Collection Slavery in the President's Neighborhood
Many people think of the White House as a symbol of democracy, but it also embodies America’s complicated past an...
Main Content
Rembrandt Peale painted a second portrait of Jefferson in late January 1805. Painted at the White House, the portrait shows President Jefferson as he appeared at the conclusion of a very successful first term in office. At the peak of his popularity and with the knowledge that he had won a landslide victory for reelection, Jefferson posed for this formal portrait in a somewhat unconventional manner with his hair not dressed and covering his red coat with a large, fur-lined cape.
Many people think of the White House as a symbol of democracy, but it also embodies America’s complicated past an...
In April 1789, George Washington took the oath of office in New York City. Constitutional guidelines for inaugurations are sparse, offering...
Biographies & Portraits
On July 11, 1798, President John Adams approved legislation that officially brought "The President's Own" United States Marine Band into being, making...
It was President Thomas Jefferson who first established the traditions of a Fourth of July celebration at the White House....
Today's White House grounds are a site to behold. What started as 85 acres of land chosen by George Washington, was...
Learned and thoughtful, John Adams was probably more remarkable as a political philosopher than a politician. "People and nations are...
James Monroe was perhaps the most qualified citizen ever to serve as president of the United States. Born in 1758 in...
At age 22, Martha Wayles Skelton was already a widow, an heiress, and a mother whose firstborn son would die in...
In the thick of party conflict in 1800, Thomas Jefferson wrote in a private letter, "I have sworn upon the altar...
For half a century she was the most important woman in the social circles of America. To this day she...
Romance glints from what little is known of Elizabeth Kortright's early life. She was born in New York City in 1768...