You Might Also Like
-
Scholarship
An American Icon
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
-
Scholarship
Diversity in White House Art: Jacob Lawrence
Jacob Lawrence, one of the twentieth century’s most celebrated Black artists, is remembered for his vivid portrayals of the Black experience in America. Lawrence was born in New Jersey on September 7, 1917, and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Harlem, New York. While taking art classes at Harlem’s Utopia Children’s Center and Harlem Art Workshop, Lawrence trained under prominent leader
-
Scholarship
Second Spouses
For much of American history, the spouse of the Vice President of the United States did not maintain a prominent public role. However, as the Office of Vice President has evolved over time to include more responsibilities, power, influence, and resources, the “Second Spouse” has also grown in recognition and stature. One notable historical exception is Floride Calhoun, the wife of V
-
Scholarship
“The Back Building”
Built in 1818-1819, Decatur House was designed by the English architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe for Commodore Stephen Decatur and Susan Decatur. Latrobe had previously sent proposals and estimates to Decatur in June 1817, along with this advice: “If the house should be occupied by a foreign Minister, I would also recommend the addition of a slight one story-room, for a servant’s ha
-
Scholarship
The Mysterious Life of Susan Decatur
In his 1872 recollection Our Neighbors on Lafayette Square, Benjamin Ogle Tayloe reminisced about the residents of the square just north of the White House. He wrote, “Mrs. Decatur was the natural born daughter of Mr. Wheeler, an eminent merchant of Norfolk, and the proprietor of ironworks at Elk Ridge Landing, Maryland, where Mrs. Decatur was born, her mother an obscure wo
-
Scholarship
The Historic Decatur House
When Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr., and his wife, Susan, moved to the new federal city in 1816, they purchased land on the northwest corner of the President’s Park (today's Lafayette Square) with the prize money Decatur was awarded for his naval conquests in the War of 1812. The Decaturs commissioned Benjamin Henry Latrobe, America’s first professional architect and engineer, to desi
-
Scholarship
African Americans in the White House Timeline
The White House Historical Association has undertaken a research initiative called "Slavery in the President's Neighborhood." With this initiative, the Association seeks to tell the stories of the enslaved and free African Americans who built, lived, and worked at the White House, as well as the surrounding homes on Lafayette Park. While there are few written accounts of their experiences,
-
Scholarship
Emancipation Day in Washington, D.C.
Congress passed the Compensated Emancipation Act to end slavery in the District of Columbia and President Abraham Lincoln signed the bill into law on April 16, 1862. Three years later, after the Civil War ended and after the 1865 ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution officially abolishing slavery nationwide, African Americans in the District began to celebrate April 16 as a holiday.
-
Scholarship
“A Charming Resort”
For nearly a century, the United States Marine Band’s Saturday afternoon public concerts on the south grounds of the White House from June to September were a fixture of cultural life in Washington, D.C. Performed largely in an era before radio, motion pictures, television and the internet, the concerts offered people a chance to sample free, high quality en
-
Scholarship
Commodore Stephen Decatur: An Early American Naval War Hero
In President Theodore Roosevelt’s description of the capture of the HMS Macedonian by the USS United States in his 1882 book The Naval War of 1812, the future president wrote, “Commodore Decatur handled his ship with absolute faultlessness,” and explained how through Decatur’s bravery and fortitude, a “skillful crew, ably commanded,” was able to defeat their British foes. In this and other en
-
Scholarship
Italy in the White House: A Conversation on Historical Perspectives
March 2 Program9:00am-10:00am Registration and light breakfast at Decatur House 10:00am-10:15am Break and transition to Carriage House 10:15am-10:45amWelcome Stewart D. McLaurin, President, White House Historical AssociationThe Honorable Anita B. McBride, Board Member, White House Historical Association; National Italian American Foundation John Viola, President and COO, National Italian American Foundation Dr. Curtis Sandberg, Director of the David M.
-
Scholarship
Monuments to the American Revolution in Lafayette Park
In 1853, Clark Mills’ statue of President Andrew Jackson on horseback is in the center of Lafayette Park. The park’s four corners were later allocated for statues commemorating significant Europeans who assisted American forces during the American Revolution. In 1891 the first statue was erected, honoring the Marquis de Lafayette. Some feared the statue would impact the view of the White Hous