James Baker donates papers to Princeton in ceremony May 31

In a ceremony that took place Friday afternoon, May 31, former Secretary of State James A. Baker III donated the papers of his long career in politics and public service to Princeton University. This rich collection of material documenting the end of the Cold War and other events in his distinguished career will join one of the nation's premier public policy collections.

Baker, a member of Princeton's Class of 1952 and a former member of the University's Board of Trustees, returned to the campus this weekend to celebrate his 50th reunion. He was also chosen by the Class of 2002 to give the Class Day address, 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 3.

Members of Baker's class were invited to attend the event at McCosh Hall and were given a chance to ask Baker questions after the ceremony. Their questions covered the discord in India and Pakistan as well as the Middle East.

Baker, a top-level official in the administrations of three U.S. presidents, was America's chief diplomat at the end of the Cold War and witnessed the collapse of Communism.

He served as secretary of state under President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1992. He held a number of other important national positions, including secretary of the treasury under President Reagan, White House chief of staff under presidents Reagan and Bush, and undersecretary of commerce under President Ford. He also played a leading role in the election campaigns of those three presidents.

Baker's papers will be maintained at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, which already houses the papers of two other secretaries of state: Robert Lansing (1915-1920) and John Foster Dulles (1953-1959).

For additional information about the library, phone (609) 258-6345, visit the library's Web site or send e-mail to mudd@princeton.edu .

About the photo above: Baker (left), with University Archivist Ben Primer, at the ceremony. Photo by Denise Applewhite.

Contact: Marilyn Marks (609) 258-3601