The White House 1600 Sessions

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46 Saluting Our National History Day Award Winner Aug 26, 2020

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Each year, the National History Day Contest encourages more than half a million students around the world to conduct historical research on a topic of their choice. In this episode, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin speaks to student Jack Ghormley of Conway Junior High School in Arkansas, winner of the White House History award at the 2020 National History Day Contest, about his winning documentary, "The Fireside Chats: FDR Breaking Barriers in Presidential Communication," and why he thinks history matters.

45 Recipes from the President's Ranch Aug 12, 2020

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When you're cooking for the president and first family, your meals and recipes become a part of history. In this episode, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin interviews Matthew Wendel about his book, "Recipes From the President's Ranch: Food People Like to Eat," a first-hand account of his time serving as personal chef for President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush and their family and world leaders at Camp David and their Texas home, Prairie Chapel Ranch.

44 Women's Suffrage and the White House Jul 23, 2020

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This year marks the centennial of the 19th Amendment, the culmination of the suffragists' fight to secure the right to vote for women. In this episode, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin talks to authors and historians Rebecca Roberts, Elaine Weiss and Colleen Shogan about the longest social movement in American history, and the story of how suffragists lobbied presidents and became the first protesters to picket at the gates of the White House.

43 White House Fellows Jun 25, 2020

Show notes

Every year, the White House Fellows program gives young, talented Americans the opportunity to work in the White House alongside White House staff, cabinet members and senior officials. In this episode, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin speaks with Elizabeth Pinkerton, Director of the President's Commission on White House Fellows, Stephanie Ferguson, President of the White House Fellows Alumni Association, and Andy Ku, a recent White House Fellow, about their experience with the program and how its members shape the history of the White House and our country.

42 Our Work and Recent Events: A Q&A with David M. Rubenstein Jun 18, 2020

Show notes

In this special episode of The 1600 Sessions, financier and philanthropist David Rubenstein interviews White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin to discuss the work of the Association during the recent period of the COVID-19 pandemic and protests in Lafayette Square, and how the history of "The People's House" provides context to the challenges of the present day.

41 Founding Mother, Mary Ball Washington May 07, 2020

Show notes

George Washington might not have become the Founding Father we know today if not for the influence of his mother. For Mother's Day, Association President Stewart McLaurin interviews Craig Shirley, author of "Mary Ball Washington: The Untold Story of Washington's Mother," about how our first president's life and personality was shaped by the unique character of his mother.

40 Presidential Leadership in Times of Challenge: FDR and LBJ Apr 28, 2020

Show notes

Throughout our history, presidents have faced crises that have gripped both the nation and the world. In this episode, Association President Stewart McLaurin speaks to Paul Sparrow, Director of the FDR Library and Museum, and Mark Updegrove, President & CEO of the LBJ Foundation, about the unique challenges these two presidents faced, and the leadership skills that helped them navigate these challenges.

39 Researching Slavery in the President's Neighborhood Mar 26, 2020

Show notes

The White House is a symbol of freedom and democracy, but from its very conception it had a paradoxical relationship with the institution of slavery. In this episode, Association President Stewart McLaurin speaks to Association historians Matthew Costello, Lindsay Chervinsky, and Lina Mann about their groundbreaking work researching and telling the stories of the enslaved individuals that built, worked at, and lived in or near the White House.

To Learn more about our Slavery in the President's Neighborhood initiative, visit our landing page.

38 White House History with David Rubenstein: Slavery in the President's Neighborhood Feb 26, 2020

Show notes

The institution of slavery and the stories of enslaved people have always been a part of the fabric of White House history. In this episode, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin introduces a conversation between financier and philanthropist David Rubenstein and the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Dr. Lonnie G. Bunch III, about the history and legacy of slavery in the nation's capital, held at St. John's Church on February 5, 2020.

37 The Kennedy Center: A Living Memorial Jan 22, 2020

Show notes

After President John F. Kennedy's assassination, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy wanted her husband to be remembered through a national cultural center that would serve as a living memorial. In this episode, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin talks to Deborah Rutter, President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, about the origins of the Kennedy Center, its mission to honor President Kennedy's legacy through support of the arts, and how it has had a relationship with the White House over time.

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