The White House 1600 Sessions

When heads of state visit the United States and the White House, the United States Chief of Protocol is on point and the official President's guest residence, Blair House, may be where the head of state stays. White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin talks to three former Chiefs of Protocol - Selwa "Lucky" Roosevelt, Lloyd Hand and Capricia Marshall - about their experiences i...

In this episode, we turn the tables on the podcast's usual format. Financier and philanthropist David Rubenstein interviews White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin, posing more than fifty questions on White House trivia. It's the perfect way to brush up on White House knowledge, covering all the basics as well as little known facts about the Executive Mansion.

Camp David has provided presidents and their families with a recreational retreat from the White House, as well as a place for presidential diplomacy since the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin joins a panel discussion hosted at The George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas to discuss recollections and stories of life a...

First Lady Barbara Bush was admired for her authenticity, as well as her advocacy on issues such as preserving the White House, family literacy, and diplomatic relations during the closing days of the Cold War. White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin talks with USA Today Bureau Chief Susan Page about Barbara Bush's legacy and her new book, The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the...

For more than two hundred years, Lafayette Square has been home to a wide variety of historical figures, from diplomats and naval heroes to future presidents and even former First Ladies. White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin interviews author and historian William Seale about his new book, To Live on Lafayette Square: Society and Politics in the President's Neighborhood.

The White House includes 18 acres of historic grounds and gardens that have been cultivated for more than two hundred years by presidents and their gardeners. This spring, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin interviews Jonathan Pliska, author of A Garden for the President , and Linda Jane Holden, author of The Gardens of Bunny Mellon , about the evolution of the White Hou...

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Patricia Nixon entering the White House as First Lady. Through hard work and a personal touch, she had a remarkable influence on not only the White House, including its collection and preservation, but also on the role of First Lady. White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin talks to Anita McBride, Former Chief of Staff to Laura Bush, Bob...

President Eisenhower's White House helped set the tone for an era of peace, economic prosperity, and technological advancement in America. For this year's Presidents Day, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin interviews Dr. William Hitchcock, professor of history at the University of Virginia, about his book, "The Age of Eisenhower: America and the World in the 1950s."

Military Social Aides perform a vital role for White House events, assisting the Social Secretary and representing the President and First Lady. White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin interviews former Social Secretary Ann Stock, as well as three former Military Social Aides about their experiences at the White House, including former Governor and Senator Charles "Chuck" Rob...

Throughout its history, the White House has hosted not only important ceremonies of state, but also more personal, family ceremonies, including weddings. White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin talks to Lynda Johnson Robb, former First Lady of Virginia, about her historic White House wedding in December 1967, and her memories of her time living in the White House

Fearless leaders have walked the halls of White House for centuries. In this episode, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin talks to Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation and a member of the Association's Board, about what it takes to exhibit fearless leadership, and how Presidents and First Ladies have inspired the nation throughout our history.

The Bellangé furniture, originally purchased by James Monroe, has adorned the Blue Room in the White House for decades. Thanks to ongoing efforts by the Curator's Office, the furniture is now being restored as close as possible to when originally crafted. White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin interviews Lydia Tederick, Curator of the White House, and Melissa Naulin, Assista...

The White House Historical Association is making history come alive in new and interesting ways. Stewart McLaurin hosts a roundtable discussion with Monica Logothetis, founder of DreamWakers; Janet Tran with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute; and Julie Teer of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, to discuss how the Association partners with these dynamic organizations to teach the...

The National Archives has been collecting records of the United States since 1934. It holds billions of documents, photographs, and objects that tell the story of our country and our Presidents. White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin talks to David Ferriero, the Archivist of the United States, about the importance of record-keeping, and how presidential libraries tell the st...

Baseball has been known as our national pastime and tied to the presidency as far back as the Lincoln administration. In commemoration of the 2018 Major League All-Star Game in Washington, D.C., Stewart McLaurin talks to three experts on baseball and the presidency: former White House speechwriter and author Curt Smith, former sports reporter and author Fred Frommer, and sports lawyer and former P...

For two hundred years, Decatur House has stood as a near neighbor to the White House across Lafayette Square. Stewart McLaurin talks to Katherine Malone-France of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and antiques and fine arts expert Osborne Mackie about the rich history of the first private residence in the president's neighborhood.

In 1792, Irish immigrant James Hoban won a contest to design the White House and created an enduring symbol for America and the world. Stewart McLaurin talks to Ed Lengel and Merlo Kelly about their forthcoming book on Hoban's architectural legacy, and Scottish stonemason Charles Jones about recreating the historic stone carvings of the White House.

The history of the White House appears in unexpected places, from trivia questions at Major League Baseball games to archival photos and a tour of the White House on your smartphone. Stewart McLaurin hosts a roundtable discussion with Association partners Teresa Carlson of Worldwide Public Sector at Amazon Web Services, Valerie Camillo of the Washington Nationals Baseball Club and Margaret Talev o...

In 1963, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy helped arrange one of the most daring art exhibits in American history, bringing Leonardo da Vinci's famous Mona Lisa painting from Paris to Washington, DC, and New York City. Stewart McLaurin talks to award-winning author Margaret Leslie Davis about her book 'Mona Lisa in Camelot," recalling the Mona Mania that gripped the country, and why this fascinating e...

No recent president has had more impact on the White House than Harry S. Truman, who both modernized the building and preserved it for future generations. Stewart McLaurin talks with President Truman's grandson, Clifton Daniel, about the historic White House renovations during the Truman administration, and his memories of his grandparents during their long retirement from the presidency.

Death comes to every home, including the White House. From the loss of cherished family members to presidential funerals, there are many established White House traditions surrounding grief. Stewart McLaurin explores the history of presidential mourning with the Association's Senior Historian, Matthew Costello, Calvin Coolidge biographer Amity Shlaes, and Kevin Eckstrom of the Washington National...

From your family to the First Family, the winter holidays are a special time of year. Stewart McLaurin explores the history behind Christmas traditions at the White House, talking to Jennifer Pickens, author of  "Christmas at the White House," former Chief Usher Gary Walters, and former Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier.

From entertainment to diplomacy, music has played an important role in White House history. Stewart McLaurin talks to Colonel Jason Fettig, Director of the "President's Own" U.S. Marine Band, about the organization that has provided the soundtrack for the White House and America for more than 200 years. The Marine Band is featured in The White House Historical Association's latest publication,  Mu...

The White House Historical Association has been preserving and sharing White House history since its founding by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961. Stewart McLaurin interviews two people who were there from the beginning - Nash Castro and Leonard Silverstein - and former Chief Usher Gary Walters about the impact of the Association over the past 56 years.

The White House has always shaped the lives of the Presidents and First Families who have lived there, and reflected the mood and times of the country at large. Stewart McLaurin talks to presidential historian Michael Beschloss about some of his favorite stories from White House history, and the important role the Executive Mansion plays, both symbolic and day-to-day for Presidents and the nation.