Today in History: Richard Nixon Visits China

Pres. Richard Nixon tossing out baseball, at Senators' opening game with New York, Washington, D.C.
Today in History–February 21–the Library of Congress features Richard Nixon, who began an eight-day visit to China on this day in 1972. President Nixon was the first U.S. president to visit the People’s Republic of China since its founding in 1949. Find out a bit more about U.S.-Chinese relations by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access more primary sources to gain some interesting perspectives on the 37th president of the United States who resigned from office under scandal two years later in 1974.

Timeline of the Presidential Election of 1960

Richard Nixon as Juliet (political cartoon, 1960 election)

Richard Nixon 1969 inauguration primary source set

Richard Nixon 1973 inauguration primary source set

Richard Nixon historical newspaper coverage

Portraits: Richard Nixon & Pat Nixon

Richard Nixon image set

Venezuelans protest the visit of U.S. vice president Richard Nixon in Caracas 1958

Broadside protesting Richard Nixon’s policies

Political cartoons

Bob Hope & President Nixon online exhibition

Richard Nixon’s Political Scandal: Researching Watergate in the Manuscript Collections at the Library of Congress

Nixon Impeachment Proceedings

The President Richard Nixon Impeachment Inquiry, 50 Years Later Insights

‘Gavel-to-Gavel’: The Watergate Scandal and Public Television online exhibition housed at the American Archive of Public Broadcasting

Channeling the Real Richard Nixon National Book Festival blog July 28, 2015

From America’s Library

Resources outside the Library

Related resources