This letter was written by American musician Elvis Presley to President Richard M. Nixon around December 21, 1970. Presley – known to the world as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll – wrote the letter while on an American Airlines red eye flight from Los Angeles, California to Washington, D.C. Upon landing in D.C., Presley delivered the six-page letter to a guard at the White House at 6:30 am, requesting a short meeting with President Nixon to deliver a “personal gift.” He instructed the White House to contact him at The Washington Hotel, where he was staying under the name Jon Burrows. His letter included several unusual requests, including being named a “Federal Agent at Large” and to help curb American drug abuse.  This is an image of page three of six. To see the letter in full, see asset 1136064 in the Digital Library.

The text of the letter reads:

Dear Mr. President:

First, I would like to introduce myself. I am Elvis Presley and admire you and have great respect for your office. I talked to Vice President Spiro Agnew in Palm Springs three weeks ago and expressed my concern for our country. The drug culture, the hippie elements, the SDS, Black Panthers, etc., do not consider me as their enemy or as they call it the establishment. I call it America and [End of page one] I love it. Sir, I can and will be of any service that I can to help the country out. I have no concerns or motives other than helping the country out. So I wish not to be given a title or an appointed position. I can and will do more good if I were made a Federal Agent at Large and I will help out by doing it my way through my communications with people of all ages. First and foremost, I am an entertainer, but all I need are federal credentials. I am on this plane with [End of page two] Senator George Murphy and we have been discussing the problems that our country is faced with.

Sir, I am staying at the Washington Hotel, Room 505-506-507. I have two men who work with me by the name of Jerry Schilling and Sonny West. I am registered under the name of Jon Burrows. I will be here for as long as it takes to get the credentials of a Federal Agent. I have done an in-depth study of drug abuse and Communist brainwashing [End of page three] techniques and I am right in the middle of the whole thing where I can and will do the most good.

I am glad to help just so long as it is kept very private. You can have your staff or whomever call me anytime today, tonight, or tomorrow. I was nominated this coming year one of America’s Ten Most Outstanding Young Men. That will be in January 18 in my home town of Memphis, Tennessee. I am sending you the short autobiography about myself so you can better understand this [End of page four] approach. I would love to meet you just to say hello if you’re not too busy.

Respectfully, 

Elvis Presley 

P.S. I believe that you, Sir, were one of the Top Ten Outstanding Men of America also.  I have a personal gift for you which I would like to present to you and you can accept it or I will keep it for you until you can take it. [End of page five]