MYRON B. KUROPAS FILES, 1976-77

Myron B. Kuropas joined the White House staff in January 1976 as Special Assistant for Ethnic Affairs. This newly created position was assigned to the Office of Public Liaison (OPL) and reported directly to William J. Baroody, Jr. Kuropas was responsible for White House liaison with leaders of major ethnic organizations, including fraternal, civic, religious and academic associations. He met with representatives of ethnic groups, represented the White House at ethnic functions, advised the President on ethnic concerns and worked with federal agencies on programs regarding ethnic affairs.

Kuropas used OPL's Tuesday and Wednesday Meetings to help accomplish these goals. The most important was the White House Ethnic Community Conference held on March 9, 1976. American ethnic leaders and newspaper editors attended and both domestic and foreign affairs (State Department) briefings were given. The evening concluded with a reception honoring Dr. Kuropas.

The majority of Kuropas' files contain material on specific ethnic groups and on the activities in which he participated. This material is largely routine. It includes requests for presidential meetings, appearances and messages; Kuropas' correspondence with the groups, and occasionally with the National Security Council and State Department asking their evaluation of the requests; drafts of presidential messages and speeches prepared by Kuropas; and agendas, press releases and articles concerning the events. The files also reflect the many bicentennial celebrations held by ethnic communities in 1976.

The general subject file contains primarily routine material, except for information on the presidential repeal of Executive Order 9066 (Japanese American detention camps) and on the pardon of Iva Toguri ("Tokyo Rose"). This file also includes correspondence requesting aid for problems with emigration and citizenship and the resulting memoranda with the National Security Council and the State Department regarding these matters. Drafts of the pamphlet, "The Ford Presidency from an Ethnic Perspective," prepared before the election, are also in the subject file. In addition, the interviews and questionnaires of VISTA's Project Senior Ethnic Find, 1972-75, from Kuropas' previous position as regional director of ACTION, are assembled here.

Related Materials
Related materials in the files of Theodore Marrs, Special Assistant for Human Resources, Office of Public Liaison, are not open. White House Central File category, Immigration-Naturalization (IM), includes material regarding emigration.