You Might Also Like
-
Collection
The White House Behind the Scenes
While the presidency is often in the eye of the public, those who ensure operations at the White House run smoothly on a day-to-day basis often carry out their work behind the scenes. Furthermore, some of the president's most intimate relationships play out behind the walls of the Executive Mansion. In this collection, pull back the curtain on some of
-
Page
An interview with Allida M. Black
To enhance First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's "My Day" newspaper columns, Allida M. Black, Director and Editor of The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers and Research Professor of History & International Affairs at The George Washington University, sat down for an interview covering topics from the Roosevelt's style of entertaining to what the White House was like during World War II.
-
Page
Easter Egg Roll: The President's Own Comes Marching In
Eleven years after the Easter Monday egg rolling festivities came to the White House, President Benjamin Harrison scored a hit by adding music to the affair. In 1889, he had the United States Marine Band, known as "The President's Own," play lively tunes while the children romped on the South Lawn. John Philip Sousa, who directed the band, took delight in
-
Page
The American Presidents Song
The origin of the "American Presidents" by Genevieve Ryan Bellaire is somewhat unique. One year, Genevieve's father asked her to memorize the order of the Presidents of the United States for Father's Day. As she did, she began to come up with rhymes to help her remember each President. After sharing this method with her family, they told her that
-
-
Page
2023 Presidential Sites Summit Schedule
Monday, September 25 12:00pm: Registration at the Mayflower Hotel 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: White House Reception Please join us for a White House Reception hosted by Dr. Biden. Introduction: John F.W. Rogers, Chairman, White House Historical Association Board of DirectorsRemarks: Dr. Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States Shuttles will depart the Mayflower Hotel at 2:30 pm. Following the reception, the shuttles wi
-
Page
2022 Winning Essay The Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship
When I came to Iowa State, I had no idea what it meant to be a journalist. My idea of a reporter was a man in a trench coat and fedora writing down notes on a pad of paper, something out of a noir film. Even though I couldn’t see myself as a journalist, what attracted me to the fi
-
Page
Marlyne Sexton Endowment for White House History
The White House Historical Association has established an endowed position, the Marlyne Sexton Chair in White House History, in honor of Marlyne Sexton, cabinet member on the National Council for White House History. The endowment will provide financial support for the Chair in perpetuity. The National Council on White House History was established in 2017 and is made up of 115 members
-
Page
The White House Social Secretary
The White House Historical Association began an oral history project in 2010 under the guidance of Maria Downs, the Association’s public affairs director and the White House Social Secretary during the Gerald Ford administration. Ms. Downs recognized that important insights into White House history were slipping away with the passing of social secretaries. They rarely wrote or spoke of their ex
-
Page
The White House Social Secretary: Job Description and Work Culture
What are the responsibilities of the social secretary? The social secretary works with the first lady in the overall planning, arrangement, coordination and direction of all official and personal social events given by the president and his family. This includes the form and wording of invitations, the compiling of guest lists, the setting of menus, the seating, the choice of
-
Page
The First Ladies Symposium Contributors
Jill BidenJill Tracy Jacobs Biden was born on June 3, 1951, in Hammonton, New Jersey. Growing up in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, she graduated from Upper Moreland High School in 1969. She attended the University of Delaware, receiving a bachelor’s degree in English in 1975. That same year, she met Senator Joseph R. Biden of Delaware. On June 17, 1977, they were married in New York Ci
-
Page
2008 Winning Essay The Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship
Journalists carry the weight of many. All lives, as parts of society, connect directly with those who discover, interpret and bring news to the masses. The very nature of journalism is fraught with the concurrent potentials to strengthen and weaken democracy. As the United States' federal governmental structure shifts to emphasize presidential importance, pressure upon journalists to deliver news—truthful, in