John S. Bradway correspondence with Richard M. Nixon, 1959-1978

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Summary

Creator:
Bradway, John S. (John Saeger), 1890-1985
Abstract:
John S. Bradway was a professor to Richard Nixon while he was a student at Duke Law School in the 1930s. The collection consists of letters, telegrams, and cards sent to and from Richard Nixon prior to his 1968 election, during his presidency and subsequent impeachment, and following his resignation in 1974 during his second term in office. Topics in the correspondence include the Vietnam War, political protests, Nixon's coverage in the press, his impeachment trial, and his book.
Extent:
0.5 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials in English.
Collection ID:
UA.29.02.268
University Archives Record Group:
29 -- Papers of Faculty, Staff, and Associates
29 -- Papers of Faculty, Staff, and Associates > 02 -- Individuals

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of carbon copies of letters Bradway sent to Nixon, and letters, telegrams, and cards from Richard Nixon prior to his 1968 election, during his presidency and subsequent impeachment, and following his resignation in 1974 during his second term in office. Topics in the correspondence include the Vietnam War, political protests, Nixon's coverage in the press, his impeachment trial, and his book. Also included is correspondence between Bradway and President Gerald Ford.

Biographical / historical:

John Saeger Bradway (1890-1985) taught law at Duke University School of Law from 1931 to 1959, where Nixon was one of his students. Bradway taught in California until his retirement in 1970. Bradway was married to Mary Henderson in 1921. He died on January 2, 1985 in Eureka, California.

Richard Milhous Nixon (1913-1994) attended the Duke University School of Law from 1934 to 1937, graduating number three in a class of twenty-six. During his three years at Duke, Nixon was active in the Duke Bar Association and was elected President in his senior year. Following school, Nixon began a political career. He was a Senator for California (1950-1953), the nation's 36th vice president (1953 to 1961), and was elected the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1974.

Nixon was the first U.S. president, since Andrew Johnson in 1868, to be the subject of formal impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives. The impeachment process began on October 30, 1973, following a series of staff firings and resignations known as the Saturday Night Massacre prompted by the Nixon administration's attempt to cover-up its involvement with the 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C.

On May 9, 1974, formal hearings in the impeachment inquiry of President Nixon began, culminating July 27–30, 1974, when the Democratic-led Judiciary Committee approved three articles of impeachment charging the president with obstruction of justice; injury to the constitutional rights of citizens; and the abuse of power. Once Nixon was told his that both his impeachment and his conviction were inevitable he resigned the presidency on August 9, 1974, before the House could vote on the articles of impeachment.

Acquisition information:
The John S. Bradway correspondence with Richard M. Nixon were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 2020.
Processing information:

Processed by Leah M. Kerr, February 2020

Accessions described in this collection guide: UA2020-0002

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], John S. Bradway correspondence with Richard M. Nixon, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.