Collection State Dinners
A State Dinner honoring a visiting head of government or reigning monarch is one of the grandest and most glamorous...
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Oscar De Priest’s election to Congress as a Republican representative from Chicago in 1928 created an interesting political and social dilemma for the White House. De Priest was the only black to serve in Congress during his three terms (1928-1935). Even before De Priest took his seat in 1929, Washington buzzed about the arrival of a black congressman and what this meant to the strict segregation that pervaded life in the capital. Several southern members refused office assignments adjacent to De Priest and the possible invitation of Mrs. De Priest to the traditional White House tea for congressional wives teas sparked controversy. Eventually, Lou Hoover arranged a separate tea party for Mrs. De Priest at the White House with a few chosen guests. However, the appearance of a black woman as a guest at the executive residence created a stir and drew strident protests from the South. As in 1901 with Booker T. Washington’s visit, the White House’s powerful role as a national symbol aroused the ire of Southerners who did not want the impression conveyed that the nation would sanction the social equality of the races.
First Lady Lou Hoover, c. 1920.
A State Dinner honoring a visiting head of government or reigning monarch is one of the grandest and most glamorous...
In 1821-1822, Susan Decatur requested the construction of a service wing. The first floor featured a large kitchen, dining room,...
Native Americans hold a significant place in White House history. For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples, including the Nacotchtank and...
Wine has a long and important history in the White House, playing a unique role in entertaining, public ceremonies, and...
On July 11, 1798, Congress passed legislation that created the United States Marine Corps and the Marine Band, America's oldest professional musical...
For more than one hundred years, White House Social Secretaries have demonstrated a profound knowledge of protocol and society in...
The White House has hosted many important heads of state over the years. Typically, the president and first lady join...
From diplomatic dinners to holiday gatherings, the White House has always played a central role in the nation’s official en...
The White House Historical Association and the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project present this collaboration in an effort to open a...
For more than a century, thousands of Americans have gathered in Lafayette Park across from the White House to exercise...
In 1816, Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr. and his wife Susan moved to the nascent capital city of Washington, D.C. With...
While there has yet to be a female president, women have played an integral role in shaping the White House...