Easter Egg Roll: 2009

"President Obama welcomed thousands of families to the White House on Monday for the first Easter egg roll of his administration, an event with a 131-year tradition that this year is being aimed at promoting healthy, active lifestyles among the nation's youth.… After a rousing rendition of the national anthem by Fergie, Obama officially welcomed the throng to the White House from a balcony overlooking the South Lawn."

—"Obamas host their first egg roll," Washington Post, April 14, 2009

Photographer: Pete Souza
Date of Work: April 14, 2009
Medium: Photo
Credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

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The Kennedy Rose Garden

It is hard to imagine that it was something as casual as a lunch conversation between a newly elected president and an amateur gardener that gave rise to one of our nation's most iconic outdoor spaces. In this collection, Rose Garden designer Rachel Lambert Mellon explains how the grounds were so thoughtfully transformed, while others detail the White House's diverse
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White House Easter Egg Roll

Since 1878, American presidents and their families have celebrated Easter Monday by hosting an "egg roll" party. Held on the South Lawn, it is one of the oldest annual events in White House history. It has changed and evolved through the years and each First Family has put their stamp on the popular public event. From the roll's origins to today,
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Springtime at the White House

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Cherry Blossoms

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Origins of the White House Easter Egg Roll

Since 1878, American presidents and their families have celebrated Easter Monday by hosting an 'egg roll' party. Held on the South Lawn, it is one of the oldest annual events in White House history. Some historians note that First Lady Dolley Madison originally suggested the idea of a public egg roll, while others tell stories of informal egg-rolling parties at the
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Easter Egg Roll: President Hayes Saves the Day

In 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
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Easter Egg Roll: Easter and the Cleveland East Room

In the beginning, children came into the White House with baskets of brightly dyed hard-boiled eggs. On Easter Monday, 1885, young egg rollers marched into the East Room, hoping for a personal audience with President Grover Cleveland. When he came down from his office to greet them, he was charmed. These visitors ruined the East Room carpet, which, as the Washington
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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
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Easter Egg Roll: The First Families' Role

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Easter Egg Roll: Bunnies and Other Easter Animals

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