Help your students discover the technological innovations that changed the White House – and American society. They’ll research a technological advancement from the past, write a White House visitor’s guide, and create a historical narrative that’s set in the White House. This easy-to-use standards-based resource was created as hybrid ELA & Social Studies lessons with a STEM twist for grad
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament. These unique collectibles — honoring individual presidents or specific White House anniversaries — have become part of the holiday tradition for millions of American families. In this collection, explore the history behind our 2023 design and learn more about President Gerald R. Ford.
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Whether by hoof, air, waterway, road, or rail, the President’s access to reliable transportation is essential during their time in the Executive Mansion. Modes of transportation have varied over the course of time as technology and the individual presidents’ needs have changed. While George Washington may have thought a well-bred horse was the pinnacle of mobility, subsequent presidents would find
The computer, the car, space travel. These technologies, while seemingly old hat now, are examples of monumental technological advancement. Even less glamorous technologies such as the modern bathroom, electrical lighting, and electric vacuum cleaners have fundamentally shaped modern life. For many of these technologies, the White House has acted as a testing ground, ultimately demonstrating to the American people their
As part of the White House Historical Association’s 60th anniversary celebration in 2021, the Next-Gen Leaders (NGL) initiative was announced. The NGL cohort is a group of influential young professionals representing a wide variety of fields, bound together by a passion for history, civics, and education.
NGL members serve as ambassadors for the Association's nonpartisan, nonprofit, and historic mission and to
Nik Honeysett has thirty years of experience in management, administration, information technology, and strategy in the cultural sector. Before joining BPOC as CEO, he was head of administration for the J. Paul Getty Museum, where he additionally led their digital transformation and engagement efforts. Before this role, he led the Getty’s Web Group, responsible for all aspects of the ma
Chris Cummings is the founder and CEO of ICONIC, the largest digital art platform for museums and cultural institutions around the world. ICONIC is a recipient of the United Nations World Summit Award for innovation in Culture and Tourism. With the recent ground-breaking launch of ICONIC’s Jackson Pollock “Beyond the Edge” campaign, nearly $500,000 was raised in less than three hours
Fionnghuala (“Fig”) O’Reilly is an actress and TV correspondent for the award-winning and Daytime Emmy-nominated STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) television series, Mission Unstoppable. The show airs weekly nationwide on Saturday mornings on CBS. In 2019, Fig, who is Irish and American, made history as the first woman of color and first Black woman to represent Ireland at an intern
Sara Kanawati Stephany is the co-chair of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library New Frontier Network—a cohort of young leaders engaging new generations in the late president’s legacy of service. She works as a communications and public affairs strategist for leading organizations in the healthcare, technology, and human service sectors. A naturalized U.S. citizen from Syria, Kanawati Step
The 2024 National History Day (NHD) theme is Turning Points in History. The White House Historical Association offers a variety of resources to assist students working on NHD projects.
When Hugh Sidey said, "The cauldron of the presidency reveals unknown strengths in a person, just as it exposes hidden weaknesses," he was describing the nature of the President of the United States, an office of which he developed an intimate relationship over nearly half a decade of reporting. Hugh Sidey was a forerunner of modern American journalism who helped