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White House Decorative Arts in the 1980s
When President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan came to the house in 1981, they continued to add furnishings with historic White House associations. Notably, two 1818 East Room chairs and a brass and ivory presidential seal used by Abraham Lincoln were acquired. The first lady was a great force behind soliciting contributions for an extensive redecoration of the private quarters and the maintenance
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Foreword, White House History (Number 26)
Although a great machine for the presidency, the White House operates entirely by hand. Since it was first occupied in 1800, certainly thousands of employees have worked there in various capacities, as full-time staff, from butlers to ladies’ maids to social secretaries, to carpenters, plumbers, and painters. There is no set rule about size, for the needs change. A century ago, th
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Scholarship
A History of Presidential Vacations & Retreats
In this series of video clips, Historian Lawrence L. Knutson talks about presidential vacations and retreats. He offers anecdotes for presidents including Abraham Lincoln, Grover Cleveland, Lyndon B. Johnson, and William J. Clinton. Remarks are taken from his book Escaping the Gilded Cage: An Illustrated History of Presidential Vacations and Retreats. Knutson is a journalist who retired in 2003 after a 37
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Scholarship
America's Musical Life Escalates
President Ulysses S. Grant was once said to have known "only two tunes. One is ‘Yankee Doodle,’ and the other isn’t." But the great military hero of the Civil War, General Grant did, in fact, enjoy the music of the Marine Band, which gave concerts regularly on the White House grounds every Saturday during summer and early fall. As Americ
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Guest Entertainers at the White House
During the administrations of John Tyler, James Knox Polk and Zachary Taylor, guest performers entertained at the White House with increasing frequency. Most often they were folk singers, whose music reflected the growing political and social unrest of the era. Tyler was the first of seven presidents who would hear the famous Hutchinson Family Singers in the decades ensuing. A
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Military Influence on White House Musical Performances
As the war in Europe cast its shadow over the capital’s social life, White House entertaining diminished. But one event in particular stands out: "A Program of American Songs for American Soldiers," presented by Burl Ives, Wade Mainer and other folk, spiritual and ballad singers in 1941. It was a new concept, a conscientious effort to relate American traditional music to
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Millard Fillmore's Musical Family
President Millard Fillmore and his family were particularly musical. Mrs. Fillmore, the former Abigail Powers, made certain the White House had not only a music room, but also three pianos. For relaxation Mrs. Fillmore enjoyed playing duets with her talented daughter, Mary Abigail, a fine amateur musician, proficient on the piano, harp and guitar. During the Fillmore administration, the famous
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"A House Divided Cannot Stand"
Over the course of six days in October 1830, President Andrew Jackson and his nephew and private secretary, Andrew Jackson Donelson, engaged in a tense exchange of letters while living under the same roof, the White House. The source of their conflict was the treatment of Margaret Eaton, wife of Secretary of War John Eaton. The president wanted Donelson to ensure
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Music & Dance at the White House
First Lady Dolley Madison is considered to have introduced social dancing to the White House–notably the Waltz, which critics at that time called "the hugging process set to music."The United States Marine Band played at the first reception on New Year's Day in 1801 and has performed regularly at the White House ever since. From the time of Jefferson, th
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Musical Events at the White House
During the terms of Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909), White House musical events became a major, regularly scheduled feature of the mansion’s social life. Many innovations took place: the first program by a famous concert pianist; the first musicale devoted to a single opera; the first performance on a clavichord; and the first East Room piano–a fine concert grand from Stei
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Musical Heritage at the White House
In June 2001, President Bush proclaimed the month of June, “Black Music Month,” encouraging “all Americans to learn more about the contributions of black artists to America's musical heritage and to celebrate their remarkable role in shaping our history and culture.” Performers Lionel Hampton, Shirley Caesar, Bobby Jones, James Brown, the Blind Boys of Alabama, and the Harlem Jazz Museum Artists attended
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President and Mrs. Adams Invite the United States Marine Band
President and Mrs. John Adams were the first occupants of the White House in the nation’s new capital, the City of Washington. Shortly after moving into the mansion in November 1800, the Adams’s invited the young United States Marine Band, consisting of only eight or ten musicians, to play at their first reception on New Years Day, 1801. This event esta