New Issue of White House History Quarterly: "White House Weddings"
Coming in AugustWashington, D.C. —
The White House Historical Association will release a new edition of its White House History Quarterly next month, this one focusing on “White House Weddings.” The 54th issue includes a story of rediscovered White House relics that were used at the 1875 wedding of President Grant’s daughter and features images of wedding cake slices that were given to guests at White House weddings, including that of President Grover Cleveland’s 1886 wedding – the cake remains preserved in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. This edition also includes interviews with Lynda and Chuck Robb about their East Room wedding and an article from Selwa (Lucky) Roosevelt describing the 1906 wedding of Alice Roosevelt, among other highlights.
Articles included in this edition of White House History Quarterly:
"Nellie Grant Marries in the East Room: Rediscovered Relics of a White House Wedding"
- Author William Adair presents the story of elaborate architectural features installed by President Ulysses S. Grant to embellish the East Room for his daughter's 1875 wedding. Removed during the 20th century, the relics were recently rediscovered by the author who shares the story of their journey from White House to auction house.
"What Flavor is the Cake? White House Weddings and the Public's Curiosity"
- Author Bethanie Bemis examines how traditions for releasing wedding details to the public have evolved and been covered by the media. Bemis shares images of wedding cakes dating back to that of Grover Cleveland and Francis Folsom’s 1886 ceremony, wedding invitations and cake recipes released to the press for the weddings of Luci and Lynda Johnson and Patricia Nixon.
"A White House Wedding Remembered"
- White House bride and groom Lynda and Chuck Robb, who married in the East Room in 1967, share memories of their courtship during Marine Captain Robb's service as a White House Social Aide, and recall the day of the wedding and the impact of Captain Robb's assignment in the Vietnam War on their life as newlyweds.
"Alice Roosevelt Weds Nicholas Longworth"
- Author Selwa (Lucky) Roosevelt, wife of the late Archibald B. Roosevelt Jr. who was a grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt, brings to life the 1906 wedding of Theodore Roosevelt's eldest child, Alice.
"A First Daughter’s White House Wedding: Etiquette Wars and a Celebration at Stephen Decatur's House"
- Author Lauren McGwin looks at the complexities surrounding Maria Monroe's 1820 wedding invitation list. Although many “high society” guests were not invited to the wedding, many were welcomed to a reception at Stephen Decatur's house (which still sits on Lafayette Park) on the eve of the duel that would take his life.
The publication of this issue also marks the 225th anniversary of President James Madison’s marriage to Dolley Madison at Harewood, the home of George Washington's descendant George Steptoe Washington. Walter Washington, the current owner, invites White House History Quarterly's cameras into his private home for a rare glimpse of the preserved parlor where the wedding ceremony took place.
To request an advance copy of White House History Quarterly #54, or to interview one of the authors, please contact press@whha.org.
About White House History Quarterly
Published four times each year by the White House Historical Association, this publication features articles on White House history, architecture, fine and decorative arts, and gardens, as well as the life stories of White House occupants and their experiences living in the Executive Mansion. Now in its 21st year of regular publication, the Quarterly has won national and regional awards for content and design and has attracted a loyal readership of both scholars and laymen in the U.S. and abroad. More than 200 scholars, artisans, and former White House employees have written for the award-winning Quarterly. Historian William Seale is the founding editor.
Issues of White House History Quarterly retail for $9.95. To subscribe or purchase a single issue, visit shop.whitehousehistory.org.
P.D.F. Resources
Download the PDFAbout the White House Historical Association
First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy envisioned a restored White House that conveyed a sense of history through its decorative and fine arts. She sought to inspire Americans, especially children, to explore and engage with American history and its presidents. In 1961, the nonprofit, nonpartisan White House Historical Association was established to support her vision to preserve and share the Executive Mansion’s legacy for generations to come. Supported entirely by private resources, the Association’s mission is to assist in the preservation of the state and public rooms, fund acquisitions for the White House permanent collection, and educate the public on the history of the White House. Since its founding, the Association has given more than $115 million to the White House in fulfillment of its mission.
To learn more about the White House Historical Association, please visit WhiteHouseHistory.org.