Program for State Dinner Honoring Emperor Haile Selassie
This is an entertainment program for a State Dinner hosted by President Richard M. Nixon in honor of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia on May 15, 1973. Following dinner in the State Dining Room, guests transitioned to the East Room for entertainment by opera singer Ginetta La Bianca. This was Emperor Selassie's second State Visit during the Nixon administration. His earlier visit occurred in July 1969.
This program is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Chef Henry Haller. As executive chef from 1966-1987, Haller oversaw the menus for over 250 State Dinners at the White House.
Families taking up residence at the White House since the Theodore Roosevelt administration have encountered the public's insatiable appetite for stories of everyday life in the Executive Mansion. With the common reproduction of photographs in newspapers and magazines by the early 20th century, presidential pets had to accept the same scrutiny as their distinguished masters. Whether providing companionship or humanizing
Since the beginning of the American presidency, dogs have often shared a presence in both the first family and the White House. In fact, 30 out of the 44 presidents have had a dog at some point during their respective presidencies. These dogs were not only important in the lives of the presidents and their families, but also to the American public.