History Happy Hour: Julia Child at the White House

When America celebrated its two-hundredth birthday in 1976, President and Mrs. Gerald R. Ford invited Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip to attend as the guests of honor at a white-tie gala at the White House. It was a momentous occasion, and the president wanted to celebrate it in style. As the Bicentennial approached, Washington DC was in a state of nervous excitement. With dozens of official functions scheduled, First Lady Betty Ford worried the President's House would be closed to the public for a month. She and the president upped the ante by inviting Julia Child, Public Television's "French Chef" and America's first celebrity TV cook, to cover portions of the evening live. Julia Child's nephew, Alex Prud'homme, will join History Happy Hour to share his aunt's experience at the White House.

History Happy Hour is a biweekly virtual program hosted by the White House Historical Association. Join us as experts weigh in on a variety of historical topics, share their insights, answer audience questions, and enjoy presidential-inspired libations.

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