Collection Olympic Celebrations
Honoring some of the greatest moments in sports history has become a tradition at the White House. Presidents and their...
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1979: Islamic militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran, and took Americans hostage. The West Wing once again became a crisis center as President Jimmy Carter and his staff planned a response.
1981: President Ronald Reagan announced the appointment of Sandra Day O’Connor to the Supreme Court in a Rose Garden ceremony. O’Connor became the first female to be sworn in as Supreme Court Justice on September 25.
1986: President Reagan and his staff watched a tape of the space shuttle Challenger launch from the West Wing offices on January 28 and with the nation mourned the horrific explosion.
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum/NARA1991: The U.S.-led multinational force launched Operation Desert Storm on January 16 to begin the Persian Gulf War against Iraq. President George Bush transformed the West Wing into a strategic center to plan a build up and invasion that ended Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and forced Iraq’s acceptance of U.N. ceasefire terms that formally ended the war.
1995: The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed. Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House was closed to traffic.
1998: The U.S. House of Representatives approved two of four proposed Articles of Impeachment against President Bill Clinton. The president held a Rose Garden rally with supporters and later was acquitted of the two articles by the Senate.
Honoring some of the greatest moments in sports history has become a tradition at the White House. Presidents and their...
In 1821-1822, Susan Decatur requested the construction of a service wing. The first floor featured a large kitchen, dining room,...
Thousands of people traverse historic Lafayette Park every day to get a glimpse of the White House. The park, right...
Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies,...
Native Americans hold a significant place in White House history. For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples, including the Nacotchtank and...
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....
Over 200 years ago, James Hoban left Ireland for America to pursue his dream of becoming an architect. Selected by President...
From First Lady Dolley Madison's sister Lucy Payne Washington's wedding in 1812 to the nuptials of President Joseph Biden and First...
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....
In this first episode of 2021, White House Historical Association President Stewart D. McLaurin introduces the Association’s popular virtual program Hi...
This year marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment, the culmination of the suffragists' fight to secure the right to...
Since the laying of the cornerstone in 1792, Freemasons have played an important role in the construction and the history of...