(2006-1363-F Segment 1) Senator Jesse Helms

302 folders, approximately 10,570 pages

This collection was made available via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The FOIA request was for all records related to Jesse Helms. In this first segment a significant majority of the records are congressional correspondence with President William Jefferson Clinton and members of his staff. The collection is wide ranging collection touching on topics such as human rights, Women’s rights, and Theatre Missile Defense. It discusses China, Burma, Turkey, Cyprus, Iraq, and Iran among others. Trade Issues with Russia, China, and Japan figure prominently in the records of this collection. Present also are issues related to the recognition of Taiwan. While this is correspondence to or from Senator Jesse Helms, many of his letters included additional signatories. The collection features letters to or from a significant majority of the Senators from the 103rd to 106th Congress. Some of those included for example are: Trent Lott, Joseph Biden, John Glenn, Orin Hatch, Olympia Snowe, Daniel Akaka, Christopher Dodd, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Bob Dole, and others. Likewise a large number of members of the House of Representatives are also included. As chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Benjamin A. Gilman also figures prominently in these records.

The materials in FOIA 2006-1363-F are a selective body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related materials. A significant majority of the records contained in this collection are congressional correspondence with President William Jefferson Clinton and members of his staff. The collection is wide ranging collection touching on topics such as human rights, Women’s rights, and Theatre Missile Defense. It discusses China, Burma, Turkey, Cyprus, Iraq, and Iran among others. Trade Issues with Russia, China, and Japan figure prominently in the records of this collection. Present also are issues related to the recognition of Taiwan. While this is correspondence to or from Senator Jesse Helms, many of his letters included additional signatories. The collection features letters to or from a significant majority of the Senators from the 103rd to 106th Congress. Some of those included for example are: Trent Lott, Joseph Biden, John Glenn, Orin Hatch, Olympia Snowe, Daniel Akaka, Christopher Dodd, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Bob Dole, and others. Likewise a large number of members of the House of Representatives are also included. As chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Benjamin A. Gilman also figures prominently in these records. Jesse Helms was first elected to serve in the 93rd Senate in 1972. A Republican from the state of North Carolina, Helms was reelected 1978, 1984, 1990, and 1996. He served in office from January 3, 1973 to January 3, 2003. In 1950, Helms began working on the Senate campaign for Willis Smith and went to Washington as Smith’s administrative assistant. Following Smith’s death in 1953, Helms moved to Raleigh, NC where he was executive director of the North Carolina Bankers Association. His first elected position was as a Raleigh City Councilman, a position to which he was elected in 1957. In 1960, Helms became executive vice-president of the Capitol Broadcasting Company where he gave a nightly editorial on WRAL-TV. Helms was a conservative Democrat and switched to the Republican party prior to his 1972 campaign for Senate. He has been frequently cited as a segregationist, if not outright racist. He did however, take interest in human rights concerns. Once in the Senate he became a strong and loud voice against communism and for a strong ballistic missle program. His stand on issues, both domestic and foreign, evolved over the course of his career. Helms refused to compromise when he thought that the United States was going to ceede independence or when he percieved a weakening position and he relished being known as “Senator No”. During the Clinton administration Helms became Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and in 1994 he took seat in the more powerful Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. As Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee he used his power to oppose the Chemical Weapons Convention and Anti-Ballistic Missle Programs. Helms forced the United States into a foreign affairs reorganization by holding up the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1993. He fought for a Theatre Missile Defense system in Europe and for using the military to solidify the might of the United States. Helms strongly supported anti-communism/socialism efforts around the globe. His 1996 Helms-Burton Act took a hardline stand against Cuba. Helms was vociferous in fighting for fair trade with Canada, Russia, China, Japan, and others. Helms was born in Monroe, NC on October 18, 1921. He was educated in Monroe Schools, at Wingate Junior College, now Wingate University, and at Wake Forest University. Helms dropped out of Wake Forest to become a newspaper reporter and radio news reporter, working for both the Raleigh Times and the News & Observer. In 2002, Helms chose to not to run for reelection. In 2005, he published his memoir, Here’s Where I Stand: A Memoir. Helms died July 4, 2008 and is buried in Raleigh.

Textual

Records that are responsive to this FOIA request were found in one collections areas—Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Record Management Systems.

Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Clinton Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 U.S.C. Chapter 22, as amended) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions.

Official records of William Jefferson Clinton’s presidency are housed at the Clinton Presidential Library and administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA).

Staff Archivist, 2012. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released.

The following is a list of documents and folders processed in response to FOIA 2006-1363-F:
Box 1
Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Record Management System
NSC Cables
[Helms, Jesse]
Jan1993-Dec 1994 [OA/ID 505000]
[01/07/1993-02/26/1993]
[03/01/1993-06/30/1993]
[07/20/1993-08/27/1993]
[09/04/1993-09/28/1993]
Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Record Management System (continued)
[10/01/1993-02/14/1994]
[02/16/1994-04/22/1994]
[05/11/1994-07/16/1994]
[07/18/1994-07/22/1994]
[07/23/1994-08/04/1994]
[08/05/1994-11/02/1994]
[11/08/1994-11/14/1994]
[11/15/1994-11/16/1994]
Box 2
[11/16/1994-11/18/1994]
[11/18/1994-11/22/1994]
[11/22/1994-11/23/1994]
[11/24/1994-11/28/1994]
[11/28/1994-11/30/1994]
[12/01/1994-12/06/1994]
[12/06/1994-12/12/1994]
[12/13/1994-12/29/1994]
NSC Emails
[Helms, Jesse]
A1-Record (Jan 93-Sept 94) [OA/ID 570000]
[02/17/1993-11/22/1993]
[01/28/1994-04/11/1994]
[04/11/1994-09/19/1994]
A1-Non-Record (Apr 93-Sept 94) [OA/ID 580000]
[05/13/1994-09/19/1994]
Box 3
NSC Records Management System
[Helms, Jesse]
9300974 [OA/ID 141]
9301104 [OA/ID 2265]
9301383 [OA/ID 142]
9302805 [OA/ID 2268]
9303423 [OA/ID 2269]
9303674 [1] [OA/ID 2269]
9303674 [2] [OA/ID 2269]
9305252 [OA/ID 154]
9305606 [1] [OA/ID 2273]
9305606 [2] [OA/ID 2273]
9305976 [OA/ID 156]
9306685 [OA/ID 160]
9308408 [OA/ID 169]
9308481 [OA/ID 170]
9309320 [OA/ID 174]
9309365 [OA/ID 175]
9400132 [OA/ID 181]
9400261 [OA/ID 182]
9400357 [OA/ID 182]
9400695 [OA/ID 183]
9401426 [OA/ID 186]
9401847 [OA/ID 187]
9404164 [OA/ID 197]
9304889 [OA/ID 2272]
9404935 [OA/ID 201]
9404952 [OA/ID 201]
9405849 [OA/ID 205]
Box 4
9406063 [OA/ID 207]
9406795 [OA/ID 210]
9407774 [OA/ID 215]
9407812 [OA/ID 215]
9407863 [OA/ID 215]
9408353 [OA/ID 218]
9408659 [OA/ID 219]
9408704 [OA/ID 219]
9409095 [OA/ID 221]
9409168 [OA/ID 221]
9409447 [OA/ID 223]
9420414 [OA/ID 2165]
9500502 [OA/ID 561]
9501440 [OA/ID 567]
9501450 [1] [OA/ID 567]
9501450 [2] [OA/ID 567]
9501808 [OA/ID 570]
9501940 [OA/ID 570]
9501999 [OA/ID 571]
9502119 [OA/ID 571]
9502123 [OA/ID 571]
9502127 [OA/ID 571]
Box 5
9502513 [OA/ID 574]
9502545 [OA/ID 574]
9502735 [OA/ID 575]
9502782 [OA/ID 576]
9502783 [OA/ID 576]
9502967 [OA/ID 577]
9502972 [OA/ID 577]
9503125 [OA/ID 578]
9503324 [OA/ID 579]
9503697 [OA/ID 582]
9504227 [OA/ID 585]
Clinton Presidential Records: Cable, Email, and Record Management Systems (continued)
9504348 [OA/ID 586]
9504647 [OA/ID 589]
9505531 [OA/ID 595]
9505924 [OA/ID 598]
9506186 [OA/ID 599]
9506335 [OA/ID 600]
9506715 [OA/ID 603]
9506787 [OA/ID 603]
9507076 [OA/ID 605]
9507746 [OA/ID 610]
9507798 [OA/ID 610]
9507883 [1] [OA/ID 611]
9507883 [2] [OA/ID 611]
Box 6
9508048 [OA/ID 612]
9508208 [OA/ID 613]
9508590 [OA/ID 616]
9508827 [OA/ID 617]
9508841 [OA/ID 617]
9508922 [OA/ID 618]
9508950 [OA/ID 618]
9508998 [OA/ID 618]
9509171 [OA/ID 620]
9600827 [OA/ID 1084]
9600998 [OA/ID 1085]
9601139 [OA/ID 1086]
9601143 [OA/ID 1086]
9601259 [OA/ID 1087]
9601445 [OA/ID 1088]
9602251 [OA/ID 1094]
9602286 [OA/ID 1094]
9602551 [1] [OA/ID 1097]
9602551 [2] [OA/ID 1097]
9602585 [OA/ID 1097]
9602703 [OA/ID 1098]
9602793 [OA/ID 1098]
Box 7
9602938 [OA/ID 1099]
9603227 [OA/ID 1101]
9603794 [OA/ID 1105]
9603917 [OA/ID 1106]
9603983 [1] [OA/ID 1106]
9603983 [2] [OA/ID 1106]
9603983 [3] [OA/ID 1106]
Clinton Presidential Records: Cable, Email, and Record Management Systems (continued)
9604388 [OA/ID 1109]
9604463 [OA/ID 1109]
9604703 [OA/ID 1111]
9604706 [OA/ID 1111]
9604989 [OA/ID 1113]
9605439 [OA/ID 1116]
9605502 [OA/ID 1116]
9605546 [1] [OA/ID 1116]
9605546 [2] [OA/ID 1116]
9605757 [OA/ID 1118]
9605843 [OA/ID 1118]
9606092 [OA/ID 1120]
9606109 [OA/ID 1120]
Box 8
9606768 [OA/ID 1124]
9606799 [OA/ID 1124]
9606827 [1] [OA/ID 1125]
9606827 [2] [OA/ID 1125]
9607992 [OA/ID 1133]
9608096 [OA/ID 1133]
9700393 [OA/ID 1598]
9700396 [OA/ID 1598]
9700456 [OA/ID 1599]
9700725 [OA/ID 1600]
9700788 [OA/ID 1600]
9700833 [OA/ID 1601]
9700905 [OA/ID 1601]
9701007 [OA/ID 1602]
9701078 [OA/ID 1602]
9701231 [OA/ID 1603]
9701285 [OA/ID 1604]
9701349 [OA/ID 1604]
9701401 [1] [OA/ID 1605]
9701401 [2] [OA/ID 1605]
9701401 [3] [OA/ID 1605]
Box 9
9701492 [OA/ID 1605]
9701714 [OA/ID 1607]
9701824 [1] [OA/ID 1608]
9701824 [2] [OA/ID 1608]
9701824 [3] [OA/ID 1608]
9701920 [OA/ID 1608]
9701979 [OA/ID 1609]
9702142 [OA/ID 1610]
9702484 [OA/ID 1613]
Clinton Presidential Records: Cable, Email, and Record Management Systems (continued)
9702920 [1] [OA/ID 1617]
9702920 [2] [OA/ID 1617]
9702920 [3] [OA/ID 1617]
9702920 [4] [OA/ID 1617]
9703565 [OA/ID 1622]
9703578 [OA/ID 1622]
9703591 [OA/ID 1622]
9703874 [OA/ID 1624]
9704122 [OA/ID 1626]
9704149 [OA/ID 1626]
9704508 [OA/ID 1628]
9704655 [OA/ID 1629]
Box 10
9705199 [OA/ID 1633]
9705234 [OA/ID 1633]
9705272 [OA/ID 1634]
9705864 [OA/ID 1638]
9705873 [OA/ID 1638]
9705964 [OA/ID 1638]
9706113 [OA/ID 1640]
9706148 [OA/ID 1640]
9706350 [OA/ID 1641]
9706711 [OA/ID 1644]
9706776 [OA/ID 1644]
9707011 [OA/ID 1646]
9707168 [OA/ID 1647]
9707173 [OA/ID 1647]
9707273 [OA/ID 1648]
9707289 [OA/ID 1648]
9707362 [OA/ID 1649]
9707369 [OA/ID 1649]
9707510 [OA/ID 1651]
9707843 [OA/ID 1654]
9800311 [OA/ID 2010]
9800584 [OA/ID 2012]
9800986 [OA/ID 2015]
Box 11
9801111 [OA/ID 2016]
9801231 [OA/ID 2017]
9801261 [OA/ID 2017]
9801439 [OA/ID 2018]
9801563 [OA/ID 2020]
9801689 [OA/ID 2021]
9801721 [OA/ID 2021]
9801786 [OA/ID 2021]
9801994 [OA/ID 2023]
9802453 [1] [OA/ID 2027]
Clinton Presidential Records: Cable, Email, and Record Management Systems (continued)
9802453 [2] [OA/ID 2027]
9802453 [3] [OA/ID 2027]
9802540 [OA/ID 2028]
9803414 [1] [OA/ID 2036]
9803414 [2] [OA/ID 2036]
9803905 [1] [OA/ID 2040]
Box 12
9803905 [2] [OA/ID 2040]
9804074 [OA/ID 2041]
9804576 [OA/ID 2046]
9804789 [OA/ID 2047]
9804814 [OA/ID 2047]
9805330 [OA/ID 2051]
9806421 [OA/ID 2059]
9806780 [1] [OA/ID 2062]
9806780 [2] [OA/ID 2062]
9806842 [OA/ID 2062]
9806955 [OA/ID 2063]
9806956 [OA/ID 2063]
9807124 [OA/ID 2065]
9807132 [1] [OA/ID 2065]
9807132 [2] [OA/ID 2065]
9807266 [OA/ID 2066]
9807688 [OA/ID 2068]
9808518 [OA/ID 2074]
9900008 [OA/ID 2705]
Box 13
9900009 [OA/ID 2705]
9900231 [OA/ID 2706]
9900337 [1] [OA/ID 2707]
9900337 [2] [OA/ID 2707]
9900742 [OA/ID 2709]
9900957 [OA/ID 2711]
9901013 [OA/ID 2711]
9901306 [OA/ID 2713]
9901605 [OA/ID 2715]
9901606 [OA/ID 2715]
9901801 [OA/ID 2716]
9901902 [OA/ID 2717]
9902093 [OA/ID 2718]
9902234 [OA/ID 2719]
9902352 [OA/ID 2720]
9902517 [OA/ID 2721]
9903551 [OA/ID 2728]
Clinton Presidential Records: Cable, Email, and Record Management Systems (continued)
Box 14
9904255 [1] [OA/ID 2733]
9904255 [2] [OA/ID 2733]
9904896 [OA/ID 2737]
9905036 [1] [OA/ID 2738]
9905036 [2] [OA/ID 2738]
9905036 [3] [OA/ID 2738]
9905575 [OA/ID 2741]
9905669 [1] [OA/ID 2742]
9905669 [2] [OA/ID 2742]
9905669 [3] [OA/ID 2742]
9905669 [4] [OA/ID 2742]
9905775 [OA/ID 2743]
9906088 [1] [OA/ID 2745]
9906088 [2] [OA/ID 2745]
9906186 [OA/ID 2745]
9906702 [OA/ID 2749]
Box 15
9907356 [1] [OA/ID 2753]
9907356 [2] [OA/ID 2753]
9908433 [OA/ID 2760]
9908907 [OA/ID 2764]
0002629 [OA/ID 4087]
0003233 [OA/ID 4090]
0004089 [OA/ID 4095]
0004465 [OA/ID 4098]
0004466 [1] [OA/ID 4098]
0004466 [2] [OA/ID 4098]
0004497 [1] [OA/ID 4098]
0004497 [2] [OA/ID 4098]
0004497 [3] [OA/ID 4098]
0004497 [4] [OA/ID 4098]
0004497 [5] [OA/ID 4098]
0004497 [6] [OA/ID 4098]
Box 16
0005059 [OA/ID 4101]
0005063 [OA/ID 4101]
0005112 [OA/ID 4101]
0005647 [OA/ID 4105]
0005791 [OA/ID 4105]
0006243 [OA/ID 4108]
0006614 [OA/ID 4110]
0006688 [OA/ID 4110]
Clinton Presidential Records: Cable, Email, and Record Management Systems (continued)
0006693 [1] [OA/ID 4110]
0006693 [2] [OA/ID 4110]
0006693 [3] [OA/ID 4110]
0006693 [4] [OA/ID 4110]
0006907 [OA/ID 4112]
0006953 [OA/ID 4112]