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First Lady Helen Taft's Luneta
“That Manila could lend anything to Washington may be an idea that would surprise some persons, but the Luneta is an institution whose usefulness to society in the Philippine capital is not to be overestimated.”–Helen Herron TaftIn her memoirs, Recollections of Full Years, Helen Herron Taft wrote about a promenade by the Manila Bay that inspired the first public projec
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Presidential Valets
Throughout the history of the presidency, a president’s clothing choices have been influenced by a number of factors. Personal background, economics, regional influences, direction from the first lady, and advice from other family members and staff have all contributed to the sartorial style of the nation’s leader. Perhaps no one knew the presidential wardrobe, and the man himself, as i
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Nell Arthur's Memorial Window
Stained glass, a medieval art, was revisited in the historically retrospective nineteenth century. The art was a prominent feature of two significant renovation projects in Washington, D.C., during the presidency of Chester Alan Arthur (1881–85). Saint John’s Church in Lafayette Square engaged Lorin, a studio based in Chartres, France, to create stained glass windows for its new pictorial glazing prog
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Japanese State Dinners
Following the close of World War II, Japan and the United States developed a close alliance along with strategic and trade partnerships. Beginning with Gerald R. Ford in November 1974, seven U.S. presidents have made journeys to Japan, and the Japanese heads of state and government have also visited the White House. Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko arrived in
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Landscapes & Gardens
John Adams was the first president to occupy the White House in 1800; one of his first additions was a vegetable garden.In 1801, Thomas Jefferson was active in planning improvements for the Executive Mansion (White House) garden, including a stone wall around the house. He also directed the planting of numerous trees between 1802 and 1806.While the White House was being rebuilt
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Sports & Recreation
The White House tennis court, first built in 1902 behind the West wing, was moved to the west side of the south lawn in 1909 to make way for the expansion of Executive office space.A heated indoor swimming pool was built in 1933 for Franklin D. Roosevelt's therapy as he was disabled by poliomyelitis. During President Nixon's first term, this space in
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Lillian Evanti
Lyric soprano Lillian Evanti (1890-1967) was the first African American to perform with a major European opera company, but she also maintained deep ties to her native Washington, D.C. Born Lillian Evans in 1890, she graduated from Howard University in 1907, and thirteen years later, moved to Europe, where her professional opportunities were not as limited by discrimination. She made her
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To the Depositors of the Freedmen's Savings & Trust Co.
TO THE DEPOSITORS OF THE Freeman's Savings and Trust Co. The recent legislation of Congress, so amending the charter of of [sic] the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company, as to place the institution upon a broader and firmer basis, and give to its Trustees a larger measure of discretion and control of its management, may be well enough made the
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Dividends for Freedmen Claimants
[The Washington Post Jun 15, 1881; pg. 2]DIVIDENDS FOR FREEDMEN. ---- Claimants Wanted for Funds – Sixty Per Cent. To be Paid. THE POST published, a few weeks since, an interview with Comptroller Knox regarding the progress of the settlement of the affairs of the Freedman's Savings and Trust Company. In this was given a general idea by Mr. Knox of the position of
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Monument of a Crime
MONUMENT OF A CRIME Department of Justice Deserts a Fateful Building Washington Post 25 June 1899 FAILURE OF FREEDMAN'S BANK Big Brown-stone Building Across from the Treasury Was Once the Depository of the Savings of Thousands of ex-Slaves – Real Estate Speculation Ruined the Institution, with Which Many Noted Names Were Connected – Caused Much Distress.Within a few days bids will be advertised for
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Andrew Jackson Statue, Lafayette Square
A slave helps craft this statue and the Capitol's statue of freedom... A statue of Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans occupies the center of Lafayette Square. Erected in 1853, it was the first bronze statue cast in the country and the first equestrian statue in the world to be balanced solely on the horse's hind legs. The sculptor,
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Emancipation in the President's Neighborhood, 1850
On April 16, 2012, we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the District of Columbia Emancipation Act, a day of jubilation for the city of Washington's African American community then as it is today. The document that President Abraham Lincoln signed gave broad legal promise to the capital's enslaved persons. However, new research reveals that prior to this historic occasion there were hard-won