Richard Nixon

Richard Milhous Nixon (1913-1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1974, following the Watergate scandal. Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961.

Notable events during Nixon's presidency included continued escalation and the ultimate end of the Vietnam War, a 1972 trip to China which opened diplomatic relations with the US, the Apollo 11 moon landing, and the debut of a children's show known as Sesame Street.

In 1959, during the Emmy Awards (which were held at Washington, D. C.), guest of honor Nixon (then Vice President to Dwight Eisenhower) met with Jim Henson, winner of the Emmy for Best Local Entertainment. According to Jane Henson, Nixon's only comment of note was "I knew someone in the navy with a beard."

In a letter dated January 28, 1970, President Nixon wrote to Joan Ganz Cooney to praise Sesame Street: "The many children and families now benefiting from Sesame Street are participants in one of the most promising experiments in the history of that medium. The Children's Television Workshop certainly deserves the high praise it has been getting from young and old alike in every corner of the nation. This administration is enthusiastically committed to opening up opportunities for every youngster, particularly during his first five years of life, and is pleased to be among the sponsors of your distinguished program. Sincerely, Richard Nixon"