to Washington, DC, and was never returned. The original folder listing of the full collection of 12 boxes is in Box 2, Folder 14. The remaining materials--which comprise this series--were originally found in boxes 9, 10, and 11.

This small series contains a portion of the files of N. Lee Cook, who served as a Program Assistant for Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller. These files are specifically related to Affirmative Action Programs. The majority of the files contain significant documentation of the Affirmative Action Program of Greater Buffalo (BAAP) and the work undertaken by that organization in 1970 and 1971. Primarily, these files deal with construction issues and equal employment opportunities, as well as affirmative action concerns on construction sites around New York State.