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America’s Irish Roots
Featuring Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States
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This photograph of First Lady Rosalynn Carter at a podium in the East Room was taken during Jimmy Carter's administration, between 1977 and 1981. President Carter appears on her right.
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In this photograph taken on January 20, 1977, President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter walk down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House after the swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol.
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This photograph of First Lady Rosalynn Carter meeting staff at the National Geographic Society (NGS) was taken on July 10, 1978, by Steve Raymer of the National Geographic Service. Mrs. Carter went to NGS to review mock ups of the sixth edition of "The Living White House," a publication put out by NGS and the White House Historical Association that explores how first families used and changed the executive mansion over time.
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This photograph of a tree planting ceremony on the White House North Lawn was taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick in November 1977. While First Lady Rosalynn Carter looked on, President Jimmy Carter planted a red maple from his home state of Georgia, taking part in a longstanding tradition of tree planting by presidents.
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This photograph of First Lady Rosalynn Carter greeting a White House tour in the Blue Room was taken by Steve Raymer and Larry D. Kinney of the National Geographic Service in August 1978. The first lady often made surprise appearances during tours.
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This photograph of First Lady Rosalynn Carter on the South Lawn of the White House was taken by Bill Allen in 1978. She appears with the family dog, Grits, and one of her grandchildren.
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In this photograph First Lady Rosalynn Carter and her daughter Amy meet with Purdue Pete and the National Turkey Foundation during a pardoning ceremony at the North Portico on November 21, 1978. Presidents and their families have received turkeys for the holidays as far back as the 1870s. However, the origin of the turkey pardon is said to have started with President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, after he offered a clemency to a turkey purchased for Christmas dinner at his son's request. The pardoning of a Thanksgiving turkey became a formalized tradition during the Ronald Reagan administration.
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In this photograph, First Lady Rosalynn Carter and her daughter Amy host young trick-or-treaters for UNICEF on October 26, 1977. The group is gathered in the Entrance Hall of the White House, near the Grand Staircase.
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This photograph of First Lady Rosalynn Carter listening to her daughter Amy practice the violin in the Center Hall of the Second Floor residence in the White House was taken by Harry Benson.
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This photograph of First Lady Rosalynn Carter and Second Lady Joan Mondale, wife of Vice President Walter Mondale, in the White House Solarium was taken by Steve Raymer in August 1978.Raymer was a photographer for the National Geographic Service.
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This oil on canvas portrait of First Lady Rosalynn Carter was painted by American artist George Augusta in 1984, a few years after the end of Jimmy Carter's administration. Mrs. Carter was an active first lady, who sat in on cabinet meetings, campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment, and was an advocate for mental health care reform. Her husband was president from January 20, 1977 until January 20, 1981.
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About this Gallery
The White House Historical Association joins the nation in remembrance of First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Mrs. Carter maintained an active role in the White House, attending cabinet meetings and briefings, representing her husband at ceremonial occasions, and serving as the president's personal emissary to Latin-American countries. She also created the Office of the First Lady in 1977, which has since served as the workplace for the initiatives the first lady and her staff pursue. During her time in the White House Mrs. Carter worked with the White House Historical Association to expand the White House’s collection of paintings.
Featuring Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States
On January 20, 1969, Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the thirty-seventh president of the United States. During his time in the White House (1969–74), President Nixon sought to unite a divided nation after the social, political, and cultural turbulence of the 1960s. Before becoming president, Nixon served in the U.S. Navy, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and as
Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies, a long-standing tradition of the White House Collection. Recent presidents and first ladies typically select their respective artists before leaving the White House and approve the portraits before their formal presentation to the public and induction into the collection. The
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament. These unique collectibles — honoring individual presidents or specific White House anniversaries — have become part of the holiday tradition for millions of American families. In this collection, explore the history behind our 2022 design and learn more about President Richard Nixon. Buy the
Featuring Laurie Grace, Chairman of the James Hoban Society of Ireland; Brother Christy O’Carroll, Congregation of Christian Brothers; Ciarán O’Connor, State Architect of Ireland; Merlo Kelly, Senior Architect, Lotts Architecture & Urbanism; Brian O’Connell, Director and Founder of O’Connell Mahon Architects and a contributor to the book James Hoban: Designer and Builder of the White House
From First Lady Dolley Madison's sister Lucy Payne Washington's wedding in 1812 to the nuptials of President Joseph Biden and First Lady Jill Biden's granddaughter Naomi Biden on the South Lawn in November 2022, the White House has long been the site of wedding ceremonies and receptions. In over two hundred years, there have been nineteen documented weddings and four receptions hosted
Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., the nation’s only unelected president and vice president, served thirteen terms in Congress before rising to national attention in 1973, when President Richard Nixon nominated him as vice president. Less than a year later, Ford became president, following President Nixon's resignation from office. The Fords made and celebrated history during their time in the White House, fr
Featuring Alex Prud’homme, bestselling author and great-nephew of cooking legend Julia Child
Featuring Jonathan Darman, author of “Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President"
Featuring Iain Dale, award-winning British author and radio and podcast host
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament. These unique collectibles — honoring individual presidents or specific White House anniversaries — have become part of the holiday tradition for millions of American families. In this collection, explore the history behind our 2023 design & learn more about President Gerald R. Ford. Buy
Featuring Anita McBride, founding member of the First Ladies Association for Research and Education and co-author of U.S. First Ladies: Making History and Leaving Legacies