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Presidential Papers

This guide list published papers (public and private) of U.S. presidents. It also provides information on how to find their unpublished papers.

Presidents by alphabet

Adams, John

Adams, John Quincy

Arthur, Chester A.

Buchanan, James

Bush, George H. W.

Bush, George W.

Carter, James

Cleveland, Grover

Clinton, William J.

Coolidge, Calvin

Eisenhower, Dwight D.

Fillmore, Millard

Ford, Gerald R.

Garfield, James

Grant, Ulysses S.

Harding, Warren G.

Harrison, Benjamin

Harrison, William Henry

Hayes, Rutherford B.

Hoover, Herbert

Jackson, Andrew

Jefferson, Thomas

Johnson, Andrew

Johnson, Lyndon B.

Kennedy, John F.

Lincoln, Abraham

Madison, James

McKinley, William

Monroe, James

Nixon, Richard M.

Obama, Barack

Pierce, Franklin

Polk, James K.

Reagan, Ronald

Roosevelt, Franklin D.

Roosevelt, Theodore

Taft, William Howard

Taylor, Zachary

Truman, Harry S.

Tyler, John

Van Buren, Martin

Washington, George

Wilson, Woodrow

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Introduction

White House   

This guide is designed to help American University users find the public and private papers—published and unpublished, print format or electronic—of U.S. presidents,   It includes their letters, communiques (many previously classified), speeches, remarks and statements.  This guide generally does not include books written by the presidents.

For a more complete list of publications by individual presidents, not just their papers, search for the president's name as AUTHOR, e.g. washington george, in the American University Library Catalog or WorldCat AU-only icon

Online Collections of U.S. Presidential Papers

This guide is still undergoing heavy construction.

General collections

  • American Presidency Project from University of California, Santa Barbara
    Collection of presidential documents, data on presidents and presidential elections, and videos of president.
  • U.S. Presidential Library via HeinOnline AU-only icon
    Collection of published presidential papers.

Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States (1929 onwards)

The Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States is the official publication of United States Presidents' public writings, addresses, and remarks of a public nature. More about the Public Papers.
Issued: Volumes are published approximately twice a year, and each volume covers approximately a 6-month period.

  • FDsys 1991 (George H.W. Bush) to Barack Obama
  • HeinOnline AU-only icon 1929 (Herbert Hoover) to Barack Obama
  • Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States (Herbert Hoover to George W. Bush)
    (Call number: J80 .A283) AU Library has print copies.

Compilation of Presidential Documents (1965 to present)
The Compilation of Presidential Documents is the official publication of presidential statements, messages, remarks, and other materials released by the White House Press Secretary. A companion to the Public Papers, the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents was started in 1965 to provide a broader range of Presidential materials on a more timely basis. From 1977 onward, all material appearing in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is incorporated into the Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States. More about the Compilation of Presidential Documents.

Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents (January 20, 2009 to present)

The Daily Compilation replaced the Weekly Compilation on January 20, 2009 (Obama).
Issued: Daily
Citation: Daily Comp. Pres. Docs., 2009 DCPD No. 00001, p.3 means the Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents in the year 2009, in the first document, on page three.

  • FDsys January 20, 2009 (Barack Obama) to present
    Most up to date source.
  • HeinOnline AU-only icon January 20, 2009 (Barack Obama) to present  

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents (1965 to January 29, 2009)

Official publication of presidential statements, messages, remarks, and other materials released by the White House Press Secretary. Replaced by the Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents on January 20, 2009.
Issued: Weekly (Monday)

 
  • FDsys 1993 (George H.W. Bush) to January 29, 2009 (George W. Bush)
  • HeinOnline AU-only icon 1965 (vol. 1) Lyndon B. Johnson to January 29, 2009 George W. Bush

Papers (Public and Private) of Individual Presidents by Chronology: Polk to Garfield

11. James Knox Polk, 1845-1849

  • Correspondence of James K. Polk. Edited by Herbert Weaver. Projected 13 vols.
    A selective edition of James K. Polk correspondence is currently being published by the University of Tennessee Press.
    (Call number: E337.8 .P63). AU Library has print copy.
  • Diary of James K. Polk during His Presidency, 1845 to 1849. Edited by Milo Milton Quaife. 1970 reprint of 1901 edition. 4 vols.
    The most comprehensive edition of Polk's diary.
    (Call number: E416 .P76). AU Library has print copy.
  • Polk: The Diary of a President, 1845-1849. Edited by Allan Nevins. 1 vol.
    A selection of the Quaife edition.
    (Call number: E416 .P77). AU Library has print copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collections of Polk's papers.

12. Zachary Taylor, 1849-1850

The majority of Zachary Taylor's papers were destroyed in the Civil War.

  • Letters of Zachary Taylor from the Battlefields of the Mexican War.
    (Call number: E415 .T24). AU Library has print copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Taylor's papers.

13. Millard Fillmore, 1850-1853

  • Millard Fillmore Papers. Edited by Frank H. Severance. 2 vols.
    (Call number: F129.B8 B88 v.10-11). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Lady and the President : the Letters of Dorothea Dix and Millard Fillmore. Charles M. Snyder. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, c1975.
    (Call number: E427 .D59). AU Library has print copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Fillmore's papers.

  • Microfilm edition of the Millard Fillmore Papers. Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, 68 reels.
    The best source for Fillmore's papers.
    No library of the Washington Research Library Consortium has this microfilm set. Check WorldCat AU-only iconfor libraries that do. It may be available through Interlibrary Loan.
    If you would like American University Library to purchase this microfilm set, contact Clement Ho.

14. Franklin Pierce, 1853-1857

There are very few published collections of Pierce's papers.

  • "Some Papers of Franklin Pierce, 1852-1862." American Historical Review, vol. 10 (October 1904): 110-27; (January 1905): 350-70.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Pierce's papers.

15. James Buchanan, 1857-1861

  • The Works of James Buchanan, Comprising His Speeches, State Papers, and Private Correspondence. Edited. by John Bassett Moore. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott company, 1908-11. 12 vols.
    AU Library does not have a copy of this work, but several libraries in the Washington Research Library Consortium do, including George Washington University Library. AU patrons can borrow these copies.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Buchanan's papers.

  • James Buchanan Papers. Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 60 reels of microfilm.
    No library of the Washington Research Library Consortium has this microfilm set. Check WorldCat AU-only iconfor libraries that do. It may be available through Interlibrary Loan.
    If you would like American University Library to purchase this microfilm set, contact Clement Ho.

16. Abraham Lincoln, 1861-1865

  • The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln.
  • Illinois Papers.
  • The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln.
  • Papers of President Abraham Lincoln. (Microfilm, 97 reels).

17. Andrew Johnson, 1865-1869

A selective edition of Andrew Johnson papers has published by the University of Tennessee Press.

  • Advice after Appomattox: Letters to Andrew Johnson, 1865-1866. A single volume dedicated to incoming correspondence dealing with the issue of the reconstruction of the South.
    (Call number: E415.6 .J66 Suppl. no.1). AU Library has print copy.
  • Papers of Andrew Johnson. Edited by Paul H. Bergeron. 16 vols.
    (Call number: E415.6 .J66). AU Library has print copy.

Earlier edition of Johnson's papers.

  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Johnson's papers.

  • Andrew Johnson Papers. Microfilm of Library of Congress manuscript collection, 55 reels.
    The best source for his papers.
    Georgetown University Library has microfilm copy.

18. Ulysses Simpson Grant, 1869-1877

Digital Edition of the The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant from Mississippi State University Libraries.
Free online version of the comprehensive collection of The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant that is currently being published by the Southern Illinois University Press.

  • The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant. Projected 32 vols.
    (Call number: E660 .G74). AU Library also has print copy.

Earlier editions of Grant's papers.

  • Memoirs and selected letters: personal memoirs of U.S. Grant, selected letters 1839-1865. New York, N.Y. : Library of America, c1990.
    (Call number: E660 .G7562). AU Library has print copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Grant's papers.

19. Rutherford Birchard Hayes, 1877-1881

  • Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Nineteenth President of the United States. Edited by Charles Richard Williams. 1922-1926. 5 vols.
    Cover the years 1830-1892 and the editor makes corrections to punctuation and spelling.
    (Call number: E682 .H418W). AU Library also has print copy.
  • Hayes: the diary of a president 1875-1881, covering the disputed election, the end of reconstruction, and the beginning of civil service. Edited by T. Harry Williams. New York, D. McKay Co. [1964]
    AU Library does not have a copy of this book, but several libraries of the Washington Research Library Consortium have this book, including Catholic University Library.
  • Letters and Messages of Rutherford B. Hayes, President of the United States: Together with Letter of Acceptance and Inaugural Address. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1881.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Hayes' papers.

  • Papers of Rutherford Birchard Hayes. Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, 301 reels of microfilm.
    The best source for this papers.
    No library of the Washington Research Library Consortium has this microfilm set. Check WorldCat AU-only iconfor libraries that do.
    If you would like American University Library to purchase this microfilm set, contact Clement Ho.
    Online guide to the microfilm collection.

20. James Abram Garfield, 1881

  • Crete and James: Personal Letters of Lucretia and James Garfield. edited by John Shaw. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1994. (Call number: E687 .A4 1994). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Diary of James A. Garfield. Edited by Harry James Brown and Frederick D. Williams. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1967-1981. 4 vols.
    (Call number: E660 .G223). AU Library has print copy.
  • Garfield-Hinsdale letters; correspondence between James Abram Garfield and Burke Aaron Hinsdale. Edited by Mary L. Hinsdale. Reprint of the 1949 ed. published by University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor.
    (Call number: E687 .G232). AU Library has print copy.
  • The life and letters of James Abram Garfield. By Theodore Clarke Smith. Yale University Press, 1925. 2 vols.
    AU Library has online copy via Making of Modern Law: Legal Treatises 1800-1926 AU-only icon.
    (Call number: E687 .S66). AU Library also has print copy.
  • Politics and Patronage in the Gilded Age: The Correspondence of James A. Garfield and Charles E. Henry. Edited by James D. Norris and Arthur H. Shaffer. Madison, State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1970.
    (Call number: E671 .G3). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Wild Life of the Army: Civil War Letters of James A. Garfield. Edited by Frederick D. Williams. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1964.
    (Call number: E470 .G2). AU Library has print copy.
  • The works of James Abram Garfield. Edited by Burke A. Hinsdale. 1882-83. 2 vols
    Volume 1 and volume 2 are free online from the Internet Archive.
    (Call number: E660 .G217). AU Library also has print copy of reprint of the 1882-83 ed.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Garfield's papers.

Papers (Public and Private) of Individual Presidents by Chronology: Arthur to Coolidge

21. Chester Alan Arthur, 1881-1885

There are very few extant Arthur's papers.

  • State papers, etc., etc., etc. Chester A. Arthur. Washington [Govt. Print. Off.] 1885.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book, but AU patrons may request it from George Washington University Library and Georgetown University Library.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Arthur's papers.

22. Grover Cleveland, 1885-1889, 1893-1897

  • Addresses, State Papers and Letters. Edited by Albert Ellery Bergh. New York: The Sun Dial Classics, 1909.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book, but AU patrons may request it from Georgetown University Library.
  • Letters of Grover Cleveland, 1850-1908. Edited by Allan Nevins. Boston, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1933.
    (Call number: E697 .C63). AU Library has print copy.
  • Public Papers of Grover Cleveland: twenty-second president of the United States. March 4, 1885, to March 4, 1889. Washington, Govt. print. off., 1889.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book, but AU patrons may request it from George Washington University Library.
  • Public Papers of Grover Cleveland, twenty-fourth president of the United States. March 4, 1893, to March 4, 1897. Washington : Government Printing Office, 1897.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book. George Washington University Library has print copy in Special Collections.
  • The Writings and Speeches of Grover Cleveland. Vol. 1 and vol. 2. Selected and edited by George F. Parker. New York: Cassell Pub. Co. 1892.
    (Call number: E696 .C61). AU Library has print copy of reprint of 1892 publication.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Cleveland's papers.

23. Benjamin Harrison, 1889-1893

  • Benjamin Harrison, 1833-1901; chronology, documents, bibliographical aids. Edited by Harry J. Sievers. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.: Oceana Publications, 1969.
    (Call number: JK511 .O3 no.20). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Correspondence Between Benjamin Harrison and James G. Blaine, 1882-1893. Collected and edited by Albert T. Volwiler. Philadelphia: The American Philosophical Society, 1940.
    Blaine was Harrison's first Secretary of State.
    (Call number: Q11 .P612 v.14). AU Library has print edition.
  • Public papers and addresses of Benjamin Harrison, twenty-third President of the United States, March 4, 1889, to March 4, 1893. Washington: G.P.O., 1893.
    AU Library has online copy via Making of Modern Law: Legal Treatises 1800-1926 AU-only icon.
    (Call number: E701 .H3). AU Library also has print copy.
  • Speeches of Benjamin Harrison, twenty-third President of the United States... Compiled by Charles Hedges. New York, United States Book Co. [c1892].
    (Call number: E660 .H29). AU Library has print copy.
  • Through the South and the West with the President, April 14-May 16, 1891. Compiled by John Shultz Shriver. New York, Mail and express, 1891.
    A collection of speeches made by Harrison on his 1891 tour.
    No library of the Washington Research Library Consortium has a copy of this book.
  • Views of an ex-president, by Benjamin Harrison; being his addresses and writings on subjects of public interest since the close of his administration as President of the United States. Compiled by Mary Lord Harrison.
    (Call number: E660 .H31). AU Library has print copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Harrison's papers.

24. Grover Cleveland, 1893-1897, 1893-1897

25. William McKinley, 1897-1901

Unpublished collection of McKinley's papers.

26. Theodore Roosevelt, 1901-1909

  • The Works of Theodore Roosevelt (Memorial Edition). 24 vols. Edited by Hermann Hagedorn. New York: C. Scribner’s sons, 1923-26.
    The most complete collection of Roosevelt's books, essays, state papers and other writings.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this title, but AU patrons may request it from Georgetown University Library.
  • The Works of Theodore Roosevelt (National Edition). 20 vols. Edited by Hermann Hagedorn. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1926.
    A condensed edition of the Memorial Edition. Is more commonly available than the Memorial Edition.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this title, but AU patrons may request it from Catholic University Library.
  • The Letters of Theodore Roosevelt. Edited by Elting E. Morison. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1951-54. 8 vols.
    (Call number: E757 .R7958). AU Library has print copy.
  • Addresses and Presidential Messages of Theodore Roosevelt, 1902-1904. New York, London: G.P. Putman’s Sons, 1904.
    (Call number: E660 .R853). AU Library has print copy.
  • An Autobiography. New York: Macmillan Company, 1913.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book, only a condensed edition.
    An Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt. Newly edited and introduced by Stephen Brennan. New York : Skyhorse Pub., c2011.
    (on order)
  • Selections from the Correspondence of Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge, 1884-1918. 2 vols. New York: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1925.
    Henry Cabot Lodge was one of Roosevelt's personal advisors and a close confidant.
    (Call number: E757 .R799). AU Library has print copy.
  • Theodore Roosevelt: Letters from a Young Coal Miner.
  • Theodore Roosevelt's Letters to His Children. New York, C. Scribner’s Sons, 1919.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book, but AU patrons may request it from a number of WRLC libraries, including Gallaudet University Library and George Washington University Library.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished and original collections of Theodore Roosevelt's papers.

  • Theodore Roosevelt Papers. Microfilm of Library of Congress manuscript collection, 151 reels.
    Georgetown University Library has microfilm copy.
  • Theodore Roosevelt Collection
    This collection, started by the Roosevelt Memorial Association in 1923 and donated to Harvard University in 1943, contains manuscripts, archival resources, printed works, pictures, and ephemera relating to both Roosevelt's personal and professional life. The website includes some digitized documents.

27. William Howard Taft, 1909-1913

  • The Collected Works of William Howard Taft. 8 vols. Edited by David H. Burton and Clarence E. Wunderlin, Jr.. Athens: Ohio University Press, 2001-04.
    This series presents the published works of Taft, his presidential and state addresses, and selected court opinions from his days as chief justice of the Supreme Court.
    (on order). AU Library also has print copies of the original editions of many of the books reproduced in this series.
  • My dearest Nellie: the letters of William Howard Taft to Helen Herron Taft, 1909-1912. Edited by Lewis L. Gould. Lawrence, K.S.: University Press of Kansas, c2011.
    (Call number: E762 .A4 2011). AU Library has print copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.
    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collection of Taft's papers.

28. Woodrow Wilson, 1913-1921

  • The Papers of Woodrow Wilson. 69 vols. Edited by Arthur S. Link. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1966-94.
    The collection includes all important letters, speeches, interviews, press conferences, and public papers on Woodrow Wilson throughout his lifetime.
    (Call number: E660 .W717). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Public Papers of Woodrow Wilson. 6 vols. Edited by Ray Stannard Baker and William E. Dodd. New York: Harper & brothers, 1925-c1927.
    (Call number: E767 .W837). AU Library has print copy.
  • A President in Love: The Courtship Letters of Woodrow Wilson and Edith Bolling Galt. Edited by Edwin Tribble. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1981.
    (Call number: E767 .W837). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Hoover-Wilson Wartime Correspondence: September 24, 1914, to November 11, 1918. Ames: Iowa State University Press, 1974.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book, but AU patrons may request it from George Washington University Library.
  • Two peacemakers in Paris: The Hoover-Wilson Post-Armistice Letters, 1918-1920.
    (Call number: E802 .A4 1978). AU Library has print copy.

Unpublished collections of Wilson's papers.

  • Woodrow Wilson Papers. Microfilm of Library of Congress manuscript collection, 540 reels.
    Georgetown University Library has microfilm copy.
  • Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum, Staunton, V.A.
    Houses a variety of collections covering Woodrow Wilson's life and times, his political career and family life including letters, diaries, scrapbooks, speeches, newspaper clippings, and articles by Wilson himself and those who knew him. In addition, the Library archives contain over 2400 photographs, which depict Woodrow Wilson, his family, political campaigns, officials in his two presidential administrations, and events in his life and times.

29. Warren Gamaliel Harding, 1921-1923

Unpublished collection of Harding's papers.

  • Warren G. Harding Papers. Microfilm. 263 reels.
    The most comprehensive collection of Harding material is the Ohio Historical Society collection of his papers which is available on microfilm. No library in the District of Columbia has this title. AU patrons may try to request microfilm copies of this collection using WorldCat AU-only icon.

30. Calvin Coolidge, 1923-1929

  • America’s Need for Education and other Educational Addresses.
    No library in the District of Columbia has this title. AU patrons may try to request microfilm copies of this collection using WorldCat AU-only icon.
  • The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge. 3rd trade ed. New York: Cosmopolitan book corporation, 1929.
    (Call number: E792 .C6). AU Library has print copy.
  • Campaign Speeches of 1932, by President Hoover [and] ex-President Coolidge. Literary Licensing, LLC 2011.
    (on order)
  • Foundations of the Republic; Speeches and Addresses, by Calvin Coolidge. New York, London: C. Scribner’s Sons, 1926.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book, but AU patrons may request it from Gallaudet University Library and George Washington University Library.
  • The Price of Freedom: Speeches and Addresses. New York: London, C. Scribner’s Sons, 1924.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book, but AU patrons may request it from Catholic University Library and George Washington University Library.
  • Have Faith in Massachusetts: A Collection of Speeches and Messages by Calvin Coolidge.
    (Call number: F70 .C77 1919a). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Talkative President: The Off-the-Record Press Conferences of Calvin Coolidge. Edited by Howard H. Quint & Robert H. Ferrell. Amherst, University of Massachusetts Press [1964].
    (Call number: J82 .D4 1964). AU Library has print copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.
    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished and original collections of Coolidge's papers.

  • Calvin Coolidge Papers. Microfilm of Library of Congress manuscript collection, 190 reels.
    Georgetown University Library has microfilm copy.
  • The Personal Files of President Calvin Coolidge. (Microfilm, 12 reels).
    Covers 1919-1932. Contains surviving files donated by John Coolidge to the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Room, Forbes Library, Northampton, Massachusetts, in 1983 and 1984.  
    No library in the District of Columbia has this title. AU patrons may try to request microfilm copies of this collection using WorldCat AU-only icon.
  • The Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum, Forbes Library, Northampton, M.A.
    The collection consists of manuscripts, speeches, letters, videos, recordings, microfilms, the official presidential papers and the personal papers of President Coolidge, tapes, off-the-record press conferences, photographs, paintings, scrapbooks, broadsides, artifacts, and the famous electric exercise horse.
     

Papers (Public and Private) of Individual Presidents by chronology

This is a list of the published and non-published papers (public and private) of individual presidents. Many papers are published in more than one publication, in which case, only larger or more authoritative publications are included. The following list is largely derived from the excellent Public and Private Papers by the Scripps Library, University of Virginia's Miller Center of Public Affairs.

Search tip: For a more complete list of publications (not just their papers) by individual presidents, search for the president's name as AUTHOR, e.g. Washington George, in the American University Library Catalog or WorldCat AU-only icon.

31. Herbert Clark Hoover, 1929-1933

The most significant published collection of Hoover papers is the official Public Papers published by the National Archives. It is limited to Hoover's years in the White House and includes only official public messages (e.g. speeches, press conferences, public statements). Supplementing the Public Papers, the National Archives published a two volume collection of Proclamations and Executive Orders.

  • Public Papers of the Presidents: Herbert Hoover.(1929-1933). 4 vols. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1974-77.
     
  • Proclamations and Executive Orders: Herbert Hoover, March 4, 1929 to March 4, 1933. 2 vols. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1974.
    Volume 1; Volume 2.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book, but AU patrons may request it from George Mason University Library and Georgetown University Library.
     
  • Press Conferences, March 5, 1929-March 3, 1933.
  • The New Day: Campaign Speeches of Herbert Hoover, 1928. Stanford University, Calif., Stanford University Press [1929].
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book, but AU patrons may request it from George Washington University Library.
  • Campaign speeches of 1932, by President Hoover [and] ex-President Coolidge. Literary Licensing, LLC 2011.
  • State Papers and Other Public Writings of Herbert Hoover. 2 vols. New York, Kraus Reprint, 1970.
    (Call number: E801 .U5). AU Library has print copy.
  • Addresses Upon the American Road, 1933/38-1955-60. 7 vols. Stanford, Calif., [etc] Stanford University Press [etc.] 1938-1961.
    This series includes the title, Further Addresses Upon the American Road, 1938-1940.
    (Call number: E742.5 .H6). AU Library has print copies.
  • The Memoirs of Herbert Hoover. 3 vols. New York: Macmillan, 1951-52.
    (Call number: E802 .H7 1951). AU Library has print copies.
  • The Hoover-Wilson Wartime Correspondence: September 24, 1914, to November 11, 1918. Edited and with commentaries by Francis William O’Brien.
    AU Library does not have a print copy of this book, but AU patrons may request it from George Washington University Library and U of District of Columbia Library.
  • Two Peacemakers in Paris: The Hoover-Wilson Post-Armistice Letters, 1918-1920. College Station : Texas A&M University Press, c1978.
    (Call number: E802 .A4 1978). AU Library has print copy.

32. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1933-1945

  • Public Papers and Addresses of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
    (Call number: E806 .R749). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Complete Presidential Press Conferences of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt and Foreign Affairs.
    (Call number: E806 .R746). AU Library has print copy. 
  • Documentary History of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Administration.
  • FDR, His Personal Letters.
  • FDR's Fireside Chats.
    (Call number: E742.5 .R65 1993). AU Library has print copy.
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt and Conservation, 1911-1945.
  • Churchill and Roosevelt: The Complete Correspondence.
    (Call number: DA566.9.C5 A4 1984). AU Library has print copy.
  • President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Office Files, 1933-1945. (Microfilm, 167 reels).
  • Map Room Files of President Roosevelt, 1939-1945. (Microfilm, 105 reels).
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt: Diary and Itineraries/Usher Books. (78 Microfiche).
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum

33. Harry S. Truman, 1945-1953

  • The Documentary History of the Truman Presidency.
  • Off the Record: The Private Papers of Harry S. Truman.
    (Call number: E742.5 .T6). AU Library has print copy.
  • Dear Bess: The Letters from Harry to Bess Truman, 1910-1959.
    (Call number: E814 .A4 1983). AU Library has print copy.
  • Letters from Father: The Truman Family's Personal Correspondence
    (Call number: E814.1 .L47). AU Library has print copy.
  • Strictly Personal and Confidential: The Letters that Harry Truman Never Mailed
  • President Harry S. Truman's Office Files, 1945–1953. (Microfilm, 84 reels).
  • Map Room Messages of President Truman, 1945–1946.
  • Harry S. Truman Library and Museum

34. Dwight David Eisenhower, 1953-1961

  • Public Papers of the Presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower.
  • Papers of Dwight D. Eisenhower.
    (Call number: E742.5 .E37). AU Library has print copy.
  • Eisenhower: The Prewar Diaries and Selected Papers.
    (Call number: E742.5 .E372 1998). AU Library has print copy.
  • Dear General: Eisenhower's Wartime Letters to Marshall.
    (Call number: E836 .A42). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Churchill-Eisenhower Correspondence, 1953-1955.
    (Call number: DA566.9.C5 A4 1990). AU Library has print copy.
  • Ike's Letters to a Friend, 1941-1958.
    (Call number: E836 .A43). AU Library has print copy.
  • Letters to Mamie.
  • The Eisenhower Diaries.
    (Call number: E836 .A3155). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Diaries of Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953-1961. (Microfilm, 28 reels).
  • President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Office Files, 1953-1961. (Microfilm, 64 reels).
  • Minutes and Documents of the Cabinet Meetings of President Eisenhower, 1953-1961. (Microfilm, 10 reels).
  • President Eisenhower's Meetings with Legislative Leaders, 1953-1961.  (Microfilm, 2 reels).
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum

35. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1961-1963

  • Public Papers of the Presidents: John F. Kennedy.
  • JFK Wants to Know: Memos From the President's Office, 1961-1963.
    (Call number: E838.5 .K418). AU Library has print copy.
  • Let the Word Go Forth:” The Speeches, Statements, and Writings of John F. Kennedy.
    (Call number: E838.5 .K42). AU Library has print copy.
  • Kennedy and the Press: The News Conferences.
  • The Speeches, Remarks, Press Conferences, and Statements of Senator John F. Kennedy, August 1 through November 7, 1960.
  • Appointment Book of President Kennedy, 1961–1963. (Microfilm, 3 reels).
  • The John F. Kennedy 1960 Campaign. (Microfilm, 22 reels).
  • President John F. Kennedy's Office Files, 1961–1963. (Microfilm, 103 reels).
  • Civil Rights During the Kennedy Administration. (Microfilm, 47 reels).
  • John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

36. Lyndon Baines Johnson, 1963-1969

  • Public Papers of the Presidents: Lyndon B. Johnson.
  • Lyndon B. Johnson's Vietnam Papers: A Documentary Collection.
  • Daily Diary of President Johnson (1963–1969). (Microfilm, 14 reels).
  • The Confidential File of the Johnson White House, 1963–1969. (Microfilm, 103 reels).
  • Political Activities of the Johnson White House, 1963–1969. (Microfilm, 67 reels).
  • Minutes and Documents of the Cabinet Meetings of President Johnson (1963–1969).  (Microfilm, 17 reels).
  • Vietnam, the Media, and Public Support for the War. (Microfilm, 11 reels).
  • The War on Poverty, 1964–1968. (Microfilm, 41 reels).
  • Civil Rights During the Johnson Administration, 1963–1969. (Microfilm, 69 reels).
  • Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum

37. Richard Milhous Nixon, 1969-1974

  • Public Papers of the Presidents: Richard M. Nixon.
  • Papers of the Nixon White House. (Microfilm, 1701 reels).
  • Civil Rights During the Nixon Administration, 1969-1974 Part 1: White House Central Files and Aides Files. (Microflim, 46 reels).
  • Nixon Presidential Library and Museum

38. Gerald Rudolph Ford, 1974-1977

39. James Earl Carter, Jr., 1977-1981

 

 

40. Ronald Wilson Reagan, 1981-1989

 

 

41. George Herbert Walker Bush, 1989-1993

 

 

42. William Jefferson Clinton, 1993-2001

 

 

43. George Walker Bush, 2001-2009

 

 

44. Barack Hussein Obama, 2009-

 

  • Public Papers of the Presidents: Barack Obama

Papers (Public and Private) of Individual Presidents by Chronology: Washington to Tyler

This is a list of the published and non-published papers (public and private) of individual presidents. Many papers are published in more than one publication, in which case, only larger or more authoritative publications are included. The following list is largely derived from the excellent Public and Private Papers by the Scripps Library, University of Virginia's Miller Center of Public Affairs and the Library of Congress' Presidents of the United States: Resource Guide.

Search tip: For a more complete list of publications (not just their papers) by individual presidents:
search for the president's name as AUTHOR, e.g. washington george, in the American University Library Catalog or WorldCat AU-only icon.

1. George Washington, 1789-1797

The Papers of George Washington at the University of Virginia is a project to publish a comprehensive edition of Washington's correspondence. Letters written to Washington as well as letters and documents written by him are included. When complete, it will comprise approximately ninety volumes. A few documents are free online.
American University Library has a complete copy of the print edition. George Washington University and George Mason University have the online version. If you would like American University Library to purchase this database, contact Clement Ho.

  • The Diaries of George Washington. Donald Jackson, editor, Dorothy Twohig, associate editor. 6 vols.
    (Call number: E312.8 1976). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series. 10 vols.
    (Call number: E312.72 1982). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series. 20 vols. 
    (Call number: E312.72 1985). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series. 6 vols.
    (Call number: E312.7 1992). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series. 16 vols.
    (Call number: E312.72 1987). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Papers of George Washington, Retirement Series. 4 vols.
    (Call number: E312.72 1998). AU Library has print copy.

Earlier editions of Washington's papers.

  • The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources, 1745-1799. John C. Fitzpatrick, editor. 40 vols.
    Includes Washington's outgoing correspondence but does not include letters received by Washington.
    (Call number: E312.7 1931). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Writings of George Washington: Being His Correspondence, Addresses, Messages, and Other Papers, Official and Private: Selected and Published from the Original Manuscripts: With a Life of the Author, Notes, and Illustrations. Jared Sparks. Boston, 1834-1837. 12 vols.
    AU Library has online copy via Making of Modern Law: Legal Treatises 1800-1926 AU-only icon.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished and collections of original Washington's papers.

  • George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress 1741-1799 (Manuscript Division, Library of Congress)
    The Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress has the largest collection of original George Washington papers. The collection has been digitized from the microfilm version and is available in its entirety online. There are no annotations, just images of the original documents.
  • George Washington Papers from University of Virginia Press' Founders Early Access
    These documents should not be cited in formal research because their accuracy has not yet been verified. "These documents are copied, carefully transcribed and proofread by experts, edited and annotated before publication. The documents available in Early Access are scheduled to appear in the scholarly editions, both print and digital, but the majority of them have not yet entered the final stages of the process, professional scholarly editing and annotation. The level of accuracy of the documents in Early Access varies, but all have had at least one initial proofreading, while some have received the same editorial treatment as a published version. Rotunda and its partners are making these documents available as a service to the historical community to promote knowledge and learning, but please keep in mind as you use this information that many elements of these documents could change as they undergo scholarly review, including such things as author and recipient information, proper names, dates, and the transcription of individual words. Once an Early Access document has been published and made available in Rotunda, it will be removed from this database..." About Early Access Madison Documents.

2. John Adams, 1797-1801

Adams Papers Digital Editions (Massachusetts Historical Society)
The Massachusetts Historical Society's Adams Papers project seeks to publish a comprehensive collection of the papers of the Adams family from 1753-1889. This massive project is divided into four series. Material related to John Adams can be found in each of the four series. The Adams Papers Digital Editions is the online version of the following print publications:

  • Diary and Autobiography of John Adams. L. H. Butterfield, editor, Leonard C. Faber and Wendell D. Garrett, assistant editors. 4 vols.
    The complete diary of John Adams, which he kept primarily from the 1750s into the 1780s, and his unfinished autobiography.
    (Call number: E322 .A3). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Earliest Diary of John Adams. L. H. Butterfield, editor. Wendell D. Garrett and Marc Friedlaender, associate editors.
    A supplement to the above diary discovered in the 20th century.
    (Call number: E322 .A34). AU Library has print copy.
  • Adams Family Correspondence. L.H. Butterfield, editor; Wendell D. Garrett, associate editor; Marjorie E. Sprague, assistant editor. Projected 24 vols.
    While these volumes include family correspondence from the entire Adams family, John Adams is featured prominently.
    (Call number: E322.1 .A27). AU Library has print copy.
  • Legal Papers of John Adams. L. Kinvin Wroth and Hiller B. Zobel, editors. 3 vols.
    These volumes include material from Adams's years as a law student and from legal cases in which he was involved. The third volume is dedicated exclusively to his participation in the “Boston Massacre” case.
    (Call number: E321 .A3). AU Library has print copy.
  • Papers of John Adams. Robert J. Taylor, editor ; Mary-Jo Kline, associate editor ; Gregg L. Lint, assistant editor. Projected 40 vols.
    (Call number: E302 .A27). AU Library has print copy.
  • Portraits of John and Abigail Adams.
    An illustrated volume including all known life portraits, busts, and silhouettes of John and Abigail Adams. This volume is not yet available free online from the Adams Papers Digital Editions.
    (Call number: E322 .O55). AU Library has print copy.

Earlier editions of John Adams' papers.

  • The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States. Charles Francis Adams. 1856. 10 vols.
    Edited by John Adams' grandson.
    (Call number: E302 .A26). AU Library has print copy of the 1971 reprint of the 1856 edition and online copy via Making of Modern Law: Legal Treatises 1800-1926 AU-only icon
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.
    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collections John Adams' papers.

  • The best source for the unpublished material is the 608 reels microfilm set of all published and unpublished Adams family material housed at the Massachusetts Historical Society. Within D.C. the Library of Congress has two copies of the microfilm set.
  • Adams Papers: Early Access from University of Virginia Press' Founders Early Access
    These documents should not be cited in formal research because their accuracy has not yet been verified. "These documents are copied, carefully transcribed and proofread by experts, edited and annotated before publication. The documents available in Early Access are scheduled to appear in the scholarly editions, both print and digital, but the majority of them have not yet entered the final stages of the process, professional scholarly editing and annotation. The level of accuracy of the documents in Early Access varies, but all have had at least one initial proofreading, while some have received the same editorial treatment as a published version. Rotunda and its partners are making these documents available as a service to the historical community to promote knowledge and learning, but please keep in mind as you use this information that many elements of these documents could change as they undergo scholarly review, including such things as author and recipient information, proper names, dates, and the transcription of individual words. Once an Early Access document has been published and made available in Rotunda, it will be removed from this database..."

3. Thomas Jefferson, 1801-1809

A comprehensive and authoritative edition of the Papers of Thomas Jefferson is currently being published by the Princeton University Press.

  • Papers of Thomas Jefferson. Julian P. Boyd, editor; Lyman H. Butterfield ... [et al.], associate editors. 37 vols.
    (Call number: E302 .J463). AU Library has print copy.
  • Jefferson's Extracts From the Gospels. Dickinson W. Adams, editor ; Ruth W. Lester, assistant editor ; introduction by Eugene R. Sheridan.
    (Call number: BS2549.J5 J43). AU Library has print copy.
  • Jefferson's Parliamentary Writings. (Call number: KF4982 .J44 1988). AU Library has print copy.
  • Jefferson's Literary Commonplace Book. (Call number: E332.9.C6 J44 1989). AU Library has print copy.
  • Jefferson's Memorandum Books: Accounts, with Legal Records and Miscellany. (Call number: E302 .J442 1997). AU Library has print copy.

The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series is a project sponsored by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. It will produce the definitive edition of Jefferson's writings between his return to private life on 4 March 1809 and his death on 4 July 1826. There is no publicly available online copy of the Retirement Series.

  • Papers of Thomas Jefferson. Retirement Series. J. Jefferson Looney, editor. Projected 23 vols.
    (Call number: E302 .J4632). AU Library has print copy.
    There is an online Current Cumulative Index to this series which is updated yearly as new print volumes are released.

A companion to the Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series is the free online Family Letters Digital Archive. These documents are full text-searchable transcriptions of correspondence between Jefferson's immediate and extended family. The letters, and related documents, provide personal insights into aspects of Jefferson's life that are unlikely to appear in his own writings.

Earlier editions of Jefferson's writings.

  • The Works of Thomas Jefferson. Collected and ed. by Paul Leicester Ford. 1904-1905. 12 vols.
    (Call number: E302 .J49w). AU Library has print copy.
    The Writings of Thomas Jefferson. Collected and edited by Paul Leicester Ford. 1892-1899. 10 vols.
    AU Library has online copy via Making of Modern Law: Legal Treatises 1800-1926.AU-only icon
  • The writings of Thomas Jefferson; containing his autobiography, notes on Virginia, parliamentary manual, official papers, messages and addresses, and other writings, official and private, now collected and published in their entirety for the first time ... Andrew A. Lipscomb, ed.-in-chief; Albert Ellery Bergh, managing ed. 1904. 20 vols.
    (Call number: E302 .J471). AU Library has an incomplete set of the print copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Collections of original Jefferson's papers.

  • Thomas Jefferson Papers, 1606-1827 (American Memory at the Library of Congress) (Manuscript Division, Library of Congress)
    The Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress has the largest collection of original Thomas Jefferson papers (mostly public papers). The collection has been digitized from the microfilm version and is available in its entirety online. There are no annotations, just images of the original documents.
    Georgetown University Library has 2 sets of microfilm: 57 reels; 65 reels.
  • Thomas Jefferson Papers: An Electronic Archive (Massachusetts Historical Society)
    Presents full-color digital images and some transcriptions of manuscripts selected from the Coolidge Collection of Thomas Jefferson Manuscripts at the Massachusetts Historical Society, which is home to the second largest collection of Thomas Jefferson manuscripts (primarily his private papers). The entire manuscript collection is available on microfilm. No library of the Washington Research Library Consortium has this microfilm set. Check WorldCat AU-only iconfor libraries that do.

4. James Madison, 1809-1817

A comprehensive collection of The Papers of James Madison is currently being published by the University of Virginia Press.

  • Papers of James Madison, Congressional Series. Edited by William T. Hutchinson and William M.E. Rachal. 17 vols.
    (Call number: JK111 .M24). AU Library has print copy.
  • Papers of James Madison, Secretary of State Series. Edited by Robert J. Brugger. 9 vols.
    (Call number: JK111 .M2423). AU Library has print copy.
  • Papers of James Madison, Presidential Series. Edited by Robert A. Rutland. 6 vols.
    (Call number: JK111 .M242). AU Library has print copy.
  • Papers of James Madison, Retirement Series. Edited by David B. Mattern. 1 vol.
    (Call number: E302 .M19). AU Library has print copy.

Earlier editions of Madison's writings:

  • Writings of James Madison. Edited by Gaillard Hunt. 1900-1910. 9 vols.
    AU Library has online copy via Making of Modern Law: Legal Treatises 1800-1926. AU-only icon
  • The Mind of the Founder: Sources of the Political Thought of James Madison. Edited, with an introduction and commentary, by Marvin Meyers. 1973.
    (Call number: E302 .M185). AU Library has print copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collections of Madison's papers.

  • James Madison Papers: Early Access from University of Virginia Press' Founders Early Access
    These documents should not be cited in formal research because their accuracy has not yet been verified. "These documents are copied, carefully transcribed and proofread by experts, edited and annotated before publication. The documents available in Early Access are scheduled to appear in the scholarly editions, both print and digital, but the majority of them have not yet entered the final stages of the process, professional scholarly editing and annotation. The level of accuracy of the documents in Early Access varies, but all have had at least one initial proofreading, while some have received the same editorial treatment as a published version. Rotunda and its partners are making these documents available as a service to the historical community to promote knowledge and learning, but please keep in mind as you use this information that many elements of these documents could change as they undergo scholarly review, including such things as author and recipient information, proper names, dates, and the transcription of individual words. Once an Early Access document has been published and made available in Rotunda, it will be removed from this database..."

5. James Monroe, 1817-1825

The James Monroe Papers Project at Mary Washington College is putting forth an authoritiative edition of his writings.

  • A Comprehensive Catalogue of the Correspondence and Papers of James Monroe.
    (Call number: E302.M74 Z997 2001). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Papers of James Monroe. Projected 8 vols.
    (Call number: E302 .M74). AU Library has print copy.

Earlier editions of Monroe's writings.

  • The Writings of James Monroe. Edited by Stanislaus Murray Hamilton. Reprint of the 1898-1903 edition.
    (Call number: E302 .M74). AU Library has 6 of 7 volumes of print copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collections of Monroe's papers.
The three major microfilm collections of Monroe papers are the best sources for material not yet published by the Monroe project nor available in the Hamilton edition. The microfilm collections are available at different institutions throughout the United States.

  • Papers of James Monroe. Microfilm of Library of Congress manuscript collection, 11 reels.
    Georgetown University Library has microfilm copy.
  • James Monroe papers, 1772-1836. Microfilm of New York Public Library manuscript collection, 8 reels.
  • James Monroe Papers in Virginia Repositories. Microfilm, 13 reels.
    Georgetown University Library has microfilm copy.

6. John Quincy Adams, 1825-1829

  • Diary of John Quincy Adams.
    (Call number: E377 .A185). AU Library has print copy.
  • Adams Family Correspondence.
    (Call number: E322.1 .A27). AU Library has print copy.
  • Portraits of John Quincy Adams and his Wife.
    (Call number: E377 .O5) AU Library has print copy.
  • Writings of John Quincy Adams.
    (Call number: E337.8 .A21). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Memoirs of John Quincy Adams. Comprising Portions of his Diary from 1795-1848.
  • Writings of John Quincy Adams. Edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford. 7 vols.
    (Call number: E337.8 .A21) AU Library has print copy.

7. Andrew Jackson, 1829-1837

The University of Tennessee Press is publishing a selective edition of Andrew Jackson papers.

  • Legal Papers of Andrew Jackson. Edited by James W. Ely, Jr., Theodore Brown, Jr. 1 vol.
    (Call number: KF213.J29 E59). AU Library has print copy.
  • The Papers of Andrew Jackson. Edited by Sam B. Smith and Harriet Chappell Owsley. Projected 16 vols.
    (Call number: E302 .J35). AU Library has print copy.

Earlier editions of Jackson's writings.

  • Correspondence of Andrew Jackson. Edited by John Spencer Bassett. 1926-1935. 7 vols.
    (Call number: E382 .J115). AU Library has print copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collections of Jackson's papers.
Jackson's unpublished papers are available through three microfilm collections. For a detailed description of the microfilm collections, see:

The Papers of Andrew Jackson: Guide and Index to the Microfilm Editions. Edited by Harold D. Moser.
(Call number: E337.8.J3 Z996). AU Library has print copy.

8. Martin Van Buren, 1837-1841

  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collections of van Buren's papers.

  • The Papers of Martin Van Buren. (Chadwyck-Healey, 55 reels).
    The best source for Martin van Buren papers. This collection includes all known van Buren papers, including what is available in the Library of Congress microfilm collection.
    No library of the Washington Research Library Consortium has this microfilm set. Check WorldCat AU-only iconfor libraries that do.
    If you would like American University Library to purchase this microfilm set, contact Clement Ho.
  • Guide and Index to the Papers of Martin van Buren. Edited by Lucy Fisher West.
    Guide to the microfilm set, The Papers of Martin Van Buren from Chadwyck-Healey.
    Catholic University Library has print copy.
  • Papers. Microfilm of Library of Congress manuscript collection, 35 reels.
    Georgetown University Library has microfilm copy.
  • Another potential source for Van Buren papers is in his correspondence with Andrew Jackson.

9. William Henry Harrison, 1841

The majority of William Henry Harrison's papers were destroyed by fire in 1858.

  • Messages and Letters of William Henry Harrison. Edited by Logan Esarey. 2 vols.
    Only includes materials from the time he was governor of Indiana.
    George Washington University Library has microfilm copy.
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collections of Harrison's papers.

  • William Henry Harrison Papers. Microfilm of Library of Congress manuscript collection, 3 reels.
    The best source for his papers.
    Georgetown University Library has microfilm copy.

10. John Tyler, 1841-1845

The majority of John Tyler's papers were destroyed in the Civil War.

  • The Letters and Times of the Tylers. Written by John Tyler's son, Lyon Gardiner Tyler. 1970 reprint of c.1884-86. 3 vols.
    (on order)
  • A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents [1789-1929]. Prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on printing, of the House and Senate, pursuant to an act of the Fifty-second Congress of the United States (With additions and encyclopedic index by private enterprise). 20 vols. By James D. Richardson.
    Official papers (proclamations, addresses, and messages) of the president during his presidency. This title was published in several different editions.

    HeinOnline AU-only icon has all editions online.
    (Call number: J81 .B962). AU Library has print copy of several editions.

Unpublished collections of Tyler's papers.

  • Papers. Microfilm of Library of Congress manuscript collection, 3 reels.
    The best source for Tyler's papers.
    Georgetown University Library has microfilm copy.

Miscellaneous Collections

  • Speeches of the American Presidents. Edited by Janet Podell and Steven Anzovin. 2nd ed. Bronx, NY : H.W. Wilson, 2001.
    (Call number: J81.4 .S64 2001). AU Library has print copy.
  • Wills of the U.S. Presidents. Biographical text by Herbert R. Collins. Notes on the wills by David B. Weaver. New York: Communicatoin Channels, c1976.
    (Call number: E176.1 .W724 1976). AU Library has print copy.