Collection State Dinners
A State Dinner honoring a visiting head of government or reigning monarch is one of the grandest and most glamorous...
Main Content
The roster of prominent artists who performed for President Herbert Hoover at the end of the 1920s and into the early 1930s includes Grace Moore, Rosa Ponselle, Jascha Heifetz, Vladimir Horowitz, and many others. In 1931, President and Mrs. Hoover were the first to invite an artist to play for a head of state. With the performance of the Hampton and Tuskegee choirs, the Hoovers also became the first to bring black choirs to the White House since the Fisk Jubilee Singers sang for President Arthur. During the long administration of Franklin Roosevelt, from March 4, 1933 to April 13, 1945, more than 300 concerts in the White House reached out to every corner of America. They included women’s musical organizations, black performers (notably Todd Duncan and Marian Anderson), ballet and modern dance (Martha Graham), and children’s opera (Hansel and Gretel). In 1938 Steinway & Sons replaced the 1903 concert grand with a new 9’7" instrument, which is used often in the White House today.
Landmark Era Performances - 1931: President and Mrs. Hoover were the first to invite an artist to play for a head of state (a tradition that continues today) when on April 29, 1931, harpist Mildred Dilling played for King Phra Pok Klao Prajadhipok of Siam.
The East Room’s mahogany concert grand piano, with supporting eagles of gold leaf, was presented to the White House in 1938.
A State Dinner honoring a visiting head of government or reigning monarch is one of the grandest and most glamorous...
Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., the nation’s only unelected president and vice president, served thirteen terms in Congress before rising to...
In 1821-1822, Susan Decatur requested the construction of a service wing. The first floor featured a large kitchen, dining room,...
A donation from the Recording Industry Association of America to the Nixon White House, the White House Recording Library was...
Bartlett Sher is a Tony Award-winning director who has brought thoughtful, powerful productions to theaters, opera houses, and film. He...
Wine has a long and important history in the White House, playing a unique role in entertaining, public ceremonies, and...
For two hundred years, Decatur House has stood as a near neighbor to the White House across Lafayette Square. Stewart...
The White House has always shaped the lives of the Presidents and First Families who have lived there, and reflected...
The White House Historical Association has been preserving and sharing White House history since its founding by First Lady Jacqueline...
From entertainment to diplomacy, music has played an important role in White House history. Stewart McLaurin talks to Colonel Jason...
From your family to the First Family, the winter holidays are a special time of year. Stewart McLaurin explores the...
No recent president has had more impact on the White House than Harry S. Truman, who both modernized the building...