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Gingerbread at the White House
A recipe for soft gingerbread appeared in the earliest American cookbooks. First Ladies Martha Washington and Dolley Madison both had their own soft gingerbread cake recipes. In 1929, First Lady Lou Hoover decorated a tree with gingerbread men and gingerbread horses. In 1965, Lady Bird Johnson adorned the official Blue Room Christmas tree with gingerbread cookies. Then, in 1969, Assistant Executive Chef Hans
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Remembering First Lady Nancy Reagan
As first lady, Nancy Reagan lent her support to the Foster Grandparent Program, the subject of her 1982 book, To Love A Child, and concentrated on the fight against drug and alcohol abuse among young people. Mrs. Reagan also directed a major renovation of the second and third floors of the White House during her time as First Lady, and commissioned
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Early 19th Century: A Day in the Working White House
Diaries, memoirs, and other historical records served as the basis for a speculative glimpse of an ordinary day for domestic servants in the White House of the 19th Century.
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Inside the White House: Stories from the World's Most Famous Residence
In collaboration with the White House Historical Association, National Geographic offers INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE: Stories from the World's Most Famous Residence (National Geographic Books; hardcover; $40). With a foreword by former First Lady Laura Bush and an introduction by historian and author William Seale, the book presents a vivid account of the people who have lived and worked in this
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Out-Takes: One Photographer's White House Experience
Professional photographer Maggie Knaus was commissioned by the White House Historical Association to document numerous events at the White House. The largest grouping of her photographs was taken to illustrate The White House: An Illustrated History, published in 2004. This book, written for students by Catherine O’Neill Grace, is a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what it takes to run the White Ho
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The Working White House: Mid-to-Late 20th Century
“Tell us about a typical day,” many White House workers are asked. Their usual reply is, “There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ day in the White House!” Not only must workers be flexible in fulfilling a variety of duties, but the historical events and changes in technology, politics, and society that occur during an employee’s tenure have an impact on a
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Inside the Working White House: 20th Century
A Day in the Working White House: 20th Century: "Every day is wash-day at the White House,” housekeeper Elizabeth Jaffray recalled. The three maids assigned to the laundry when Jaffray first arrived in 1909 did not use electrical appliances; the immense amount of daily washing was done manually, then pressed with flat-irons. At least once a day, while the laundrywomen were at
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The Working White House: Early 21st Century
Perhaps the most significant change for the White House and its workers during the past several decades has been that heightened security concerns have made the House an increasingly more enclosed environment, which the president leaves less frequently for offsite events. The result, according to former chief usher Gary Walters, is that “we transferred from a house where we only oc
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The Working White House: A Mirror on America
For more than two centuries, the White House has depended on employees whose origins can be traced to many nations and cultures. Reflecting the racial and ethnic composition of the U.S. population, these employees have kept the White House running smoothly over the years. Some workers did not serve at the White House voluntarily. Except for George Washington, who
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The Working White House: 19th Century
The occupational culture and management of the 19th-century White House reflected the social climate and ethnic composition of Washington, D.C. The White House staff, like that of many elite Washington households, was racially and ethnically mixed. The Executive Mansion was run according to accepted practices for operating a prominent mid-Atlantic household. Washington’s social elite had a high standard fo
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The Working White House: 20th Century
Twentieth-century historical forces and social movements left their marks on the working White House. In 1900, nearly 87,000 inhabitants (almost a third of the population) of Washington, D.C., were black, forming the largest urban community of African Americans anywhere in the United States. However, racial segregation, as a formal policy, was endorsed and enforced in the Taft White House (1909-13), and
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The Working White House: A Community of Workers
Every occupational group, whether doctors, teachers, or factory workers, has its own distinctive culture. Each group possesses special skills, language, and knowledge, which are shared and communicated among all group members. When members of an occupational group work in a single building, such as the White House, the culture is even more distinctive. Moreover, the White House staff must synchronize