Collection 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...
Main Content
President Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address, March 4, 1865, near the end of the Civil War.
George Washington delivered the first inaugural address, invoking God’s guidance, demurring about his qualifications for presidential tasks, and declaring his intention to accept no salary save expenses while serving. It was Washington who in 1793 gave the shortest inaugural address of 135 words, while William Henry Harrison’s 1841 speech, lasting almost two hours, was the longest at 8,455 words.
Inaugural speeches set a tone for the administration. Sometimes they are intended to persuade, as when Abraham Lincoln in 1861 urged the seceding southern states to avoid war, or to heal and reconcile, as when he stated his policy toward the defeated Confederacy in 1865, promising "malice toward none" and "charity for all."
Some presidents have spoken directly to the nation’s concerns. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1933 inaugural assertion, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," allayed the panic of a people gripped by the Depression. John F. Kennedy’s 1961 challenge — "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country" — sent an idealistic message, calling for change and sacrifice.
Usually bipartisan and unifying, the inaugural address gives the president a first "center stage" opportunity to introduce his vision to the nation and the world.
This photograph is of President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivering his First Inaugural Address in Washington, D.C. on March 4, 1933.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum/NARASince 1878, American presidents and their families have celebrated Easter Monday by hosting an "egg roll" party. Held on the South...
In April 1789, George Washington took the oath of office in New York City. Constitutional guidelines for inaugurations are sparse, offering...
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....
No sport is more closely tied to the American presidency than baseball. One of Washington’s first baseball fields was lo...
Biographies & Portraits
Biographies & Portraits
Presidents have found different ways to escape the pressures and politics of the position. For early leaders, it was a...
Since the White House was first occupied by President John Adams in 1800, influential people and organizations—or those who hoped to...
For more than two centuries, the White House has been the home of American presidents. A powerful symbol of the...
Animals, whether pampered household pets, working livestock, birds, squirrels, or strays, have long been a major part of White House...
President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to office at the height of the Great Depression. He ushered in an environment...
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....