This photograph of First Lady Betty Ford greeting White House maitre d’ John W. Ficklin was taken by Ricardo Thomas on January 20, 1977. President Gerald R. Ford stands in the background. Members of the Residence staff had gathered in the State Dining Room for President and Mrs. Ford's final departure of the White House ahead of President Jimmy Carter's inauguration. Ficklin joined the Residence staff in 1939 as a pantryman before enlisting in the United States Army during World War II. His brother, Charles E. Ficklin, helped him get the job. He returned to the White House in 1945 as a butler before being promoted to maitre d' in 1965 upon the retirement of his brother. It was a position he would hold until his retirement in 1983.

This photograph of First Lady Betty Ford greeting members of the White House Residence staff was taken by Ricardo Thomas on January 20, 1977. Mrs. Ford greeted the group in the State Dining Room ahead of her final departure, along with President Gerald R. Ford, from the White House before President Jimmy Carter's inauguration. Among the group are White House maid Adell Brown and butlers Wilson R. Jerman, John H. Johnson, and Alfredo Saenz.

This photograph of White House doorman Frederick Mayfield shaking hands with First Lady Betty Ford was taken by Ricardo Thomas on January 20, 1977. The White House Residence staff gathered in the State Dining Room that day to say goodbye to Mrs. Ford and President Gerald R. Ford upon their final departure from the White House and ahead of President Jimmy Carter's inauguration. Mayfield, a World War II veteran, joined the White House staff as a houseman in 1962 and later transitioned to the role of doorman. He worked at the White House until his death in 1984. His tenure at the White House spanned over two decades and six presidents.

This photograph of First Lady Betty Ford greeting White House doorman General L. Cooke was taken by Ricardo Thomas on January 20, 1977. Members of the Residence staff had gathered in the State Dining Room for President Gerald R. Ford and Mrs. Ford's final departure from the White House ahead of President Jimmy Carter's inauguration. Cooke worked as a doorman at the White House from 1965 to 1981.

This photograph of White House doorman Frederick Mayfield shaking hands with First Lady Betty Ford was taken by Ricardo Thomas on January 20, 1977. The White House Residence staff gathered in the State Dining Room that day to say goodbye to Mrs. Ford and President Gerald R. Ford upon their final departure from the White House and ahead of President Jimmy Carter's inauguration. Mayfield, a World War II veteran, joined the White House staff as a houseman in 1962 and later transitioned to the role of doorman. He worked at the White House until his death in 1984. His tenure at the White House spanned over two decades and six presidents.

In this photograph, taken by Bill Fitz-Patrick on February 15, 1976, White House assistant usher Ray M. Hare, Jr. poses with President Gerald R. Ford, First Lady Betty Ford, and his family in the West Sitting Hall. A World War II veteran, Hare was a Secret Service agent for President Harry S. Truman and President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1949 to 1955. In 1955 he was hired as an assistant usher, a position he held until his retirement in January 1976. The group was gathered in honor of Hare's retirement and departure from the White House.

This photograph of First Lady Betty Ford greeting members of the White House Residence staff in the State Dining Room was taken by David Hume Kennerly on January 20, 1977. The group was gathered for President Gerald R. Ford and Mrs. Ford's final departure from the White House ahead of the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter. Staff included in this photograph includes Adell Brown, Wilson German, Eugene C. Allen, John H. Johnson, Eley F. Young, Alfredo Saenz, and John W. Ficklin.

This photograph of White House butler Alfredo Saenz shaking hands with First Lady Betty Ford was taken by Ricardo Thomas on January 20, 1977. Mrs. Ford, alongside her husband President Gerald R. Ford, greeted members of the Residence staff in the State Dining Room ahead of their final departure from the White House before the inauguration of President Jimmy Carter. Saenz worked at the White House as a butler from around 1970 to 1993.

This photograph of First Lady Betty Ford with members of the White House Residence staff was taken by Ricardo Thomas on January 20, 1977. Mrs. Ford posed with the group in the State Dining Room ahead of her final departure, along with President Gerald R. Ford, from the White House before President Jimmy Carter's inauguration. Standing from left to right are: Julia Sanders, an unidentified staff member, Adell Brown, Mrs. Ford, and an unidentified staff member.

This photograph of First Lady Betty Ford greeting members of the White House Residence staff was taken by Ricardo Thomas on January 20, 1977. Mrs. Ford greeted the group in the State Dining Room ahead of her final departure, along with President Gerald R. Ford, from the White House before President Jimmy Carter's inauguration. Standing from left to right are: Viola Wise, Catalino Minor, Mrs. Ford, Wilson Jerman (shaking her hand), John H. Johnson, Eley F. Young, and Eugene C. Allen.

This is a photograph of President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton with former presidents Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H. W. Bush and former first ladies Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, and Barbara Bush in the State Dining Room of the White House on November 9, 2000. This historic reunion of past and present residents of the White House was in commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the White House. This photo includes a note to White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier from President Clinton. This photograph is part of a personal collection belonging to former White House Executive Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier. Chef Mesnier created elaborate desserts for the White House from 1980 to 2004.

This photograph of Vera Cosgrave, First Lady Betty Ford, chief of protocol Henry Catto, Minister of Foreign Affairs Garret FitzGerald of Ireland, and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in the Yellow Oval Room was taken by Ricardo Thomas on March 17, 1976. The group was gathered in the Yellow Oval Room, located on the Second Floor of the White House, ahead of a State Dinner held in honor of Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave of Ireland. The dinner for the taoiseach, or prime minister, was held on St. Patrick's Day.

In this photograph, President Gerald R. Ford, First Lady Betty Ford, Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave of Ireland, and his wife, Vera Cosgrave, wave from the South Portico. Bill Fitz-Patrick captured this moment during the State Arrival Ceremony held in honor of the taoiseach's, or prime minister's, official State Visit on March 17, 1976.

In this photograph by Ricardo Thomas, President Gerald R. Ford and First Lady Betty Ford speak with Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh on the South Drive of the White House on July 7, 1976. The group were captured at a State Dinner held in honor of Queen Elizabeth's State Visit. The State Dinner was held in the Rose Garden, under a temporary tent erected for the dinner. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited the United States from July 6 to 11 in celebration of the American Bicentennial. During their six day trip, they visited eight American cities, starting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In this photograph by Ricardo Thomas, First Lady Betty Ford dances with Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh in the East Room on July 7, 1976. Prince Philip visited the White House for an official State Visit in honor of his wife, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The State Visit included a State Dinner in the Rose Garden that evening, followed by music performances and dancing in the East Room. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited the United States from July 6 to 11 in celebration of the American Bicentennial. During their six day trip, they visited eight American cities, starting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In this photograph by Karl Schumacher, First Lady Betty Ford and social secretary Maria Downs lead members of the press on a preview tour ahead of a State Dinner held in honor of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The media tour as well as the State Dinner took place on July 7, 1976. The tour included a preview of the temporary tent erected in the Rose Garden for the dinner and the tables and decor set up inside. Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, visited the United States from July 6 to 11 in celebration of the American Bicentennial. During their six day trip, they visited eight American cities, starting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In this photograph by Bill Fitz-Patrick, President Gerald R. Ford and First Lady Betty Ford pose on the South Portico alongside Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh on July 7, 1976. The group were captured at a State Arrival Ceremony held in honor of Queen Elizabeth's State Visit. The ceremony was held on the South Lawn of the White House and, after a day of events, was followed by a State Dinner that evening in the Rose Garden. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited the United States from July 6 to 11 in celebration of the American Bicentennial. During their six day trip, they visited eight American cities, starting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In this photograph by David Hume Kennerly, First Lady Betty Ford takes Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain on a tour of the White House on July 7, 1976. Here, they are captured in the Queens' Bedroom, located on the Second Floor of the Executive Mansion. The Queens' Bedroom is named for the royal guests that have stayed there in the White House, including Queen Elizabeth. Also displayed in the room during the Gerald R. Ford administration was a trumeau, a mirror and painting framed together that was presented to President Harry S. Truman and First Lady Bess Truman by Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, on behalf of her father, King George VI of Great Britain, during her visit to Washington, D.C. in 1951. Mrs. Ford's tour of the White House followed a State Arrival Ceremony held in honor of Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. The British royals visited the United States from July 6 to 11 in celebration of the American Bicentennial.

This photograph is of Gerald R. Ford being sworn in as the 38th president of the United States by Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren E. Burger in the White House East Room on August 9, 1974. Ford had been confirmed as vice president in 1973 following Vice President Spiro T. Agnew's resignation. Ford would ascend to the presidency after President Richard M. Nixon resigned from office in the wake of the Watergate scandal.

This photograph of First Lady Betty Ford speaking with press outside of the Guttman Institute for Early Detection of Breast Cancer in New York was taken by Karl Schumacher on November 7, 1975. Behind her is a bus with the graphic, "Early Detection Saves Lives... It May Save Yours..." in English and Spanish. Shortly after moving into the White House, Mrs. Ford discovered a lump in her breast and underwent a radical mastectomy at Bethesda Naval Hospital. Her subsequent decision to address her illness during a White House press conference helped reduce the stigma against discussing breast cancer and treatment.

This photograph of First Lady Betty Ford working at her desk in the East Wing of the White House was taken by David Hume Kennerly on June 28, 1975. Her desk featured a special "Don't Tread On Me" E.R.A. flag. On September 4, 1974, during her first press conference as first lady, she expressed support for the Equal Rights Amendment (E.R.A.), which, if passed, would have guaranteed legal equality for American citizens, regardless of sex. She continued to support the passage of the amendment throughout her time in the White House, calling senators, traveling across the country to lobby for ratification, and participating in women’s conferences and meetings. With his wife’s encouragement, in 1975, President Gerald R. Ford created the National Commission on the Observance of International Women’s Year by executive order.

In this photograph, First Lady Betty Ford plays with a golden retriever puppy named Misty, the offspring of the Fords' golden retriever Liberty. Mrs. Ford's daughter, Susan Ford, is holding Misty. Behind them is a tree decorated with homemade ornaments and trimmings. Karl Schumacher took this photo in Solarium on November 10, 1975, during a photo opportunity for Parade Magazine. The Solarium is a private, Third Floor room used by the First Family to rest, relax, and step away from the pressures of life in the White House.

In this photograph, First Lady Betty Ford holds a golden retriever puppy named Misty and sits near a tree decorated with homemade ornaments and trimmings. Misty, the offspring of the Fords' golden retriever Liberty, attempts to eat the decorations. Karl Schumacher took this photo in Solarium on November 10, 1975, during a photo opportunity for Parade Magazine. The Solarium is a private, Third Floor room used by the First Family to rest, relax and step away from the pressures of life in the White House.

In this photograph by Karl Schumacher, President Jimmy Carter speaks at a ceremony unveiling the official portraits of former President Gerald R. Ford and former First Lady Betty Ford on May 24, 1978. Joining President Carter onstage in the East Room of the White House were his wife, First Lady Rosalynn Carter, and the Fords. The ceremony marked the first time that a former president and first lady were invited back to the White House for their official portrait unveiling, a tradition continued by most administrations in the future.

This photograph of First Lady Betty Ford with designer Frankie Welch was taken by Karl Schumacher in the West Sitting Hall on February 15, 1975. Welch was one of the first designers to design “across the aisle,” creating gowns and scarves for first ladies Pat Nixon, Lady Bird Johnson, and Rosalynn Carter in addition to Mrs. Ford. After earning a degree in clothing and design at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, Welch relocated with her husband to Maryland, where she taught “clothes coordination” classes at the local university. Welch’s work is frequently described as “Americana,” and she often used the proceeds of her designs to give back to communities. Welch integrated her love of American culture and history in her designs, leaving a unique mark on the lexicon of American fashion.