Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03

Archibald Cox Biography and Timeline

Follow Archibald Cox through 16 dated historical records for United States of America.

Archibald Cox, historical timeline

A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.

16Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1973–1973Years on this page

1973

Senate Watergate Committee

Politics / Watergate

The Senate Watergate committee begins its nationally televised hearings. Attorney General-designate Elliot Richardson taps former solicitor general Archibald Cox as the Justice Department’s special prosecutor for Watergate.

Senate Watergate Committee

Politics / Watergate

The Senate Watergate committee begins its nationally televised hearings. Attorney General-designate Elliot Richardson taps former solicitor general Archibald Cox as the Justice Department’s special prosecutor for Watergate

Special Prosecutor

Special Prosecutor · Politics / Watergate

Archibald Cox is appointed Special Prosecutor to oversee the investigation into possible presidential impropriety.

Special Prosecutor

Special Prosecutor · Politics / Watergate

Archibald Cox is appointed Special Prosecutor to oversee the investigation into possible presidential impropriety

Special Prosecutor Begins Work

Watergate Special Prosecutor · Washington · Politics / Watergate

Takes charge of the independent Watergate prosecution with authority to investigate offenses connected to the burglary, cover-up and related campaign activities.

Role range: 1972-1974

Special Prosecutor Tape Subpoena

Watergate Special Prosecutor · Washington · Politics / Watergate

Secures a subpoena for specified White House recordings after Nixon rejects requests for Watergate tapes sought by the special prosecutor.

Role range: 1972-1974

Tape Case Argument

Watergate Special Prosecutor · Washington · Politics / Watergate

Argues in federal court that the special prosecutor is entitled to subpoenaed White House recordings needed for the Watergate criminal investigation.

Role range: 1972-1974

Appeals Court Tape Victory

Watergate Special Prosecutor · Washington · Politics / Watergate

Wins an appellate ruling requiring Nixon to provide subpoenaed recordings to Judge Sirica while the court encourages an out-of-court accommodation.

Role range: 1972-1974

Stennis Compromise Rejected

Watergate Special Prosecutor · Washington · Politics / Watergate

Rejects the administration's third-party tape proposal because it would leave Nixon controlling which evidence reached the special prosecutor.

Role range: 1972-1974

Stennis Compromise

Special Prosecutor · Politics / Watergate

Cox refused the compromise.

Stennis Compromise

Special Prosecutor · Politics / Watergate

Nixon, looking toward a solution to the tape dispute, offered what later came to known as the Stennis Compromise. U.S. Senator John C. Stennis (D-MS) would independently review the tapes and summarize them for the special prosecutor's office.

Saturday Night Massacre

Special Prosecutor · Politics / Watergate

Nixon contacted the Solicitor General, Robert Bork, and ordered him, as acting head of the Justice Department in the wake of the previous resignations, to fire Cox. Bork reluctantly complied.

Saturday Night Massacre

Special Prosecutor · Politics / Watergate

The firing of Special Prosecutor Cox, and the flurry of high-profile Justice Department resignations over the weekend caused the press to dub this event, the "Saturday Night Massacre."

Saturday Night Massacre

Watergate Special Prosecutor · Washington · Politics / Watergate

Is dismissed as Watergate special prosecutor by Acting Attorney General Robert Bork after refusing Nixon's proposed compromise over the White House tapes.

Role range: 1972-1974

Saturday Night Massacre

Special Prosecutor · Politics / Watergate

Nixon contacted the Solicitor General, Robert Bork, and ordered him, as acting head of the Justice Department in the wake of the previous resignations, to fire Cox. Bork reluctantly complied.

Saturday Night Massacre

Special Prosecutor · Politics / Watergate

The firing of Special Prosecutor Cox, and the flurry of high-profile Justice Department resignations over the weekend caused the press to dub this event, the "Saturday Night Massacre."

Records, sources and methodology

These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.