• John F. Kennedy, Jr. with White House Valet George E. Thomas
    Cecil Stoughton
    staff
    instruments
    Second Floor
    Residence staff
    Center Hall
    birthdays
    celebrations
    This photograph of John F. Kennedy, Jr., son of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and George E. Thomas was taken by Cecil Stoughton on November 27, 1962. Thomas was President Kennedy's valet from 1961 to 1963. In the photograph, Kennedy sits at a piano bench with Thomas standing beside him in the Center Hall of the White House. This was likely taken during a joint birthday party for Kennedy and his sister, Caroline.
  • John F. Kennedy, Jr. at Children's Party on the South Lawn
    Cecil Stoughton
    staff
    South Lawn
    South Grounds
    Residence staff
    celebrations
    This photograph of John F. Kennedy, Jr. on the South Lawn of the White House Grounds was taken by Cecil Stoughton on April 4, 1963. Kennedy, the son of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, was photographed at a children's party. In the background are Mrs. Kennedy, left, and White House butler Robert B. Thompson, center.
  • Lorraine Waxman Pearce Collection Compilation
    White House Historical Association
    vases
    staff
    restoration
    construction & maintence
    china
    White House Collection
    WHHA
    State Floor
    State Dining Room
    Roosevelt Room
    Blue Room
    Map Room
    Ground Floor
    Residence staff
    documents
    This composite is a compilation of materials from the Lorraine Waxman Pearce Collection and other sources. Lorraine Waxman Pearce served as the first White House Curator from 1961 to 1962. This composite may only be used for press and publicity purposes related to the collection. All other uses must be approved by the White House Historical Association in writing.
  • President Kennedy at Bay of Pigs Press Conference
    Abbie Rowe
    press conferences
    press
    Presidential Visit
    Washington, D.C.
    This photograph is of President John F. Kennedy addressing reporters in the aftermath of the Bay of Pigs invasion. The press conference was held in the State Department auditorium in Washington, D.C. on April 21, 1961, and was photographed by Abbie Rowe.
  • The Kennedys Greet the 2506 Brigade in Miami
    Cecil Stoughton
    travel
    Presidential Visits
    Florida
    This photograph is of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy standing in a car greeting members of the 2506th Cuban Invasion Brigade at the Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami, Florida. This photograph was taken by Cecil Stoughton on December 29, 1962. The Brigade was comprised of Cuban exiles who participated in the Bay of Pigs invasion of April 1961.
  • Presentation of the First White House Guidebook, Lorraine Waxman Pearce Collection
    Abbie Rowe
    staff
    WHHA
    Residence staff
    West Wing
    Roosevelt Room
    This photograph taken by Abbie Rowe captures the presentation of the White House guidebook to President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy (not pictured) on June 28, 1962. Lorraine Waxman Pearce--the first White House Curator--, members of the National Geographic Society (NGS), and members of the White House Historical Association (WHHA) are present. The presentation was held in the Fish Room of the White House. From left to right: Dr. Melvin M. Payne, Executive Vice President and Secretary of the NGS; Nash Castro, Assistant Director for the National Capital Region of the National Parks Service and Administrative Office of WHHA; T. Sutton Jett, Director for the National Capital Region of the National Parks Service and Executive Secretary of WHHA; Pearce; Robert L. Breeden (back to camera shaking hands with President Kennedy), Howard Wayne Warner of Judd & Detweiler Inc; and President Kennedy. This photograph is part of the Lorraine Waxman Pearce Collection. Lorraine Waxman Pearce served as the first White House Curator from 1961 to 1962. As curator, she oversaw refurbishment projects, implemented collections policies, and collaborated with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to write the first White House guidebook—a joint publication of the National Geographic Society and the White House Historical Association. Since its original publication in 1962, “The White House: An Historic Guide” has been revised, updated, and printed for over 60 years.
  • President Kennedy Meets with Ambassador of Ireland in the Oval Office
    Cecil Stoughton
    West Wing
    St. Patrick's Day
    Oval Office
    presidential gifts
    This White House photograph of President John F. Kennedy meeting with Ambassador Thomas J. Kiernan of Ireland was taken by Cecil Stoughton on March 17, 1961 in the Oval Office. Ambassador Kiernan presented President Kennedy with an arrangement of shamrocks and a scroll displaying the Kennedy family coat of arms and signed by the chief herald of Ireland, Gerard Slevin.
  • President Kennedy Meets with Ambassador of Ireland
    Abbie Rowe
    presidential gifts
    West Wiing
    Oval Office
    St. Patrick's Day
    This photograph of President John F. Kennedy meeting with Ambassador Thomas J. Kiernan of Ireland was taken by Abbie Rowe on March 17, 1961 in the Oval Office. Ambassador Kiernan is captured presenting President Kennedy with a scroll displaying the Kennedy family coat of arms and signed by the chief herald of Ireland, Gerard Slevin. Kiernan also gave Kennedy an arrangement of shamrocks.
  • The Wedding of John and Jacqueline Kennedy
    Toni Frissell
    weddings
    celebrations
    Rhode Island
    This photograph was taken by Toni Frissell at the wedding of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953 in Newport, Rhode Island. The future president and first lady were married at St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church followed by a reception (seen here) at Hammersmith Farm, the 300 acre oceanfront estate owned by the Auchincloss family. Hugh D. Auchincloss was Jacqueline's stepfather. Mrs. Kennedy's dress was designed by Ann Lowe.
  • President and Mrs. Kennedy Arrive at Inaugural Ball
    Abbie Rowe
    inaugurations
    In this photograph by Abbie Rowe taken on January 20, 1961, newly-inaugurated President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy arrive at the National Guard Armory in Washington, D.C. for the Inaugural Ball. Earlier in the day, President Kennedy was sworn in at the 35th President of the United States. Mrs. Kennedy wore a sleeveless, off-white gown with a silk sheer top covering a strapless bodice encrusted with “brilliants” and embroidered with silver thread by Ethel Frankau. Mrs. Kennedy collaborated with Frankau in the creation of the gown by offering suggestions on the sketches. Mrs. Kennedy’s look was finished off with a matching cape that closed at the neck and elbow-length gloves.
  • Meeting About the Proposed National Cultural Center
    Cecil Stoughton
    presidential buildings
    State Floor
    John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
    East Room
    arts & culture
    This photograph of President John F. Kennedy talking with guests during a meeting on the National Cultural Center was taken by Cecil Stoughton in the East Room on October 8, 1963. The National Cultural Center would later become later known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, as a memorial to President Kennedy. The East Room is located on the State Floor of the Executive Mansion. The room is the largest room in the White House and is often used as a ceremonial space. The room is painted white and has 18th-century French and English-inspired ornate walls and ceiling. To make way for temporary furniture for ceremonies and holiday decorations, the East Room is usually sparsely furnished.
  • Presentation of the First Edition of The White House: A Historic Guide
    Cecil Stoughton
    West Wing
    Roosevelt Room
    Presidential Seal
    WHHA
    This photograph is of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy admiring their copies of the first edition of "The White House: A Historic Guide." The publication serves as a companion book for tours of the White House, providing history of the rooms, architecture, and furniture. The presentation of the first edition took place in the Fish Room, now known as the Roosevelt Room and was photographed by Cecil Stoughton on June 28, 1962.
  • President Kennedy Hosts State Dinner for Ẓāhir Shāh of Afghanistan
    Robert L. Knudsen
    State Visit
    State Dinner
    Grand Staircase
    First Family
    Entrance Hall
    Head of State
    This photograph, taken by Robert L. Knudsen, shows President John F. Kennedy and his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, near the foot of the Grand Staircase with King Ẓāhir Shāh of Afghanistan and his wife, Humaira Begum, during a State Dinner held in his honor on September 5, 1963. Originally planned for the Rose Garden, the dinner took place in the State Dining Room due to the possibility of inclement weather.
  • President John F. Kennedy Signs Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
    Cecil Stoughton
    signing
    Treaty Room
    Second Floor
    treaties
    In this photograph, taken by Cecil Stoughton on October 7, 1963, President John F. Kennedy speaks during the signing ceremony for the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in the Treaty Room of the White House. Ratified by the U.S. Senate on September 24, 1963, the treaty allowed underground nuclear tests, but prohibited tests in the water, atmosphere, or outer space. The signers pledged to end the arms race, move to complete disarmament, and protect the environment from nuclear contamination. The ceremony was held shortly after the Treaty Room was restored by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and interior designer Stéphane Boudin. The refurbished room paid homage to late 19th-century splendor and included deep green flocked wallpaper with a geometric border based on a design used for the State Rooms of the White House during the Andrew Jackson administration, a cabinet table, sofa, and chandeliers from the Ulysses S. Grant administration; and notable works of art such as Peter Frederick Rothermel's "The Republican Court in the Days of Lincoln," pictured here on the wall behind President Kennedy.
  • Reception for the Centennial Year of the Emancipation Proclamation
    Cecil Stoughton
    State Floor
    Green Room
    receptions
    This photograph of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the recently restored Green Room was taken by Cecil Stoughton on February 12, 1963 during a reception to mark the centennial year of the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, and granted freedom to enslaved people residing in Confederate states. The Green Room is located on the State Floor of the Executive Mansion. It was the first room named after the color of its textiles and has Federal-style furnishings. The elegant but relaxed parlor is used for small gatherings, interviews, and teas.
  • The Kennedys Attend Staff Christmas Reception
    Cecil Stoughton
    winter holidays
    State Floor
    Entrance Hall
    Christmas
    parties
    This photograph by Cecil Stoughton shows President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy attending the White House staff Christmas reception. The reception took place on December 12, 1962, in the Entrance Hall of the White House. The official White House Christmas tree was in the Entrance Hall that year due to work being done in the Blue Room, where the tree traditionally resides. This would be their last Christmas celebration in the White House.
  • President Kennedy at the Resolute Desk
    Cecil Stoughton
    furniture
    West Wing
    Resolute Desk
    Oval Office
    case goods
    In this photograph taken circa 1962, President John F. Kennedy sits at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. The desk was made from the oak timbers of the British ship H.M.S. Resolute and sent as a gift to President Rutherford B. Hayes from Queen Victoria in 1880. For her first redecoration of the Oval Office in early 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and interior designer Sister Parish had the desk relocated from the Ground Floor to a place of prominence in the Oval Office.
  • President and Mrs. Kennedy with Project Mercury Astronauts
    Cecil Stoughton
    astronauts
    Yellow Oval Room
    Second Floor
    White House Guests
    In this photograph, taken by Cecil Stoughton on May 21, 1963, President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy entertain astronauts Maj. L. Gordon Cooper, Cmdr. Alan B. Shepard, Maj. Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, Lt. Cmdr. M. Scott Carpenter, Maj, Donald K. “Deke” Slayton, Cmdr. Walter M. Schirra and their spouses in the Yellow Oval Room of the White House. Earlier that day, President Kennedy presented the NASA Distinguished Service Medal to Maj. Cooper for his success with the Project Mercury orbital mission. Maj. Cooper flew the Mercury-Atlas 9 ("Faith 7"), which was the final Mercury flight. He flew just over 34 hours and orbited the earth 22 times before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. The other astronauts were also participants of Project Mercury and took part in early United States spaceflight missions. This photograph shows the president, first lady, and their guests relaxing in the Yellow Oval Room shortly after it was restored into a formal drawing room by Mrs. Kennedy.
  • Presentation of the First Edition of The White House: A Historic Guide
    Cecil Stoughton
    West Wing
    Roosevelt Room
    WHHA
    Presidential Seal
    This photograph is of Dr. Melville Bell Grosvenor, president and editor of the National Geographic Society, handing First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy a copy of the first edition of "The White House: A Historic Guide." The publication serves as a companion book for tours of the White House, providing a history of the rooms, architecture, and furniture. The presentation of the first edition took place in the Fish Room, now known as the Roosevelt, and was photographed by Cecil Stoughton on June 28, 1962. Behind them are President John F. Kennedy; David E. Finley, chairman of the board of directors of the White House Historical Association; Lorraine Waxman Pearce, curator of the White House; Dr. Leonard Carmichael, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and member of the board of directors of the White House Historical Association; Melvin M. Payne, executive vice president and secretary of the National Geographic Society; (partially visible) Nash Castro, assistant regional director of the National Park Service and administrative officer of the White House Historical Association.
  • President Kennedy Dedicates State Dining Room Mantel
    Cecil Stoughton
    restoration
    refurbishment
    State Floor
    State Dining Room
    mantels
    This photograph was taken by Cecil Stoughton on July 2, 1962, during the dedication ceremony for a new marble mantel in the State Dining Room. The mantel was a joint gift of the architecture firm Steinmann, Cain and White and the Marble Industry Board of New York. Pictured between President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in front of the mantel is Alice Roosevelt Longworth, eldest daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt. The mantel was a modified reproduction of an earlier mantel created by McKim, Mead & White for President Roosevelt's White House renovations in 1902.
  • President Kennedy Speaks to Fulbright Exchange Teachers
    Robert L. Knudsen
    receptions
    South Grounds
    Rose Garden
    In this photograph, taken by Robert L. Knudsen on August 23, 1963, President John F. Kennedy addresses a group of Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program participants in the Rose Garden of the White House. From 1946-2013, the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program supported international professional development by offering primary and secondary teachers the opportunity to exchange teaching positions for a semester with colleagues from another country. At the Rose Garden ceremony, President Kennedy spoke with teachers from across the world who came to take part in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program in the United States.
  • Reception for the Centennial Year of the Emancipation Proclamation
    Cecil Stoughton
    State Floor
    Cross Hall
    receptions
    This photograph of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy receiving guests in the Cross Hall during a reception to mark the centennial year of the Emancipation Proclamation was taken by Cecil Stoughton on February 12, 1963. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, and granted freedom to enslaved people residing in Confederate states. Located on the State Floor of the White House, the Cross Hall runs the length of the Executive Mansion and offers views of the East, Red, Green, and Blue Rooms.
  • Mrs. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy, Jr., and White House Butlers in the West Sitting Hall
    Robert L. Knudsen
    staff
    West Sitting Hall
    Second Floor
    Residence staff
    This photograph of Jacqueline Kennedy and her son John F. Kennedy, Jr, posing for a photograph with White House butlers in the West Sitting Hall prior to her final departure from the White House was taken by Robert L. Knudsen on December 6, 1963. After removing her personal items, Mrs. Kennedy rearranged the remaining furnishings to cover bare spaces in an effort to make the house more welcoming to President Lyndon B. Johnson and his family. The West Sitting Hall is often a favorite for first families. But until 1869, the room was the location of an open stairwell connecting the State Floor to the private residence. President Ulysses S. Grant had the staircase replaced with a smaller one and the room slowly took shape. During the 1902 Theodore Roosevelt renovation, the stairwell was completely removed, allowing the West Sitting Hall to connect with the Center Hall and the rest of the Second Floor residence. The room is noted for the large arched window that mirrors the one in the East Sitting Hall, on the opposite end of the Center Hall.
  • Reception for the Centennial Year of the Emancipation Proclamation
    Cecil Stoughton
    State Floor
    Blue Room
    receptions
    This photograph of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy receiving guests in the recently restored Blue Room during a reception to mark the centennial year of the Emancipation Proclamation was taken by Cecil Stoughton on February 12, 1963. The Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, and granted freedom to enslaved people residing in Confederate states. The Blue Room is located on the State Floor of the Executive Mansion and is famous for its oval shape, central location, and views of the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial through its South Portico windows.
  • The Kennedys in the Yellow Oval Room
    Cecil Stoughton
    refurbishment
    lighting
    candelabra
    Yellow Oval Room
    Second Floor
    restoration
    This photograph of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy posing for a portrait in the recently completed Yellow Oval Room was taken by Cecil Stoughton on March 28, 1963. In the background can be seen the Kennedy’s French interior designer Stéphane Boudin’s window treatment and a pedestal candelabra. The Yellow Oval Room has served as a family library, study, and sitting room. Under the direction of Mrs. Kennedy, it was made into a formal drawing room for the first family. The room is also where the president greets guests of honor before State Dinners. The room's color scheme echoes the yellow damask furnishings and curtains selected by First Lady Dolley Madison.