The White House files contain agendas, articles, brochures, clippings, copies of correspondence, invitations, lists, maps, copies of memoranda, minutes, newsletters, polls, postcards, reports, schedules, statements and telegrams.

The material in this series dates from 1968 to 1973 with the bulk of the material dating from 1969-1972 when Dent was Deputy/Special Counsel to U.S. President Richard M. Nixon. It is divided into two chronological subseries: the Subject File, arranged alphabetically by subject within each year and the Alphabetical File, arranged by name within each year. Originally, these two subseries were meant as parallel files that would provide name and subject cross-referencing. However, the overlap between the two subseries is not complete — material exists in one that is not in the other, although there was an attempt to complete the Nixon material in the alphabetical file by photocopying. Photographs have been removed to photograph storage. See the Photographs Series for photographs removed from this series.

Most of the material in this series consists of copies of memos and correspondence to and from Dent, much of it to and from members of the White House staff. There is some original incoming and outgoing correspondence in the Subject File, however. The contents of the series document Dent’s role in political coordination, strategy (especially in the South) and patronage. For example, there are files relating to politics for various states which contain analysis of state races (gubernatorial, Senate, House and occasionally mayoral and state legislative races), support for Nixon and results of the 1968 presidential campaign; possible strategies and actions to gain the support “Middle America,” nationalities/ethnic groups, women, African Americans and other potential groups of supporters; the arrangement of meetings of appearances of the President, his family, and other government officials and occasionally reports of the results of those meetings or appearances; and requests for help concerning government grants, decisions, etc. Patronage matters include judicial appointments, increasing Republican appointees in the government and complaints about Democratic holdovers, especially in the Office of Economic Opportunity.

While there is information on the 1970 and 1971 elections in the series, many of the files relate to preparations for the 1972 election. Material includes an analysis of Nixon’s strengths and weaknesses in regards to the campaign; a 1970 review (updated 1971) by Thomas Cole of Nixon‘s 1968 campaign speeches on domestic policy, a summary of administration actions or postures in each area mentioned, and recommendations concerning areas that still needed attention; information on potential and actual challengers, especially George Wallace and George McGovern; memos relating to a Census Department computer mapping project to provide demographic information useful to the campaign; “competitive analysis reports” done during the 1972 primary season that included a summary of events since the last report, news items of interest, poll results, and other candidates campaigns (issues, media, strategy, trends, etc.); and campaign manuals. There is also material relating to fund-raising, campaign strategy, voter registration, and the Republican Party in the South.

Additional subjects of interest include the Republican Party; the South Carolina Republican Party with material concerning U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond, U.S. congressman Ed Young, and the appointment of Democrat Solomon Blatt, Jr. to a district judgeship; textile trade and the textile industry; public relations; and school desegregation. Biographical clippings files for Nixon and his wife Pat are part of this series. There are also some personal files in this series. Among the White House staff members sending correspondence or memos to Dent or receiving it from him are Ken Belieu, Gordon Brownell (Dent’s assistant), Alexander Butterfield, Dwight Chapin, Charles W. Colson, John Ehrlichman, Peter Flanigan, Jack A. Gleason, H. R. Haldeman, Bryce Harlow and Peter Millspaugh. Other individuals with material to and/or from them are U.S. Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, Republican operative James E. Duffy, businessman Roger Milliken, Richard M. Nixon and Strom Thurmond.