Furnishings of the White House
Classroom Resource Packet
The historic furnishings in the White House provide a glimpse into the ways that first families have lived and worked for over 200 years. These desks, chairs, and other items allow the Executive Mansion to serve as both the home and the office of the president. Each piece of furniture has a history of its own. While furniture has come and gone from the Executive Mansion, pieces remaining in the collection today often reflect important moments in American history and the presidency. Learn about a few of furnishings in the White House and their respective histories.
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2022 National History Day Resources
The White House Historical Association (WHHA) offers many different resources for students working on National History Day projects.
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2023 National History Day Resources
The White House Historical Association (WHHA) offers many different resources for students working on National History Day projects.
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National History Day Resources
The 2024 National History Day (NHD) theme is Turning Points in History. The White House Historical Association offers a variety of resources to assist students working on NHD projects.
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Video Resources
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Online Resources
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Scholarship
Additional Resources for Slavery in the President's Neighborhood
For Teachers Classroom Resource Packet: Slavery, Freedom, and the White HouseJames Madison's Montpelier: Fate in the BalanceThe Enslaved Household of Thomas JeffersonElizabeth Keckly: From Slavery to the White HouseWHTTI Session with the Decatur House Advisory CouncilThe Burning of the White House (Makematic)White House Valets (Makematic)Student Plays
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Educational Resource
Slavery, Freedom, and the White House
Although many people think of the White House as a symbol of democracy, it is also a part of our country’s history of slavery. From the start of White House construction in 1792 until emancipation took effect in Washington, D.C. in 1862, enslaved men, women, and children labored at the Executive Mansion. The stories of these individuals, working under the op