The American Presidency Project

The Papers of
the Presidents
The American Presidency Project is the only online resource that has consolidated, coded, and organized into a single searchable database:
• The Messages and Papers of the Presidents: Washington - Taft (1789-1913)
• The Public Papers of the Presidents:
Hoover to G.W. Bush (1929-2007)
& Obama (2009)
• The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents:
Carter - G.W. Bush (1977-2009)
• The Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents:
Obama (2009-2012)

• Our archives also contain thousands of other documents such as party platforms, candidates' remarks, Statements of Administration Policy, documents released by the Office of the Press Secretary, and election debates:

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Noteworthy State of the Union Addresses from the APP's complete archive:

"The British Government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."

George W. Bush - January 28, 2003

"The era of big Government is over. But we cannot go back to the time when our citizens were left to fend for themselves."

William J. Clinton - January 23, 1996

"President Washington began this tradition in 1790 after reminding the Nation that the destiny of self-government and the "preservation of the sacred fire of liberty" is "finally staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people." For our friends in the press, who place a high premium on accuracy, let me say: I did not actually hear George Washington say that. [Laughter]"

Ronald Reagan - January 26, 1982

"Today, that freshman Member from Michigan stands where Mr. Truman stood, and I must say to you that the state of the Union is not good: Millions of Americans are out of work..."

Gerald Ford - January 15, 1975

"I believe the time has come to bring that investigation and the other investigations of this matter to an end. One year of Watergate is enough."

Richard Nixon - January 30, 1974

"We must spare no effort to raise the general level of health in this country. In a nation as rich as ours, it is a shocking fact that tens of millions lack adequate medical care."

Harry S. Truman - January 5, 1949

"In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms."

Franklin D. Roosevelt - January 6, 1941

see all State of the Union Addresses
2013 State of the Union Address

The Ten Most Viewed Documents
(since 12/22/12)

#1	John F. Kennedy
Inaugural Address

#2	Republican Party Platforms
Republican Party Platform of 1956

#3	Ronald Reagan
Message on the Observance of Afghanistan Day

#4	Ronald Reagan
Inaugural Address

#5	Democratic Party Platforms
2012 Democratic Party Platform

#6	John F. Kennedy
Executive Order 10990

#7	Republican Party Platforms
2012 Republican Party Platform

#8	George Bush
Executive Order 12803 - Infrastructure Privatization

#9	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Fireside Chat on Banking

#10	John F. Kennedy
Special Message to the Congress on Mental Illness and Mental Retardation.

The American Presidency Project (americanpresidency.org), was established in 1999 as a collaboration between John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters at the University of California,
Santa Barbara.

Our archives contain 103,547 documents related to the study of the Presidency.

American Presidency Project State of the Union Data

State of the Union Index Page with research notes
Length of State of the Union Messages and Addresses in Words
Length of State of the Union Addresses in Minutes (from 1966)
List of Acknowledged Guests Sitting in House Gallery
List of Opposition Responses

State of the Union: Presidential Rhetoric from
Woodrow Wilson to George W. Bush
with an introduction by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley is the first comprehensive reference volume published in over four decades devoted to the president's Annual Message to Congress.

published by CQ Press

67 years ago

Radio Address to the American People on the Railroad Strike Emergency.
May 24, 1946

[Broadcast from the White House at 10 p.m.]

My fellow countrymen:

I come before the American people tonight at a time of great crisis. The crisis of Pearl Harbor was the result of action by a foreign enemy. The crisis tonight is caused by a group of men within our own country who place their private interests above the welfare of the nation.

As Americans you have the right to look to the President for leadership in this grave emergency. I have accepted the responsibility, as I have accepted it in other emergencies.

Every citizen of this country has the right to know what has brought about this crisis. It is my desire to report to you what has already taken place and the action that I intend to take.

Negotiations between the unions and the railroad operators started in accordance with the Railway Labor Act. Twenty unions were involved. Eighteen of these unions agreed to arbitrate the wage question, and an award was made. Now Alvanley Johnston, president of the Brotherh ...read full document

The Document Archive Contains 103,547 Records
• Executive Orders	4886	• State of the Union Addresses	93
• Proclamations	6208	• State of the Union Messages	138
• Press Conferences	1992	• Inaugural Addresses	57
• Saturday Radio Addresses	1396	• Addresses to Congress (non-SOU)	50
• Fireside Chats (FDR)	27	• Addresses to Nation	247
• Veto Messages	1141	• Addresses to the United Nations	44
• Radio & TV Correspondents Dinners	37	• Addresses to Foreign Legislatures	70
• Party Convention Addresses	33	• College Commencement Addresses	152

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