This photograph shows the wives of Japanese Ministers of the Japanese Cabinet as they enjoy a reception in the Blue Room on July 14, 1965. The group were in Washington, D.C. as part of the fourth meeting of the Joint United States - Japan Committee on Trade and Economic Affairs, led by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The ministers' wives were taken on a tour of the White House and its extensive grounds during the day.
On June 14, 1816, Elizabeth Priscilla Cooper, better known as Priscilla, was born to parents Thomas and Mary Cooper in New York City. As a young woman, Priscilla followed in her father’s footsteps, beginning an acting career that put her on stages across the country.1 After seeing her perform, lawyer Robert Tyler called on her; the two married on September 12, 1839.2 They we
“Backstage at a White House Wedding: Behind the Main Event.” Life Magazine, June 18, 1971: 40-49. Google Books. “Beene Speaks Out on that Wedding Dress.” Women’s Wear Daily, Dec 07, 1967: 1, 36. ProQuest Central.“Brilliant Wedding at the White House.” The Baltimore Sun. February 18, 1906. 1-2.Chrisman-Campbell, Kimberly. The Way We Wed: A Global History of Wedding Fashion. Philadelphia: Running Press, 2020.“Correspondence of the Baltimore Sun, Washington
Something Old, Something New: Eight First Daughters’ Fashionable White House Weddings highlights the glamorous weddings of eight women who took their vows at the White House over two centuries and how their bridal fashion reflects both the taste of each era and their own personal styles. This exhibit was curated by Jillian Staricka, the 2023 Digital Exhibits Intern and MA student in
Letitia Christian was born on a Tidewater Virginia plantation on November 12, 1790, to Mary and Colonel Robert Christian. Although she was not formally educated, Letitia learned all the skills of managing a plantation, overseeing enslaved people, rearing a family, and presiding over a home that would be John Tyler’s refuge during an active political life. They were married on March 29, 1813—his
Savior of American portraiture, server of ice cream, dual term first lady and mentor of White House hostesses: all of these titles characterize Dolley Madison’s time in the White House. These aspects are just some of the many highlights of Dolley and her presence in American collective memory. She was idolized not just by her peers, but also by Eu
Most Americans have never heard of Harriet Lane, but at the time of her uncle James Buchanan’s presidency, she was the White House hostess, a friend to Queen Victoria, namesake to “societies, ships of war, [and] neck-ties,” “First Lady of the Land,” and a national celebrity.1 How, then, have Americans forgotten her?
First ladies hold a unique place in American history. The collection of first ladies' gowns and artifacts remains one of the most popular exhibitions, visited by millions of annual visitors at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C..1 First ladies are the focus of documentaries, podcasts, books, and scholarly works that examine their lives and contributions
Article 2 Section 1 of the United States Constitution begins with the following: “The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.”1 This passage goes on to define the length of the president’s term; how the president will be elected; citizenship and age requirements; presidential succession; compensation; and finally, the presidential oath that all chief execut
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Tyler, the fifth child of President John Tyler and First Lady Letitia Christian Tyler, married William Nevison Waller, an attorney from Virginia, on January 31, 1842.