In September 1972, the White House Special Files Unit was created within the White House complex to provide a secure storage location for administratively and politically sensitive material, personal material, and material with the President's handwriting.

Sensitive materials created prior to 1972 were removed from selected White House Central Files:  Subject Files and from selected White House Central Files:  Staff Member and Office Files, and transferred to the Special Files. Any potentially sensitive materials created after 1972 were placed directly into the Special Files.

 [See Also:  Nixon Presidential Returned Materials Collection: White House Special Files and Nixon Presidential Returned Materials Collection: White House Special Files: Contested Materials]

Sensitive Files Moved from the White House Central Files

• Staff Member & Office Files – includes the files of individual senior staff and offices as well as the President's Office Files and the President's Personal Files.
  
  
• Subject Files – consists of documents of an administratively sensitive nature, arranged according to subject matter.
  
  
• Alphabetical Name Files – includes the names of several individuals whose files were considered administratively and politically sensitive.