Lincoln Bedroom, Kennedy Administration, Lorraine Waxman Pearce Collection
This photograph shows the Lincoln Bedroom during the John F. Kennedy administration. Located on the Second Floor of the White House, in modern times the Lincoln Bedroom is used for official and personal guests of the president's family. In the past, it served as an office and the Cabinet Room. The room became a bedroom in the family quarters during the 1902 Theodore Roosevelt renovation. The high-back bed, known as the Lincoln Bed, was purchased by First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. While it was purchased during the Lincoln administration, the bed was probably never used by President Abraham Lincoln, nor was it originally placed in this room. Repurposed during the administration of President Harry S. Truman, the room features furniture, artwork, and refurbishing reminiscent of the 1860s.
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.