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Article
Eleanor Roosevelt's "My Day," 7/31/1942
WASHINGTON, D.C., Thursday—The other members of Mr. Hopkins'1 family arrived yesterday, including little Diana,2 who, with the new Mrs. Hopkins' niece3 and nephew,4 is having an interesting time investigating every corner of the White House.My only appointment this morning was with Mr. Edward H. Cooley5 and Mr. William T. Frary.6 Their interest is in the fisheries industry, an
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Article
White House "Contractor's Salvage" Revived
Through its long years, the White House has seen many renovations, including the most recent one that was almost total. During President Harry Truman’s renovation (1948–52), the entire interior of the White House was removed, with the exterior walls left standing. A replacement interior was fashioned entirely new. Wood removed during this renovation was generally reused or put in storage, but
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Article
Artists' Life Studies for White House Portraits
Artists often use studies or sketches to develop their final compositions, and this is especially true of portrait painters. Prominent subjects have busy schedules, and few subjects are more prominent—or busy—than United States presidents. Quick sketches capture the angle of the face, the positioning of the figure, the selection of clothing and accessories, and even ideas for the back
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Article
"A Well-Ordered Household"
One morning in early December 1802 a Federalist senator, just arrived from New Hampshire, was ushered into the President’s House with some fellow legislators. After a few moments “a tall highboned man” entered the room, wearing “an old brown coat, red waistcoat, old corduroy small clothes, much soild—woolen hose—& slippers without heels.” William Plumer later wrote a friend, “I thought this m
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Article
President Buchanan Greets a Guest of State
By the fall of 1860, the Buchanan administration seemed headed for a tense but dramatic conclusion. Earlier that year, President James Buchanan had pointedly declined the renomination, exhausted by a fractured relationship with Congress and last minute attempts to quash talk of southern states’ secession from the union. He believed that his best efforts at reconciliation between states’ rights activists and abol
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Article
"Proud Housewife": Mamie Eisenhower Collects for the White House
Every presidential family that resides in the White House leaves a mark on the building and its traditions. The extent of a family’s influence on the physical White House depends usually on its length of residence and its inclinations to take the trouble to make changes. History plays a part as well. While major additions to the White House an
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Educational Resource
Kids Companion Activities for the App
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Educational Resource
Slavery, Freedom, & the White House: Design a Dress & Create an Anagram
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Educational Resource
Rights and Responsibilities in White House History
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Event
History Happy Hour: The First Ladies: The Smithsonian’s Ever Present but Ever Changing Most Popular Exhibition
“The First Ladies” exhibition at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History is a highlight of many people’s trips to the nation’s capital. Over the years, the iconic exhibit has displayed the styles and highlighted the substance of these important women whose jobs are never completely defined but who have meant so much to presidential administrations and the American
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Video
First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and Family at John F. Kennedy’s Funeral
First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy stands on the steps of St. Matthew’s Cathedral with her two young children by her side, as John F. Kennedy, Jr. salutes his father’s casket. She wears a long veil over her face. The choice of a veil was unusual; by 1963, mourning veils had fallen completely out of fashion. Like the mourning drapery she rein
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Event
History Happy Hour: Something Old, Something New - Eight First Daughters’ Fashionable White House Weddings
Have you ever wondered what you would wear if you got married in the White House? Eight daughters of seven presidents have had to make that choice when they had their own White House weddings! The new digital exhibit, "Something Old, Something New: Eight First Daughters’ Fashionable White House Weddings" examines the bridal styles of Maria Monroe, Elizabeth Tyler, Nellie Gr