Nixon White House Tapes › Tape 5 › Conversation 005-153

Nixon phone call with Rinaldi on Education and U.S. History

Wednesday, June 23, 1971 · 4:06 PM–4:08 PM ET · White House Telephone · 2 min

ParticipantsNixon, Richard M. (President); Rinaldi, WilliamConversation005-153 on Tape 5 (tape position 04:33:37–04:35:51)StartWednesday, June 23, 1971 at 4:06 PMEndWednesday, June 23, 1971 at 4:08 PMRecording deviceWhite House TelephoneSourceNixon Library record for 005-153 ↗

AI Summary

President Nixon telephoned William Rinaldi, a teacher working with underprivileged students, to personally commend him for his dedication and impactful work in the classroom. During the exchange, the two discussed the importance of teaching U.S. history to foster a sense of national pride and destiny in students during their formative years. Nixon emphasized that such historical education serves as a necessary counterweight to the negative influence of contemporary media coverage.

Audio

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Transcript (AI-generated)

This transcript was generated automatically by AI (WhisperX) and has not been reviewed for accuracy. Names and numbers are often wrong; speakers are not identified. Do not cite it as authoritative — verify against the audio and the finding aid.

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· Click a timestamp to play from that point; the page address then links to that moment (e.g. #t=125).
Yeah.
We have William Rinaldi.
Yes.
All right.
Hello?
Yes.
Mr. Rinaldi?
Yes.
I'm just calling to tell you that I have followed with great interest your letter with regard to your work that you are doing with the underprivileged children.
And I just think that that kind of...
of action that where you're working now actually particularly with our high school children and others is really a very outstanding thing and to do it knowing too that you do it under greater difficulties than some people have that's very encouraging to us in terms of the future of the country.
Well, thank you very much.
And do you find, I notice that you're teaching U.S. history and other courses of that sort, is that correct?
That's right.
Right.
I was a history major years ago, so it's the best subject of all.
I think so, from my perspective.
And also, I think it's particularly important if people read it, particularly in those formative years in high school, they can get the sense that you have in your letter of a sense of destiny about the country and pride in the country.
That tends to mitigate, to a certain extent, the instant news that you see night after night on television and the rest.
We're dealing with them at such a moldable age.
Exactly, exactly.
It conveys a tremendous responsibility.
Right, right.
Well, I just want you to know that I think it's a fine, fine work that you're doing, and the country's grateful to men like yourselves.
We're grateful to all good teachers, but to a teacher who, despite a handicap, has gone right in there and
done this kind of a job is really very outstanding.
Thank you very much.
And we wish you best, and give my best to your students, will you?
I will.
Tell them to study that history hard.
It's the best training for anything.
Such a pleasure talking to you.

NARA Description

On June 23, 1971, President Richard M. Nixon and William Rinaldi talked on the telephone from 4:06 pm to 4:08 pm. The White House Telephone taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 005-153 of the White House Tapes.

Nixon Library Finding Aid

Conversation No. 5-153

Date: June 23, 1971
Time: 4:06 pm - 4:08 pm
Location: White House Telephone

The President talked with William Rinaldi.

[See Conversation No. 258-27A]

     Rinaldi's letter concerning work with underprivileged children

     History
          -President's educational background
          -Importance

Also recorded on June 23, 1971

  • 005-150 3:41 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone from 3:41 pm to 3:43 pm.
  • 005-151 3:43 PM · 12 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 3:43 pm and 3:48 pm.
  • 258-051 3:43 PM · 1 min — President Richard M. Nixon and J. Philip Campbell met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:43 pm and 3:48 pm.
  • 258-052 3:43 PM · 20 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:43 pm and 3:48 pm.
  • 005-152 3:48 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler talked on the telephone from 3:48 pm to 3:49 pm.
  • 258-053 3:48 PM · 25 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Ronald L. Ziegler met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 3:48 pm to 3:49 pm.
  • 258-011 3:49 PM · 15 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and Manolo Sanchez met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 3:49 pm and 4:00 pm.
  • 258-027 4:00 PM · 45 min — President Richard M. Nixon, H. R. ("Bob") Haldeman, Bryce N. Harlow, Harry S. Dent, William Rinaldi, and unknown person(s) met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 4:00 pm to 5:01 pm.

All 52 conversations from June 23, 1971 →

Cite this conversation

Conversation 005-153, June 23, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/005-153 (accessed October 11, 2026).