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Since the first documented White House wedding occurred in 1812, the public has been fascinated by all aspects of these events, from decor to fashion to cuisine! Bethanee Bemis, a museum specialist within the Division of Political and Military History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, discusses the public’s interest in White House weddings throughout history, with a special focus on White House wedding cakes.
On January 20, 1969, Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the thirty-seventh president of the United States. During his time in the White House (1969–74), President Nixon sought to unite a divided nation after the social, political, and cultural turbulence of the 1960s. Before becoming president, Nixon served in the U.S. Navy, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and as
A State Dinner honoring a visiting head of government or reigning monarch is one of the grandest and most glamorous of White House affairs. It is part of an official State Visit and provides the president and first lady the opportunity to honor the visiting head of state and his or her spouse. In this collection, explore the history of
From First Lady Dolley Madison's sister Lucy Payne Washington's wedding in 1812 to the nuptials of President Joseph Biden and First Lady Jill Biden's granddaughter Naomi Biden on the South Lawn in November 2022, the White House has long been the site of wedding ceremonies and receptions. In over two hundred years, there have been nineteen documented weddings and four receptions hosted
Join us in learning more about White House History right from your own home. Our Facebook Live series, White House History Live, delves into the stories that make up the history of the Executive Mansion. Bestselling author and historian C.W. Goodyear will discuss his new biography of James A. Garfield. This work offers fresh insight and nuance to the
