| Dates: | 1958-1960 (Bulk date, 1960) |
| Size: | 3 linear feet in 3 boxes |
| Repository: | Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, 400 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60605 |
| Collection Number: | spe.rnc |
| Immediate Source of Acquisition: | Materials found in collection; no documentation concerning the provenance of these materials exists. |
| Conditions Governing Access: | Materials are open without restrictions. |
| Physical Location: | Materials are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please request materials at least 24-hours prior to your research visit to coordinate access. |
| Conditions Governing Use: | Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection. |
| Preferred Citation: | When quoting material from this collection the preferred citation is: Republican National Convention Records, [Box #, Folder #], Special Collections, Chicago Public Library |
| Finding Aid Author: | Johanna Russ, December 2013. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Johanna Russ, 2021. |
Abstract
The 1960 Republican National Convention, held in Chicago, determined that Richard M. Nixon would be the party’s presidential candidate. As the incumbent vice president, Nixon was always a leading contender, but he worked with New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller to adopt platform planks that would appeal to the left wing of the Republican Party. Opposing Nixon was Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater who represented the right wing of the Republican Party. Some of this internal party division can be seen in these records which document the events of the Convention.
Historical / Biographical Note
The 1960 Republican National Convention took place July 25-28 in Chicago’s International Amphitheatre. It was the 100th anniversary of the 1860 Convention, also in Chicago, that selected Abraham Lincoln as the Republican presidential candidate. In 1960, Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower was finishing his second term in office, and so he could not run for reelection. The Democratic National Convention had happened a few weeks earlier, choosing John F. Kennedy, a Senator from Massachusetts, as the Democratic nominee for president. The Republican National Convention met to select his Republican opponent.
Vice President Richard Nixon was the leading favorite for the nomination, but a few challenges existed. Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater represented the right wing of the Republican Party, and he was running against Nixon for the nomination. New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller represented the left wing of the Republican Party, and though he had withdrawn from the race the preceding December, in the weeks leading up to the Convention, he made his displeasure with the platform known, hinting at leading a challenge from the Convention floor.
In an effort to circumvent this challenge, as well as to gain the support of more liberal Republicans, Vice President Nixon secretly flew to New York on July 23 to meet with Rockefeller. The two met in Rockefeller’s 5th Avenue home and discussed the party platform all night. Nixon agreed to adopt many of Rockefeller’s planks in exchange for Rockefeller’s support. The published statement describing the platform was released under Rockefeller’s name; Nixon issued a statement of support.
This clandestine meeting did not sit well with the Convention Platform Committee or with Goldwater. Ultimately, though, it was successful in unifying the Party during the Convention, and Nixon handily won the nomination. Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., a former Senator from Massachusetts and then ambassador to the United Nations, was chosen to be his running mate. Nixon went on to lose the presidential election to John F. Kennedy in November of that year. Nixon was later elected president in 1968 and again in 1972. He resigned mid-term in 1974 following the Watergate scandal.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of press releases, campaign literature, speech and interview transcripts, newspapers, biographies, directories and schedules. Through this material, some of the disagreements among the different factions of the Republican Party can be discerned. Of note is the material from Republican women’s groups and the speeches delivered by women.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in 5 series.
- Series 1: Republican National Convention Records, 1959-1960
- Series 2: Candidates, 1958, 1960
- Series 3: Speeches and Statements, 1960
- Series 4: Related and Participating Organizations, 1960
- Series 5: Press Response, 1960
Subjects
- Republican National Convention (1960 : Chicago, Ill.)
- Political conventions — Illinois — Chicago.
- Dirksen, Everett McKinley
- Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969
- Ford, Gerald
- Goldwater, Barry M. (Barry Morris), 1909-1998
- Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964
- Lodge, Henry Cabot, Jr., 1902-1985
- Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994
- Percy, Charles H., 1919-2011
- Rockefeller, Nelson A. (Nelson Aldrich), 1908-1979
- Witwer, Samuel W. (Samuel Weiler), 1908-1998
Related Materials
Democratic National Convention Records, 1965, 1968 (Bulk date, 1968)
Collection Inventory
Series 1: Republican National Convention Records, 1959-1960
Scope and Contents
This series consists of directories, news releases, platform statements, schedules, and brochures created by the Republican National Committee and affiliate groups and either distributed to delegates and guests or published.
Arrangement
Files are arranged alphabetically.
| Box 1 | Folder 1 | 100th Anniversary of Lincoln nomination, 1960 |
| Box 1 | Folder 2 | Biographies, 1960 July, undated |
| Box 3 | Folder 1 | Delegate Listing, 1960 July 25 |
| Box 1 | Folder 3 | Directories, 1960 July 18 |
| Box 1 | Folder 4 | News Releases, 1959 December 10, undated, 1960 July, 1960 July 12-23 |
| Box 1 | Folder 5 | News Releases, 1960 July 24-28 |
| Box 1 | Folder 6 | Republican Platform – Report of the Committee on Resolutions, 1960 July 27 |
| Box 1 | Folder 7 | Schedules, 1960 July 22-29 |
| Box 3 | Folder 2 | Souvenir Portfolio for Delegates and Guests, 1960 |
| Box 1 | Folder 8 | To delegates – meet Fred Seaton, [1960 July] |
| Box 1 | Folder 9 | Women’s Division, 1959 |
Series 2: Candidates, 1958, 1960
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of press releases, schedules, campaign literature, biographies, and interviews of candidates for the Republican presidential and vice presidential nominations. Though Nelson Rockefeller had stated that he would not run, material put out by his camp, as well as by affiliated supporters, appears in this series. Gerald Ford of Michigan was a potential vice presidential nominee, and some information on him is included.
Arrangement
Files are arranged alphabetically.
| Box 1 | Folder 10 | Gerald Ford, 1960 February 18-July 22, undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 11 | Barry Goldwater, 1960 July 23, undated |
| Box 1 | Folder 12 | Richard Nixon and Pat Nixon – biographies, [1960] |
| Box 1 | Folder 13 | Richard Nixon – press releases, 1958 September 6, 1960 June 21-July 27 |
| Box 1 | Folder 14 | Richard Nixon – staff biographies, [1960] |
| Box 1 | Folder 15 | Nelson Rockefeller, 1960 July 19-25 |
| Box 2 | Folder 1 | Nelson Rockefeller – National Draft Rockefeller Committee, 1960 June-July |
Series 3: Speeches and Statements, 1960
Scope and Contents
This series is comprised of transcripts of speeches and statements from a wide variety of politicians, leaders of interested and affiliated organizations and candidates.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically by speaker's last name.
| Box 2 | Folder 2 | Bertha S. Adkins, Under Secretary of Health, Welfare, and Education, 1960 July 27 |
| Box 2 | Folder 3 | Meade Alcorn, Former Republican National Committee Chairman, 1960 July 28 |
| Box 2 | Folder 4 | Robert B. Anderson, Secretary of the Treasury, 1960 July 19 |
| Box 2 | Folder 5 | Mrs. Robert O. Bonnell, Maryland National Committeewoman, 1960 July 26 |
| Box 2 | Folder 6 | John W. Byrnes, [Wisconsin] Congressman, 1960 July 19 |
| Box 2 | Folder 7 | George Christopher, mayor of San Francisco, 1960 July 28 |
| Box 2 | Folder 8 | Wilda J. Cook, Supervisor of Registration of Pinellas County, Florida, 1960 July 28 |
| Box 2 | Folder 9 | John C. Cornelius, President, American Heritage Foundation, 1960 July 25 |
| Box 2 | Folder 10 | Thomas E. Dewey, former governor of New York, 1960 July 28 |
| Box 2 | Folder 11 | Everett McKinley Dirksen, Senate Minority Leader [from Illinois], 1960 July 27 |
| Box 2 | Folder 12 | Dr. Lee A. DuBridge, President, California Institute of Technology, 1960 July 19 |
| Box 2 | Folder 13 | Dwight D. Eisenhower, President, 1960 July 26, 27 |
| Box 2 | Folder 14 | Mrs. Peter Gibson, President, National Federation of Republican Women, 1960 July 27 |
| Box 2 | Folder 15 | Barry Goldwater, Arizona Senator; candidate, 1960 July 26 |
| Box 2 | Folder 16 | Charles A. Halleck, Indiana Congressman, 1960 July 27 |
| Box 2 | Folder 17 | [Mark Hatfield], Oregon Governor, 1960 July 27 |
| Box 2 | Folder 18 | Herbert Hoover, [former President], 1960 July 25 |
| Box 2 | Folder 19 | Jaren L. Jones, Vice Chairman, Committee on Arrangements, 1960 July 15 |
| Box 2 | Folder 20 | Walter H. Judd, Minnesota Congressman, keynote, 1960 July 26 |
| Box 2 | Folder 21 | Kenneth B. Keating, New York Senator, at the mass meeting of the NAACP, 1960 July 24 |
| Box 2 | Folder 22 | Mrs. Floyd W. Lee, New Mexico committeewoman, 1960 July 26 |
| Box 2 | Folder 23 | Alice K. Leopold, Director, Women’s Bureau, Department of Labor, 1960 July 26 |
| Box 2 | Folder 24 | Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, 1960 July 28 |
| Box 2 | Folder 25 | William E. Miller, [New York] Congressman and Chairman of the Republican Congressional Committee, 1960 July 27 |
| Box 2 | Folder 26 | Thurston B. Moore, Kentucky Senator and Chairman of Republican National Committee, 1960 July 13, 25, undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 27 | Katharine K. Newberger, President of New Jersey Federation of Republican Women, 1960 July 28 |
| Box 2 | Folder 28 | Richard M. Nixon, Vice President, [candidate], 1960 July 28 |
| Box 2 | Folder 29 | Fern Orme, Nebraska State Legislature Member, 1960 July 28 |
| Box 2 | Folder 30 | Charles H. Percy, Chairman of Republican Platform Committee, 1960 July 15, 23 |
| Box 2 | Folder 31 | Robert E. Smylie, Idaho Governor, 1960 July 27 |
| Box 2 | Folder 32 | Richard L. Stump, M.D., undated |
| Box 2 | Folder 33 | Lanny D. Unruh, Winner of American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest, 1960 July 25 |
| Box 2 | Folder 34 | Jessica Weis, New York Committeewoman, 1960 July 27 |
| Box 2 | Folder 35 | Clare B. Williams, Assistant Chairman of Republican National Committee, 1960 July 26 |
| Box 2 | Folder 36 | Samuel W. Witwer, candidate for Senate from Illinois, 1960 July 26 |
| Box 2 | Folder 37 | John C. Woodland, Maryland [delegate], 1960 July 28 |
Series 4: Related and Participating Organizations, 1960
Scope and Contents
This small series consists of information published by various related and participating organizations and people.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically.
| Box 2 | Folder 38 | National Federation of Republican Women, [1960] July 14 |
| Box 2 | Folder 39 | Pepsi-Cola Company at Republican National Committee, [1960 July] |
| Box 2 | Folder 40 | Pennsylvania Senator Hugh Scott news release, [1960] July 22 |
| Box 2 | Folder 41 | Sheraton-Blackstone Hotel news releases, [1960 July] |
| Box 2 | Folder 42 | Southern Association of Republican State Chairmen, 1960 April 10-22 |
| Box 2 | Folder 43 | Young Republican National Federation, 1960 July 23-27, undated |
Series 5: Press Response, 1960
Scope and Contents
This small series includes newspapers, magazines and publications from other media outlets.
Arrangement
The files are arranged alphabetically.
| Box 3 | Folder 3 | Chicago Convention Journal: National Republican Convention Issue, [1960 July] |
| Box 3 | Folder 4 | Convention Call, 1960 July 24 |
| Box 3 | Folder 5 | Roll Call: July Conventions Issue, [1960] |
| Box 3 | Folder 6 | The Standard-Times (New Bedford, Mass.), 1960 March |
