SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Material that pertains to former First Lady Betty Ford’s public life and activities after she left the White House in 1977. The collection includes correspondence, schedules, speeches, planning materials and other information about her involvement in many groups, including the Betty Ford Center. It especially documents her work on issues such as cancer, alcohol, and drug abuse awareness and treatments.

QUANTITY
169.9 linear feet (ca. 339,800 pages)

DONOR
Elizabeth “Betty” Ford (Contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library staff for a list of accession numbers)

ACCESS
Open in part. Researchers wishing to view this collection should consult with an archivist prior to their visit in order to request that specific folders be added to the Library’s review-for-access queue. Some items may be temporarily restricted under terms of the donor's deed of gift, a copy of which is available on request, or under National Archives and Records Administration general restrictions (36 CFR 1256).

COPYRIGHT
Elizabeth “Betty” Ford has donated to the United States of America her copyrights in all of her unpublished writings in National Archives collections. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain.

Prepared by William H. McNitt, August 1994
Updated by Jeff Senger, June 2016; Stacy Davis, February 2017
[S:\BIN\Finding Aids & Guides\Ford, Betty - Post-WH Papers.doc]

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Correspondence Chronological File, 1977-1995.  (Box A1-A109, 47.7 linear feet)
This series consists of former First Lady Betty Ford's correspondence with politicians, journalists, leaders of women's organizations, family, friends, and the general public concerning a wide variety of topics.

Arranged chronologically by year and thereunder alphabetically by name of correspondent.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Trips and Events File, 1977-2008.  (Boxes B1-B90, 39.3 linear feet)
This series contains correspondence, schedules, and speeches related to Mrs. Ford's trips and events throughout the United States and internationally. Also included are events held at or near her home in Rancho Mirage, California.

Arranged chronologically by date of the trip or event.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Scheduling Correspondence File, 1978-1982.  (Boxes C1-C4, 1.8 linear feet)
This series consists of correspondence, invitations, and regrets regarding Mrs. Ford’s attendance at various functions and events. The 1978 correspondence consists only of photocopies of outgoing responses to invitations, but later material contains of carbons of outgoing letters attached to originals of incoming invitations. The invitations in this series were almost all declined. Most correspondence concerning invitations accepted appears in the Trips and Events File of this collection.

Arranged chronologically by the date of the event. The 1978 correspondence is arranged alphabetically.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Schedules, 1977-2008.  (Boxes D1-D16, 7 linear feet)
This series contains copies of Mrs. Ford's daily schedules that detail her planned activities.

Arranged chronologically.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Subject File, 1977-2010.  (Boxes E1-E52, 22.8 linear feet)
This series consists of correspondence, financial reports, meeting minutes, and publications concerning such topics as alcoholism, arthritis, family, the Equal Rights Amendment, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Martha Graham Dance Company, and the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA). It also includes materials concerning the writing and publishing of her books, The Times of My Life and A Glad Awakening and the production of the television movie, A Betty Ford Story.

Arranged alphabetically by topic.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Betty Ford Center Subject File, 1980-2005.  (Boxes F1-F20, 8.8 linear feet)
This series consists of correspondence, lists of donors, financial records, and reports concerning Mrs. Ford's work with the Eisenhower Medical Center, fundraising for the Betty Ford Center, and the operations of the Center.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Clippings File, 1977-92.  (Boxes G1-G15, 6.6 linear feet)
This series consists of scrapbook materials concerning Mrs. Ford's activities and the Betty Ford Center.

Arranged chronologically.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Regretted Invitations File, 1977-79, 1988, 1991-2009.  (Boxes H1-H21, 9.2 linear feet)
This series consists of letters of invitation and invitation cards sent to Mrs. Ford for events which she declined to attend.

Arranged chronologically thereunder alphabetically.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Bulk Mail Sample, 1977-1990.  (Boxes I1-I7, 3.1 linear feet)
This series contains a sample of routine mail sent by the general public to Mrs. Ford. It includes mail regarding her medical treatment, interviews on television and in publications, A Glad Awakening, The Betty Ford Story, and requests for autograph, photographs and recipes. Some letters include a copy of the response from Mrs. Ford or her staff. This representative sample was retained by the Ford Library prior the disposal of the majority of the bulk mail.

Arranged by mail topic.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Gift Books, 1954-2007.  (Boxes J1-J11, 4.8 linear feet)
This series consists of books received by Mrs. Ford from various individuals and organizations. Many of the books have been signed/inscribed by the author, contributor, or by the person who gave the book to Mrs. Ford or both President and Mrs. Ford. Copies of other material found tucked in the books are stored next to the books.

Arranged alphabetically by author or the title of the book if no author is known.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Correspondence Name File, 1994-2008.  (Boxes K1-K26, 11.3 linear feet)
This series consists of Mrs. Ford's correspondence with politicians, journalists, leaders of women's organizations, family, friends, and the general public concerning a wide variety of topics.

Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Chronological File, 1997-2001.  (Boxes L1-L3, 1.3 linear feet)
This series consists of correspondence with Mrs. Ford or her staff on a variety of topics.

Arranged chronologically.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Speeches, 1977-2001.  (Boxes M1-M7, 3.1 linear feet)
This series consists of reading copies and note cards from Mrs. Ford’s remarks on various occasions after she left the White House.

Arranged chronologically.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.

Speech Background Files, 1977-2001.  (Boxes N1-N7, 3.1 linear feet)
This series consists of periodicals, articles, and other materials pertaining to the research and writing of remarks made by Mrs. Ford. Topics include alcohol and drug abuse, addiction treatment, cancer, and women’s issues.

Arranged alphabetically by topic.

Container list for this series will soon be available online. Contact the Ford Library staff for more information in the interim.