Podcast Conversations from History Happy Hour
In this first episode of 2021, White House Historical Association President Stewart D. McLaurin introduces the Association’s popular virtual program Hi...
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In this photograph taken by Francis Benjamin Johnston in 1898, a boy and a girl hold hands during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. Dating back to 1878, the Easter Egg Roll is a cherished springtime tradition in Washington, D.C., with children and their families gathering to enjoy festivities on the South Lawn. Francis Benjamin Johnston was one of the first influential female photographers in America, and became well known for her intimate photographs of the Roosevelt family, White House, and Washington society.
Library of CongressIn 1878, Easter Monday celebrants who were not allowed to roll eggs on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol headed up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House. The children knew about the low hills on the South Lawn, and hoped their egg rolling games would be permitted there. President Rutherford B. Hayes instructed his guards to let the youngsters through the gates. It proved to be a very popular change of venue. By Easter Monday 1880, an article in the Evening Star reported that eager egg rollers had taken "absolute possession of the grounds south of the White House."
This is a photograph taken by Frances Benjamin Johnston showing the crowds gathered on the South Lawn for the White House Easter Egg Roll. Dating back to 1878, the Easter Egg Roll is a cherished springtime tradition in Washington, D.C., with children and their families gathering to enjoy festivities on the South Lawn. Francis Benjamin Johnston was one of the first influential female photographers in America, and she is well known for her intimate photographs of the Roosevelt family, White House, and Washington society.
Library of CongressIn this first episode of 2021, White House Historical Association President Stewart D. McLaurin introduces the Association’s popular virtual program Hi...
The White House observance of Christmas before the twentieth century was not an official event. First families decorated the house...
It was President Thomas Jefferson who first established the traditions of a Fourth of July celebration at the White House....
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....
Animals, whether pampered household pets, working livestock, birds, squirrels, or strays, have long been a major part of White House...
Throughout our history, presidents have faced crises that have gripped both the nation and the world. In this episode, Association...
In April 1789, George Washington took the oath of office in New York City. Constitutional guidelines for inaugurations are sparse, offering...
President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to office at the height of the Great Depression. He ushered in an environment...
While the presidency is often in the eye of the public, those who ensure operations at the White House run...
This year marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment, the culmination of the suffragists' fight to secure the right to...
The collection of fine art at the White House has evolved and grown over time. The collection began with mostly...
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....