The handwriting itself is shaky, jerky, and struggling for legibility.  This type of writing often points to an unsettled psychological state or agitation, and some emotional neediness.  It is not a calm, self-assured writing.  On the positive side, the writing is unpretentious, shows a natural affinity with people and an friendly, outgoing nature.

It would be unwise to say too much more about the handwriting, due to the probable influence of drugs at the time, and the possibility that it was written on an unstable writing surface on an aeroplane. This may account for some of the shakiness of the pen stroke.

My feelings about the writing are tinged with sadness. Elvis was desperate for official recognition and status, despite his long established worldwide fame and adulation. His own problems with drug addiction did not dampen his ambition to be appointed a Federal Agent.  President Nixon duly gave him his wish at the end of the visit.  

It must have been quite a clash of personalities: The leader of the world's biggest superpower and one of the most charismatic, flamboyant entertainers of the era.  It sounds like an entertaining movie!

Source: (Ollie Atkins / Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum)

A new movie released in the UK on 24 June tells the story of the unscheduled visit of Elvis Presley to the White House.

The meeting was sparked by a famous letter that Elvis wrote to the President Nixon, which he hand-delivered to the White House on at 6.30 a.m. on December 21st 1970, having taken a night flight from Los Angeles.

What did the letter say and did the handwriting reveal anything about the writer's personality?

This is my first blog, which I am excited about.  In my blogs, I hope to cover topics and issues to do with handwriting in general, letters and what the handwriting says about the writer, and fun things that I come across to do with handwriting.

Just to clarify for legal purposes: the images I use in this blog are either my own or if copyrighted, used within the context of Fair Use (i.e. used for the purpose of comment, education, criticism, scholarship and research, for the public good).  I also tend to use only a portion of any images I find online.

​To return to a lighter tone, here are images from my six-year old's fair hand: