The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library has opened for research substantial portions of the extensive Melvin Laird Papers. Mr. Laird was a leader among Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1960s, chairman of the 1964 Republican Platform Committee, Secretary of Defense from 1969 to 1972, and a senior advisor to President Richard Nixon in 1973. A description and detailed inventory of the Laird Papers is on the Ford website at:

http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/guides/Finding%20Aids/Laird.htm

In addition to the material now open (sometimes with advance notification required), the Ford Library has digitized over 40,000 pages of security classified material from the Laird Papers and referred the digital copies to the Department of Defense and other agencies for declassification review. This review is in progress.

If you have questions about the Laird Papers or wish to learn about all Ford Library collections pertinent to any topic, please contact the following e-mail address.