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The White House and the Sea
Foreword by Marcia Mallet AndersonTime on the Water: The Floating White House and the Presidents at Sea by Kenneth T. WalshGeorge Washington: Father of the United States Navy by Matthew GoetzThe Resolute Desk: A British Naval Ship Becomes an Oval Office Treasure by Patrick BurrA Titanic Loss: Remembering Archibald Butt and Francis Millet by Matthew CostelloPresident Calvin Coolidge, Lee Ping
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Origins of the White House Easter Egg Roll
Since 1878, American presidents and their families have celebrated Easter Monday by hosting an 'egg roll' party. Held on the South Lawn, it is one of the oldest annual events in White House history. Some historians note that First Lady Dolley Madison originally suggested the idea of a public egg roll, while others tell stories of informal egg-rolling parties at the
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Easter Egg Roll: The President's Own Comes Marching In
Eleven years after the Easter Monday egg rolling festivities came to the White House, President Benjamin Harrison scored a hit by adding music to the affair. In 1889, he had the United States Marine Band, known as "The President's Own," play lively tunes while the children romped on the South Lawn. John Philip Sousa, who directed the band, took delight in
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Easter Egg Roll: Games, Old and New
The primary Easter Monday entertainment at the White House has always involved egg rolling. Participants roll dyed, hard-boiled eggs across the grass to see whose will go the furthest before cracking. Other egg sports enjoyed in the early years were egg ball, toss and catch, egg croquet and egg picking—a contest where eggs are pecked together until they crack. Af
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Stewart D. McLaurin
Stewart D. McLaurin serves as president of the White House Historical Association, founded by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961 to share and preserve the rich history of the White House, a symbol of freedom and democracy to billions of people around the world. A private nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, the Association continues to fulfill Mrs. Kennedy's vision through its mission to
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Barbara Perry
Barbara A. Perry is the Gerald L. Baliles professor and director of Presidential Studies at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, where she co-directs the Presidential Oral History Program. She has authored or edited 17 books on presidents, first ladies, the Kennedy family, the Supreme Court, and civil rights and civil liberties, including Jacqueline Kennedy: First Lady of the New Fr
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Marlyne Sexton Endowment for White House History
The White House Historical Association has established an endowed position, the Marlyne Sexton Chair in White House History, in honor of Marlyne Sexton, cabinet member on the National Council for White House History. The endowment will provide financial support for the Chair in perpetuity. The National Council on White House History was established in 2017 and is made up of 115 members
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Remembering Hugh Sidey (1927-2005)
We live in a time filled with skepticism and cynicism – about the motives of elected officials, about the integrity of corporate executives, about the behavioral lapses of celebrities. At the same time, there are those who lift our spirits and whose lives serve as a beacon of that which is good and inspiring. Hugh Sidey was such a beacon. As hi
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Colin Powell
On August 10, 1989, President Bush announced his appointment of General Colin Powell as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Powell became the architect of Operation Desert Shield, a staging operation that moved American and international forces and materials to the Middle East to launch Operation Desert Storm. As President Bush’s trusted advisor, Powell helped shape a global alliance that ex
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E. Frederic Morrow at the White House
E. Frederic Morrow was the first African American to serve in an executive position on a president’s staff at the White House. Morrow was a minister’s son who had graduated from Bowdoin College and was employed by the National Urban League and the NAACP before entering Army service during World War II. After the war, he obtained a law
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Marian Anderson Performs at the White House
One of the most memorable performances in White House history was Marian Anderson’s rendition of Schubert’s "Ave Maria" as the culmination of a gala "Evening of American Music" presented by Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt in 1939. The entertainment was planned for a state visit by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England. Anderson’s powerful voice soared that evenin
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President Truman and Civil Rights
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball on April 15, 1947 signaling a historic step forward in the movement to end segregation. However, a less conspicuous event of greater significance to African Americans was President Truman’s controversial 1948 executive order desegregating the military and banning discriminatory hiring practices in the federal government. Issued in an election year, the executive or