Nixon visits China
Young girl dressed in soldier attire at the arrival of the press plane in Peking, China. 02/21/1972.
Source: research.archives.gov
President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter dancing at the Inaugural Ball. January 20, 1977.
Source: research.archives.gov
Carter family Christmas portrait - 1978
This portrait of President Jimmy Carter, First Lady Rosalynn Carter, and the Carter family was taken on their trip home to Plains, Georgia. Go crazy ski hats!
-from the Carter Library
Source: research.archives.gov
On December 2, 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency opened for work for the first time. Earlier that year, President Richard Nixon and Congress had established the EPA with overwhelming support from the public.
It may be hard to imagine that before 1970, a factory could spew black clouds of toxic into the air or dump tons of toxic waste into a nearby stream, and that was perfectly legal. They could not be taken to court to stop it.
The pictures shown here are from the EPA’s 1970s photography project, DOCUMERICA. These shots were selected from the “In Praise of Forests” collection: Forest snail on an alder leaf, Alder Catkins on the ice, Mushroom lit briefly by the sun, Seedlings.
Happy anniversary to the EPA!
Inspired by these photos? The National Archives in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency is inviting students aged 13 and up to snap a picture, write a poem, or create a video that is inspired by one of our many Documerica photos and enter it into the Document Your Environment contest on Challenge.gov.
Look who’s judging: Graphic artist and former Documerica photographer, Michael Philip Manheim, will judge the Graphic Art category; Cokie Roberts, author and news analyst for National Public Radio and ABC News will judge the Video category; and Sandra Alcosser, the first Poet Laureate of Montana and professor of poetry at San Diego State University will judge the poetry category. A finalist will be chosen for each category in each of the three age groups, and one grand prize winner will be chosen by the Archivist of the United States, David Ferriero. The grand prize winner will also be awarded $500, courtesy of the Foundation for the National Archives.
Source: blogs.archives.gov
Jimmy and Bill
President Jimmy Carter with Governor Bill Clinton in the Blue Room at the White House. December 1, 1978.
-from the Carter Library
Treaty of Peace Chess Break
Prime Minister Begin engages National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski on the chess board. This game took place in between meetings with United States President Jimmy Carter, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin for the Camp David Accords. September 5-17, 1978 at Camp David in Maryland.
-from the Carter Library
Source: jimmycarterlibrary.gov
Betty Ford on Mary Tyler Moore
Co-producer Ed Weinberger coaches First Lady Betty Ford and Mary Tyler Moore. Mrs. Ford played herself in this episode which aired on January 10, 1975. At the Hay-Adams Hotel in Washington, D.C. November 17, 1975.
Source: fordlibrarymuseum.gov
DIY Decorations for the White House
“Handmade and Folksy” was the chosen theme for Christmas at the White House in 1975. In order to get their DIY decorations ready, Betty Ford and daughter Susan made tree ornaments in the White House Solarium.
Here they are at crafty work on November 10, 1975.
Source: fordlibrarymuseum.gov
Ping Pong Diplomacy
President Richard Nixon’s visit to China was sparked by a chance meeting between a United States ping pong player and a group of Chinese players at a tournament in Japan in 1971. After the United States players expressed an interest in visiting China, Mao Zedong invited them to tour the country. They became the first Americans to officially visit China since 1949.
This caught the eye of President Nixon and his advisors, most notably Henry Kissinger, who felt that despite challenges, the U.S. should work towards creating a relationship with China. Kissinger made two secret advance trips to China in 1971 before the official state visit in February 1972.
In this photo, Kissinger and his assistant (and later Ambassador) Winston Lord take a break during the secret negotiations about Nixon’s upcoming visit by – what else? – playing ping pong. China, October 26, 1971.
More - Ping Pong Diplomacy
Source: presidentialtimeline.org
Miss National Teen-Ager of 1978. The non-teen next to her is President Jimmy Carter.
Source: research.archives.gov
