This is an archival post originally published on January 6, 2010.
Recordings made by author Taylor Branch following private White House interviews with President Bill Clinton are open for consultation in the Southern Historical Collection in the Wilson Special Collections Library at UNC.
During the Clinton presidency, Branch, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and historian, interviewed Clinton in the White House 79 times. Following most of those meetings, Branch recorded his own recollections and observations.
Branch’s book, The Clinton Tapes: Wrestling History with the President, was published in 2009.
“These recordings and other materials will allow researchers to go deeper into details of the Clinton presidency than has been possible before,” said Tim West, curator of the Southern Historical Collection.
Included as part of the Taylor Branch Papers are the audio notes that Branch made following his interviews with Clinton and transcriptions of those recordings. The recordings of the interviews themselves remain with Clinton and are not part of the UNC collection.
Branch will speak about his book in a free public program at Wilson Library on Feb. 23 at 5:45 p.m., with a reception at 5 p.m.Also included are correspondence between Branch and staff at the White House; articles and memos sent to Branch by White House staff; drafts of Clinton’s speeches annotated by Branch, including the second inaugural address; printouts from news Web sites; clippings; and copies of other speeches given by Clinton and by other public figures.
