WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT

WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT (WHORM) SUBJECT FILE, 1981-1989, 2,488 l.ft.

This collection consists of action or policy material organized into 60 primary subject categories, subdivided into over 3,000 secondary categories (using alphanumeric file codes), and over 650,000 case files (identified by a six digit numeric code). WHORM assigned these six digit numbers to each case file, and entered information about the case file into an automated database.

Fifty-eight of the primary subject categories contain Presidential records. The contents of two categories, Political Affairs (PL) and Presidential Personal (PP), are part of the personal papers of the President. Two subcategories, Speeches, Campaign (SP501) and Trips, Campaign (TR003) are also designated as personal papers of the President. Subject File records designated as personal papers are not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

During the Reagan administration, case files and their subject headings were entered into a database for easier access and retrieval. Using databases allowed WHORM to file two large groupings of the Subject File in the same location. Each had a separate database, CTRH for “correspondence” and SECLOG for Staff Secretary material. Staff secretary documents were material that was sent on to the President. These case files are noted by an “SS” at the end of the six digit case file designation. The Library has continued the WHORM practice of filing both of these groupings together. Currently the White House databases are not available for public use.

In earlier administrations, the “CF” or Confidential File Subject File material is kept separately. At the Reagan Library this material has been reintegrated within its respective subject file when processed and declassified.

We have numerous individual case files available for research from closed subject categories in response to Freedom of Information Act requests. For access to these case files, you should refer to our topic finding aids.

Finding aids for subject categories are found by using the listing of primary subjects below. Subject categories and sub-categories fully available for research are bolded. Closed categories and sub-categories have a simple phrase describing their contents.

For more information regarding these files please e-mail us:

reagan.library@nara.gov

Alphabetical Listing of Primary Subjects

Agriculture – (AG) Meetings/Conferences – (MC)

Arts – (AR) Messages – (ME)

Atomic/Nuclear Energy – (AT) National Security/Defense – (ND)

Business/Economics – (BE) Natural Resources – (NR)

Civil Aviation – (CA) Outer Space – (OS)

Commodities – (CM) Parks/Monuments – (PA)

Countries – (CO) Peace – (PC)

Disasters – (DI) Personnel Management – (PE)

Education – (ED) Political Affairs – (PL)