White House Historical Association

Today, the White House Historical Association?released “Inaugural Traditions” the 75th issue of the?White House History Quarterly. This milestone seventy-fifth issue continues?what our magazine has done since 1983—open the doors of the White House to the American people.?With this issue of the?Quarterly, as Inauguration Day 2025 approaches, we take a look at the decisions that make and break traditions. Whether changed or observed, traditions make history each Inauguration Day. Every decision a president makes on this transformational day—every hat and coat, every time and place, every oath and address, every Oval Office furnishing, every greeting or good-bye, and nearly every footstep taken—will be documented, analyzed, and incorporated into presidential history.?Get your copy and learn more today!?https://lnkd.in/e5SpCjbr

The White House showcases the very best of American culinary arts, whether it's providing the president some much needed nourishment after a long day or using a meal as a diplomatic tool between two nations. White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford?spent almost 30 years working in the White House kitchens before retiring in July 2024. In this episode of the White House 1600 Sessions, Stewart D. McLaurin,?President of the White House Historical Association, spoke with Chef Comerford about growing up in the Philippines, falling in love with cooking, and becoming a U.S. citizen who never dreamed one day she would cook at the most famous address in America. Hear about what it takes to put on a state dinner, which president has his own chili recipe, and much more about cooking at the White House in this special 100th?episode of the White House 1600 Sessions. https://lnkd.in/gNTzAHN8

Our 100th?episode of The White House 1600 Sessions comes out Wednesday, November 13th. Association President Stewart D. McLaurin is joined by Former White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford,?who spent nearly 30 years working in the White House kitchen through the Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations before retiring in July 2024. Tune in Wednesday to learn?about what it takes to put on a state dinner and which president has his own chili recipe. And never miss an episode by subscribing to The White House 1600 Sessions on your favorite podcast provider and follow the White House Historical Association on YouTube!

Given how things started almost 250 years ago between the United States and King George III, the history of diplomacy and friendship between the White House and Queen Elizabeth II is quite remarkable. In this episode of the White House 1600 Sessions, Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association, talked about this history with David Charter, the US editor of The Times and author of Royal Audience: 70 years, 13 presidents--One Queen's Special Relationship with America.? She first visited the United States as a princess when she and her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrived in Washington, D.C. on October 31, 1951. It would be years before her first visit to the United States as Queen, when she and her husband arrived on October 17, 1957 and stayed with President Dwight Eisenhower and First Lady Mamie Eisenhower at the White House. Queen Elizabeth would go on to meet every sitting president through Joe Biden, except for Lyndon Johnson, and you’ll learn why in this episode. Tune in! https://lnkd.in/gsyeb_FS

In his new book “The Highest Calling: Conversations on the American Presidency,” David Rubenstein, renowned financier, philanthropist, and host of PBS’s History with David Rubenstein, takes a fresh look at what it means to hold the office of President of the United States. For this month’s episode of the White House 1600 Sessions, Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association, talked with Rubenstein about his latest book at the Association’s new immersive space at 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. called The People's House: A White House Experience in front of an audience of the Association’s Next-Gen Leaders. Having gotten his start as a domestic policy adviser under President Jimmy Carter, Rubenstein was a firsthand witness to what it takes to be a public servant and work in the Oval Office. This conversation focuses on the importance of civics, the attributes that make a successful leader, and much more as they delve into Rubenstein’s book that includes interviews with historians, journalists, and most of the living U.S. presidents. ?https://lnkd.in/gCPt52Tp

The wait is over! Today we opened our doors at The People’s House: A White House Experience! Inside our cutting-edge education experience from The White House Historical Association we tell the story of the Executive Mansion, its inhabitants, and the people who have dedicated their careers to its functions. We hope to see you here soon! We are conveniently located in the heart of D.C., just steps from the White House. Reserve your free timed entry passes through October now! https://lnkd.in/e4VTjm69

With only 31 days until The People’s House: A White House Experience opens its doors, plan your visit and reserve your free passes now! Reserve passes here: https://lnkd.in/e4VTjm69 The People's House: A White House Experience is a cutting-edge education experience that tells the story of the Executive Mansion, its inhabitants and the people who have dedicated their careers to its functions.

From podium plaques and flags, to the doors of the presidential limo and Air Force One, it is always present: fifty stars encircling an eagle whose talons hold bundles of olive branches and arrows, and around that circle of stars, a band with the words “Seal of the President of the United States.” If you’ve ever wondered where that design came from, and how those symbols are made, then join Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association, on a special tour of The Institute of Heraldry located at Fort Belvoir, a U.S. Army installation in Northern Virginia.?? ? In this episode of the White House 1600 Sessions, you will hear from Charles Mugno, Director of The Institute of Heraldry; Thomas Casciaro, Chief of the Technical and Production Division at The Institute of Heraldry; as well as Michael Craghead, Exhibit Specialist at The Institute of Heraldry, who has been painting plaques for the president and vice president for over twenty years. We hope you enjoy this special look behind the scenes of the making of the presidential seal. ?https://lnkd.in/gzgt6FCb

The White House Historical Association has submitted a panel proposal for #SXSW and #SXSWEDU —a significant opportunity to share White House #history on a global stage! For our session to be a part of the program, we need your help voting now through August 18. Voting is live on SXSW’s PanelPicker website. Create a Panel Picker account, sign in and confirm your account, search the proposals for “The First Family’s Team: Shaping the White House’s Legacy,” and vote for both the SXSW 2025 and SXSW EDU 2025 conferences. Our very own Stewart D. McLaurin, president of the White House Historical Association, would moderate the panel alongside talented former White House staff, Anita McBride, Tina Tchen, and Gary Walters. Thank you for your support in bringing the White House history to SXSW! https://lnkd.in/gsi9vsxR

2024 marks the bicentennial of the Blair House, known as the president's guest house, which is located steps from the White House. Originally built in 1824 for Doctor Joseph Lovell, the first Surgeon General of the U.S. Army, the Blair family purchased the property in 1837 when Francis Preston Blair became publisher of the pro-Andrew Jackson newspaper, The Washington Globe. As the city began to change, it would be Blair’s grandson, Gist, who sought President Franklin Roosevelt’s help in preserving the home. In the 1940s, the federal government purchased Blair House and began transforming it into the president’s guest house for visiting dignitaries, the place where the president-elect usually stays before every presidential inauguration, and a welcoming sanctuary for many of the grieving presidential families during a state funeral. Blair House is a living, working space that is maintained with the utmost care: the staffing and structural needs are supported by the U.S. Department of State, and since 1985, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Blair House Foundation has raised private funds to preserve the rooms, gardens and amenities. In this episode of the White House 1600 Sessions, Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association, speaks about the history of Blair House and its importance to American diplomacy with the Honorable Capricia Penavic Marshall, former U.S. Chief of Protocol and vice chair of the Blair House 200th Anniversary Campaign, and Ambassador Stuart Holliday, former U.S. ambassador for special political affairs at the United Nations and trustee of the Blair House Foundation. Stewart also takes a tour of the complex with Matthew Wendel, the assistant chief of protocol and general manager of Blair House, giving a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes at this historic place that is closed to the public. ?https://lnkd.in/g2FQQ5zk