President Truman with Cartoonists
President Truman with cartoonists in the Rose Garden, October 3, 1949.
- Credit
- Abbie Rowe, National Park Service, National Archives
Main Content
President Truman with cartoonists in the Rose Garden, October 3, 1949.
Featuring Thomas Lloyd, co-author of “Garden Secrets of Bunny Mellon” and member of the White House Historical Association’s National Council
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
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,
The White House Grounds began as approximately 85 acres of land chosen by George Washington and was refined and cultivated by garden-loving President Thomas Jefferson. These shifting grounds around the Executive Mansion have seen retaining walls, green houses, vegetable gardens, and beautiful flowers. Changes to the landscape came in long intervals and evolved to fit the era and the needs of
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament. These unique collectibles — honoring individual presidents or specific White House anniversaries — have become part of the holiday tradition of millions of American families. In this collection, explore the history behind our 2018 design, and discover how President Harry S. Truman made a la
President Harry S. Truman was close to his friends and associates, had a grin for strangers, but could be less than tolerant of some critics. The famous sign placed on his desk in the Oval Office, “The Buck Stops Here,” made it clear that as president he was responsible for all that happened on his watch. He came to the pres
Since the first cherry blossom planting in 1912 by First Lady Helen Herron Taft, Washingtonians have celebrated the scenic beauty and the coming of spring the cherry trees represent. Today, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which takes place in early spring when the blossoms are in full bloom, has become a major event, drawing tourists and locals alike. First ladies have
At age 43, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the youngest person ever elected to the presidency. Before his vibrant presidency was cut short by an assassin's bullets on November 22, 1963, he had reinvigorated the American spirit. His optimism and belief in America's responsibilities to the world live on as part of his legacy.
The egg roll holds such an important place in White House history that no president wants to be known for canceling it. World War I and food rationing stopped the event from being hosted at the White House. In 1942, egg rollers were sent back to the Capitol grounds, the place from which they had been ousted 66 years before. World War
The origin of the "American Presidents" by Genevieve Ryan Bellaire is somewhat unique. One year, Genevieve's father asked her to memorize the order of the Presidents of the United States for Father's Day. As she did, she began to come up with rhymes to help her remember each President. After sharing this method with her family, they told her that
Read Digital EditionForeword: "A Changing Portrait of America" by Marcia Mallet AndersonThe Official White House Portraits of President and Mrs. Barack Obama: David Rubenstein’s Conversation with the Artists, Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung Introduction by Stewart McLaurin The Peales in the White House: America’s First Family of Artists by Carol SoltisWhen Harry Met Pablo: The Strange True Story of t
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball on April 15, 1947 signaling a historic step forward in the movement to end segregation. However, a less conspicuous event of greater significance to African Americans was President Truman’s controversial 1948 executive order desegregating the military and banning discriminatory hiring practices in the federal government. Issued in an election year, the executive or