National Archives and Records Administration
The Lyndon B. Johnson Library and Museum 

RELEASE OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON'S TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS

LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON LIBRARY

AUSTIN, TEXAS

At 9:00 A.M. on July 18, 1997, the Johnson Library will release recordings and transcripts of telephone conversations recorded by President Johnson from July 1 through August 31, 1964.

Sixty-six tapes will be released--23 tapes for July and 43 tapes for August. These conversations offer in rich detail a unique insight into a significant period of the Johnson presidency, covering such topics as the Gulf of Tonkin attacks, Johnson's choice of his vice-presidential running mate, the controversy over the seating of the Mississippi and Alabama delegations at the Democratic Convention in Atlantic City, and the passage and implementation of two landmark pieces of legislation, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, usually referred to as the poverty bill. More detailed information about individual conversations and transcripts will be available on July 18.

Researchers may either listen to the recordings in the Reading Room beginning on July 18 or order copies of individual tapes at a cost of $6.00 per tape, with a minimum order of $10.00. A limited number of complete sets of newly released tapes will be available for purchase on the day of opening. Prior arrangements for purchase of a complete set should be made with the Reading Room archivist, 512-916-5137, extension 234, by July 14, and orders will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. The cost of the set of 66 tapes is $396.00, plus Texas sales tax where applicable. Once the limited number of sets available have been sold, orders will be filled once a week as staff time permits.

Copies of transcripts of those conversations which were transcribed by the President's staff may also be purchased at a cost of $.20 per page by mail or $.10 per page if ordered in the Reading Room. The exact page count of a complete set of transcripts will be available on July 14. Researchers should be cautioned that the transcripts are not always reliable and should never be used without checking them against the actual recordings to assure accuracy.

Immediately following this tape release, the Library will undergo an extensive period of renovation that may last up to one year and will involve significant disruptions to archival processing. Because of this activity, further processing of the recordings of telephone conversations may be delayed. Following this release, the Library will discontinue sending an individual notification letter to those researchers who have indicated they would like to be informed of the date of further releases of the recordings. The notification of further releases will be posted in advance of the release on the Library's Internet web site at and on the National Archives Internet site at www.nara/gov/president/address.html and will be reported in National Archives publications. Researchers are advised to consult those sources for the date of future releases, or to call the Library's Reading Room at 512-916-5137, extension 234.