Presidential Sites Summit

ICYMI: In his new book “The Highest Calling: Conversations on the American Presidency,” David Rubenstein, renowned financier, philanthropist, and host of PBS’s History with David Rubenstein, takes a fresh look at what it means to hold the office of President of the United States. For this month’s episode of the White House 1600 Sessions, Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association, talked with Rubenstein about his latest book at the Association’s new immersive space at 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. called The People's House: A White House Experience in front of an audience of the Association’s Next-Gen Leaders. Having gotten his start as a domestic policy adviser under President Jimmy Carter, Rubenstein was a firsthand witness to what it takes to be a public servant and work in the Oval Office. This conversation focuses on the importance of civics, the attributes that make a successful leader, and much more as they delve into Rubenstein’s book that includes interviews with historians, journalists, and most of the living U.S. presidents. https://lnkd.in/gCPt52Tp

With only 31 days until The People’s House: A White House Experience opens its doors, plan your visit and reserve your free passes now! Reserve passes here: https://lnkd.in/e4VTjm69 The People's House: A White House Experience is a cutting-edge education experience that tells the story of the Executive Mansion, its inhabitants and the people who have dedicated their careers to its functions.

In partnership with iCivics, we created a new educational game that allows students to interview characters from history to understand challenges, engage with people from different perspectives, and make evidence-based decisions during three different presidencies. In Brief the Chief, students engage their historical thinking skills to learn more about impactful moments across the Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Lyndon B. Johnson presidencies. Some historic characters in the game include Haitian leader Jean Jacques Dessalines, Former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, First Lady Mary Lincoln’s dressmaker Elizabeth Keckly, civil rights leader Amelia Boynton, and the Johnsons’ personal cook Zephyr Wright. Brief the Chief continues a growing partnership between iCivics and the Association. In 2023, iCivics and the Association released a Spanish-language version of Executive Command, one of iCivics’ most popular games that teaches students how the Executive Branch functions. Both games are available online and for mobile devices for free. Play Brief the Chief at https://lnkd.in/eeKzyW66

From the hearty Madeira to the fine Château Margaux, wine has a long and important history for presidents’ palates and life in the White House. Even during times of Temperance and Prohibition, as well as the temporary hold on social events during Covid, the serving of wine and its use as a tool of protocol and persuasion managed to persevere. In this episode of the White House 1600 Sessions, Stewart D. McLaurin, president of the White House Historical Association, interviews Frederick J. Ryan about the new edition of his book published with the Association, “Wine and the White House: A History.” Sitting in the wine cellar at The Jefferson, a hotel located just blocks from the White House, Stewart and Fred talk about the unique role wine plays in presidential entertaining and social diplomacy. This episode showcases the features of the new edition which has chapters on all the presidents from Washington to Biden, explores several of the favorite vintages served at the White House, highlights the art of giving a toast, and pages of menus from historic White House gatherings.  https://lnkd.in/gQsVCGMD