Goals and tactics of President Gerald Ford's ethnic politics

Abstract

This article analyzes initiatives of Gerald Ford's presidential administration toward nationalities or the so-called white ethnics against the backdrop of the legacy of Richard Nixon and the Republican Party's ethnic politics of the 1960s. Using archival and interview materials, it demonstrates that Gerald Ford intended to improve the relationship between the President's office and the ethnics who were involved in the Republican Party's structures. He consciously tried to respond to ethnics’ political concerns and even created a special position on his staff for working with the nationalities. While in office and during the election campaign of 1976, Ford succeeded in engaging the ethnics and in demonstrating his will to address their needs on the domestic “front.” He failed, however, to fully appreciate the importance of foreign policy to the nationalities. The article proposes that today, as in the 1970s, the American political establishment would benefit from recognizing international issues as crucial elements of white ethnics’ or nationalities’ political behavior.

Keywords:

• President Ford
• Republican Party
• nationalities
• white ethnics
• heritage groups

Funding

Research for this article was supported by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation's research travel grant in 2011.

Notes

1. In the American political terminology of the period, “nationalities” essentially stood for what could be identified as white ethnics – groups that included mainly European descent traditional minorities (Italians, Germans) as well as recent post-World War II émigrés (the Balts and other Eastern European groups). They were also labeled as “ethnics” or “heritage groups.” This terminology allowed white ethnics to be distinguished from the “minorities” such as African-Americans, Hispanics, and also Jews. Due to this, in the paper, I use the terms nationalities, ethnics, and white ethnics interchangeably.

2. Memo from Jay Niemczyk, 29 April 1975. Folder: District of Columbia 5/16/75 National Republican Heritage Groups Council Reception, Box 2. Collection: Gwen Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Anna Arbor, MI.

3. Letter from Manuel Lujan, 23 June 1974. Folder: Hispanic Americans, June-August 1974, Box 117. Collection: Ford Vice Presidential Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Anna Arbor, MI. See also Press Release from Republican National Committee, undated, Folder: Hispanic Americans, June–August 1974, Box 117. Collection: Ford Vice Presidential Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Anna Arbor, MI.

4. Sonia Havelka, Letter, 15 August 1975. Folder: DeBold Subject File – Eastern Europeans, Box A13, Collection: President Ford Committee Records, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

5. Memo from Jay Niemczyk to Gwen Anderson, 23 July 1975. Folder: Republican Heritage Groups 1975(2), Box 20. Collection: Gwen A. Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

6. Memo from Jay Niemczyk to Gwen Anderson, 23 July 1975. Folder: Republican Heritage Groups 1975(2), Box 20. Collection: Gwen A. Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI; Jay Niemczyk to Gwen Anderson, 5 August 1975. Folder: Republican Heritage Groups 1975(2), Box 20. Collection: Gwen A. Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

7. Memo from Jay Niemczyk to Gwen Anderson, 21 November 1975. Folder: Republican Heritage Groups 1975(3), Box 20. Collection: Gwen A. Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

8. Memo from Gwen Anderson, 23 May 1975. Folder: Republican Heritage Groups 1975(1), Box 20. Collection: Gwen A. Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

9. Memorandum from Jay Niemczyk, 22 October 1975. Folder: Republican Heritage Groups, 1975 (3), Box 20, Collection: Gwen Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

10. Jay Niemczyk to Chairman Bush, 30 January 1974. Folder: Special Assistant for Ethnic Affairs, Box 21, Collection: Gwen Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

11. Jay Niemczyk to Chairman Bush, 13 August 1974. Folder: Special Assistant for Ethnic Affairs, Box 21, Collection: Gwen Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

12. J.M. Niemczyk to Gwen Anderson, 19 August 1974, Folder: Republican Heritage Groups, 1974(1), Box 20, Collection: Gwen Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI. See also Jay Niemczyk to Gwen Anderson, 4 October 1974. Folder: Special Assistant for Ethnic Affairs, Box 21, Collection: Gwen Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

13. Edward J. Derwinski to Donald Rumsfeld, 26 June 1975. Folder: Republican Heritage Groups 1974 (2), Box 20, Gwen Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI. Folder: Special Assistant for Ethnic Affairs, Box 21, Collection: Gwen Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

14. Ivan Docheff to Jerald (sic!) Ford, 22 September 1975?

15. WJB to Jack Marsh, Candidates for Special Assistant to the President for Ethnic Affairs, 30 October 1975. Folder: Appointments – Special Assistant to the President for Ethnic Affairs, Box 2, Collection: Wayne Valis Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

16. I.B. Dzinich to Gerald Ford, 16 January 1976. Folder: Croatian Ethnic Groups, Box 2, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

17. See, for example, his response to the executive board of the Polish Alma Mater Myron Kuropas, Letter to Rev. Szczypula 21 October 1976, Folder: Polish Ethnic Groups (File No. 7), Box 5, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

18. See, for example, Memo Romanian Ethnic Group, Folder: Romanian Ethnic Groups, Box 5, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

19. Archbishop Valerian, Letter to Myron Kuropas, 10 July 1976, Folder: Romanian Ethnic Groups, Box 5, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI; Anathole Bedriy, Letter to Nohemi Labrada, 30 October 1975, Folder: Ukrainian Ethnic Groups (File No. 3), Box 6, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

20. Anna Faltus, Letter to Myron Kuropas, 8 June 1976, Folder: Czechoslovak Ethnic Groups, Box 2, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

21. Theodore Marrs to William Baroody, Schedule Proposal, 30 December 1975. Folder: Ethnic Affairs (6), Box 8, Collection: Theodore C. Marrs Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

22. Myron Kuropas to William Nicholson, Memo, 12 February 1975. Folder: National Republican Heritage Groups Council 5/20-23/76, Box 7, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

23. William Baroody and Myron Kuropas, Swearing-in Ceremony of Mitchell P. Kobelinski as Administrator of the Small Business Administration, 19 February 1976, Folder: Kobelinski, Mitchell: Swearing-In, 21/2/76(2), Box 6, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

24. Joint Baltic American Committee, Letter to Myron Kuropas, 26 March 1976, Folder: Communist Bloc 8/9/74-3/31/76, Box 5, Collection: White House Central Files, Subject File, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

25. Myron Kuropas, Memorandum to Jack Marsh, 26 March 1976, Folder: Communist Bloc 8/9/74-3/31/76, Box 5, Collection: White House Central Files, Subject File, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

26. Myron Kuropas, Memorandum to Brent Scowcroft, 26 March 1976, Folder: Kuropas, Myron, Box 82, Collection: John Marsh Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

27. Jack Marsh, Memorandum to Dick Cheney, 26 March 1976, Folder: Kuropas, Myron, Box 82, Collection: John Marsh Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

28. Vytautas F. Volertas, Letter to George Shultz, 24 September 1973. Folder: Lithuanian Ethnic Groups (File No. 2), Box 4, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

29. S. A. Grecys, Letter to Richard Randall, 23 January 1974. Folder: Lithuanian Ethnic Groups (File No. 2), Box 4, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI. S. A. Grecys, Letter to William Overstreet, 23 January 1974. Folder: Lithuanian Ethnic Groups (File No. 2), Box 4, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

30. Dennis Livadas, Letter to Myron Kuropas, 23 January 1976. Folder: Greek American Ethnic Groups (File No. 2), Box 2, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

31. Don Heinrich Tolzmann, Letter to Myron Kuropas, 14 February 1976. Folder: German American Ethnic Groups (File No. 1), Box 2, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

32. Mario Albi, Letter to Gerald Ford, 23 March 1976. Folder: Coordinating Committee of National American-Italian Organizations, 8/4/76, Box 8, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

33. Margita White, Letter to Roger Horoshko, 7 May 1974; Margita White, Letter to Mr. Horoshko, 26 June 1974, Folder: Byelorussian Ethnic Groups, Box 1, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

34. Myron Kuropas, Letter to Jaroslav Sustar, 9 February 1976; Myron Kuropas, Letter to Jarsolav Sustar, 4 March 1976, Folder: Byelorussian Ethnic Groups, Box 1, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

35. Jaroslav Sustar, Letter to Myron Kuropas, 8 March 1976, Folder: Byelorussian Ethnic Groups, Box 1, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

36. Esperanza Valencia, Letter to Theodore Marrs, 24 September 1975. Folder: Filipino Ethnic Groups, Box 2, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

37. Myron Kuropas, Letter to Lawrence Garufi, 23 February 1976, Folder: Ukrainian Ethnic Groups (File No. 2), Box 6, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

38. Jeanne W. Davis, Memorandum for William Nicholson, 17 February 1976. Folder: Estonian Ethnic Groups, Box 2, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

39. Jeanne W. Davis, Memorandum for Myron Kuropas, 26 January 1976, Folder: Albanian Ethnic Groups, Box 1, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

40. Jeanne Davis, Memorandum for William Nicholson, 29 February 1976, Folder: Bulgarian Ethnic Groups, Box 1, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

41. Jeanne Davis, Memorandum for William Nicholson, 7 April 1976, Folder: Bulgarian Ethnic Groups, Box 1, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

42. James Tashjian, Letter to Edward Derwinski, 1 March 1976, Folder: Armenian Ethnic Groups, Box 1, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

43. Edward Derwinski, Letter to Max Friedersdorf, 23 March 1976, Folder: Armenian Ethnic Groups, Box 1, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

44. Max Friedersdorf, Letter to Edward Derwinski, 27 March 1976, Folder: Armenian Ethnic Groups, Box 1, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

45. Myron Kuropas, Memorandum to Dennis Clift, 22 October 1976, Folder: Armenian Ethnic Groups, Box 1, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

46. Jeanne Davis, Memorandum for Myron Kuropas, 22 October 1976. Folder: Armenian Ethnic Groups, Box 1, Collection: Myron Kuropas Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI. In his memoirs, Myron Kuropas recalls that he had numerous “run-ins” with the National Security Council. For example, NSC requested that Kuropas rewrite President Ford's speech to Ukrainian Americans to make sure that there were no statements of the Soviet “domination.” Also, NSC objected to Croatian Americans bringing a gift to Mrs. Ford and did not want to let them into the White House building because they were participating in an anti-Tito protest and NSC was afraid to offend Tito. In the end, Kuropas brought them into the Roosevelt Room in the White House and accepted the gift on behalf of Mrs. Ford who was not available at the time (Kuropas, nd, 147–149).

47. Myron Kuropas to Richard B. Cheney, President Ford and the Ethnics, 6 July 1976. Folder: Ethnic Groups, Box 4, Collection: David Gergen Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

48. Myron Kuropas, Memo to Robert Orben, 10 September 1976. Folder: Italian Ethnic Groups (File No. 1), Box 4, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

49. Memo from Gwen Anderson to Bill Seidman, 6 August 1964. Folder: National Republican Heritage Groups, Box 118, Collection: Ford Vice Presidential Papers, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

50. John Davis Lodge, Letter to Gerald Ford, 21 February 1976. Folder: Debolt Subject File – Ethnic, Box A13, Collection: President Ford Committee Records, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

51. The Joint Baltic American Committee, Letter to Gerald Ford, 11 May 1976, Folder: Captive Nations, Box F24, Collection: President Ford Committee Records, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI. Lev Dobrinasky, Letter to The President, 27 April 1976, Folder: Captive Nations, Box F24, Collection: President Ford Committee Records, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

52. Robert McCloskey, Letter to James Lynn, 11 June 1976, Folder: Captive Nations, Box F24, Collection: President Ford Committee Records, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

53. Myron Kuropas, Memorandum to Brent Scowcroft, 9 June 1976, Folder: Captive Nations, Box F24, Collection: President Ford Committee Records, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI. Myron Kuropas, Memorandum to Richard Cheney, 17 June 1976. Folder: Captive Nations, Box F24, Collection: President Ford Committee Records, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

54. The Ford Presidency from an Ethnic Perspective. Folder: Ethnic Desk – “Ford Presidency from an Ethnic Perspective,” Box F2, Collection: President Ford Committee, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

55. See, for example, motivational correspondence from Heritage Groups Division to about 150 Republican Heritage Groups leaders: J. M. Niemczyk, Letter to Mr. Frank Stella, 8 January 1975. Folder: Republican Heritage Groups, Convention 1975, Box 20. Collection: Gwen A. Anderson Files, Gerald Ford, Ann Arbor, MI.

56. Jay Niemczyk, Memorandum to Ed Debolt, 9 April 1976. Folder: Debolt Subject File – National Republican Heritage Groups (Nationalities) Council, Box A14. Collection: President Ford Committee Records, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

57. Rita Hauser, Memorandum to Rogers Morton, 3 May 1976. Folder: Hughes Subject File – Voter Groups – Ethnics, Box B10, Collection: President Ford Committee, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

58. Anonymous, People for Ford Ethnic Desk, GOP Nationalities News, Volume 3, Number 3, 1976.

59. Stanley Gold, Memorandum 2 November 1976, Folder: Ethnics Desk – Correspondence, Box F2, Collection: President Ford Committee, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

60. Jay Niemczyk, Letter to Tom Ruffin, 1 October 1976, Folder: Hughes Subject File – Voter Groups – Ethnics, Box B10, Collection: President Ford Committee, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

61. Julian Niemczyk, Letter 6 August 1976. Folder: National Republican Heritage Groups (Nationalities) Council, Box F25, Collection: President Ford Committee Records 1975-76, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

62. Julian Neimczyk, Letter, 6 September 1976. Folder: National Republican Heritage Groups (Nationalities) Council, Box F25, Collection: President Ford Committee Records 1975-76, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

63. Laszlo Pasztor and Michael Sotirhos Memorandum, undated. Folder: Debold Subject File – Ethnic Program 1972. Box A13. Collection: President Ford Committee, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

64. Julijs Riekstins, Letter to Thomas Ruffin, 21 September 1976, Folder: Hughes Subject File – Voter Groups – Ethnics, Box B10, Collection: President Ford Committee, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI. Jay Niemczyk, Memo to Boyston Hughes, October 1976, Folder: Hughes Subject File – Voter Groups – Ethnics, Box B10, Collection: President Ford Committee, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

65. William Baroody, Memorandum to President Gerald Ford, 15 October 1976, Folder: Communist Bloc 4/1/76-1/20/77, Box 5, Collection: White House Central Files, Subject File, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

66. Benjamin Fernandez, Letter to Gwen Anderson, 16 November 1976. Folder: Republican Heritage Groups 1976(2), Box 20, Collection Gwen A. Anderson Files, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

67. Myron Kuropas, Memorandum on Meeting with Italian American Leadership, 3 August 1976. Folder: Italian Ethnic Groups (File No. 1), Box 4, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.

68. Myron Kuropas, Memo on President's University of Michigan Speech, 10 September 1976. Folder: Italian Ethnic Groups (File No. 1), Box 4, Collection: Myron Kuropas Files 1976-77, Gerald Ford Library, Ann Arbor, MI.