In this photograph, taken by National Geographic photographer Joseph J. Scherschel on December 18, 1965, guests of a White House Christmas party attempt to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus, framed in the door of the Blue Room. Luci Baines Johnson, youngest daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, hosted the party to brighten the holiday season for approximately 150 local children. The children gathered in the Blue Room to see the official White House Christmas Tree, which is traditionally placed at its center. In 1965, the tree was adorned with garlands made from nuts, popcorn, and cranberries, and 3000 ornaments including decorations made from gingerbread, straw stars, bunches of geraniums, and toy soldiers. During the party, the children also enjoyed sweet treats in the State Dining Room, watched a concert in the East Room by Estonian-Swedish pianist Käbi Larete, and were presented with toys including jack-in-the boxes and mechanical animals.

This photograph is of the China Room as appeared before First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy's refurbishment of the rooms in the White House. The China Room is located on the Ground Floor of the White House and has been used to display ceramics, glass, and other decorative arts since 1917. The pieces on display are a collection of items used in the White House by first families, including state china services commissioned during a presidency. Howard Chandler Christy's portrait of First Lady Grace Goodhue Coolidge was hung in the room in 1952. The image was taken on August 14, 1961 by a National Geographic staff photographer for the White Historical Association's 1962 publication 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.

This wall clock was custom made by the Chelsea Clock Company of Chelsea, Massachusetts in 2020 and was a gift of the White House Historical Association to the White House Collection. The clock hangs in the Ground Floor Corridor of the White House above the doorway leading to the president’s elevator. The face of the clock features an eagle on the upper half that was inspired by the James Monroe state service. White House calligraphers did the hand-lettering and numbering on the dial including the inscription “The President’s House” on the lower half of the clock’s face.

This photograph is of guests chatting and admiring sculptures in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden during the White House Festival of the Arts on June 14, 1965. The sculpture "Helmet V" by Dimitri Hadzi is visible in the background. Over 300 guests attended the White House Festival of the Arts to honor contemporary American artistic achievement. 65 works of art borrowed from 39 museums across the country were displayed in the East Wing and Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. The 14-hour event also featured a photography exhibition in the Vermeil Room, a film screening in the State Dining Room, and a variety of performances in the East Room, State Dining Room, and the South Lawn including Duke Ellington, the Robert Joffrey Ballet, and the Louisville Orchestra.

This photograph is of guests listening to a reading in the East Room during the White House Festival of the Arts. The program of prose and poetry readings in the East Room was introduced by Mark Van Doren and featured readings from several authors and poets including Saul Bellow, Catherine Drinker Bowen, John Hersey, and Phillis McGinley. On June 14, 1965 over 300 guests attended the White House Festival of the Arts to honor contemporary American artistic achievement. 65 works of art borrowed from 39 museums across the country were displayed in the East Wing and Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. The 14-hour event also featured a photography exhibition in the Vermeil Room, a film screening in the State Dining Room, and a variety of performances in the East Room, State Dining Room, and the South Lawn including Duke Ellington, the Robert Joffrey Ballet, and the Louisville Orchestra.

This photograph is of guests enjoying themselves at a reception for presidential scholars. President Lyndon B. Johnson established the presidential scholars program in 1964 to honor distinguished graduating high school seniors on the basis of outstanding scholarship, service, leadership, and creativity. The White House Commission on U.S. Presidential Scholars and the US Department of Education administer the review process and have selected over 7000 recipients for this special distinction.

In this photograph, actors Pat Hingle and Piper Laurie perform a scene from Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie" in the East Room during the White House Festival of the Arts on June 14, 1965. Actress Helen Hayes introduced selections from four contemporary plays that were performed in the East Room. Along with Laurie and Hingle, Maureen Stapleton and George Grizzard performed scenes from "The Glass Menagerie;" Jack Albertson, Martin Sheen, and Irene Dailey performed excerpts from Frank Gilroy's "The Subject was Roses;" Mildred Dunnock reprised her role from Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman;" and Tim Ligon, Moses Gunn, and other actors from Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. performed a scene from Millard Lampell's "Hard Travelin'." Over 300 guests attended the White House Festival of the Arts to honor contemporary American artistic achievement. 65 works of art borrowed from 39 museums across the country were displayed in the East Wing and Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. The 14-hour event also featured a photography exhibition in the Vermeil Room, a film screening in the State Dining Room, and a variety of performances in the East Room, State Dining Room, and the South Lawn including Duke Ellington, the Robert Joffrey Ballet, and the Louisville Orchestra.

This photograph is of guests enjoying dinner on the South Lawn. Also pictured are members of the United States Marine Band. On June 14, 1965 over 300 guests attended the White House Festival of the Arts to honor contemporary American artistic achievement. 65 works of art borrowed from 39 museums across the country were displayed in the East Wing and Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. The 14-hour event also featured a photography exhibition in the Vermeil Room, a film screening in the State Dining Room, and a variety of performances in the East Room, State Dining Room, and the South Lawn including Duke Ellington, the Robert Joffrey Ballet, and the Louisville Orchestra.

This photograph is of guests viewing "Royal Game I" by Louise Nevelson, which was installed in the East Colonnade for the White House Festival of the Arts. On June 14, 1965 over 300 guests attended the Festival of the Arts to honor contemporary American artistic achievement. 65 works of art borrowed from 39 museums across the country were displayed in the East Wing and Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. The 14-hour event also featured a photography exhibition in the Vermeil Room, a film screening in the State Dining Room, and a variety of performances in the East Room, State Dining Room, and the South Lawn including Duke Ellington, the Robert Joffrey Ballet, and the Louisville Orchestra.

This photograph is of coloratura soprano Roberta Peters talking with guests in the Cross Hall during the White House Festival of the Arts on June 14, 1965. Peters accompanied the Louisville Orchestra for an afternoon program of vocal and symphony music in the State Dining Room, introduced by African American contralto Marian Anderson. During the 40-minute program conducted by Robert Whitney, Peters sang "Glitter and Be Gay" from Leonard Bernstein's "Candide" and "Summertime" from George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess." Over 300 guests attended the White House Festival of the Arts to honor contemporary American artistic achievement. 65 works of art borrowed from 39 museums across the country were displayed in the East Wing and Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. The 14-hour event also featured a photography exhibition in the Vermeil Room, a film screening in the State Dining Room, and a variety of performances in the East Room, State Dining Room, and the South Lawn including Duke Ellington, the Robert Joffrey Ballet, and the Louisville Orchestra.

In this photograph First Lady Lady Bird Johnson dines with actor Gene Kelly and photographer Edward Steichen at the dinner for the White House Festival of the Arts. On June 14, 1965 over 300 guests attended the White House Festival of the Arts to honor contemporary American artistic achievement. 65 works of art borrowed from 39 museums across the country were displayed in the East Wing and Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. The 14-hour event also featured a photography exhibition in the Vermeil Room, a film screening in the State Dining Room, and a variety of performances in the East Room, State Dining Room, and the South Lawn including Duke Ellington, the Robert Joffrey Ballet, and the Louisville Orchestra.

In this photograph, taken May 31, 1975, first daughter Susan Ford dances with date William Pifer and classmates from the Holton-Arms School at her senior prom. The prom for the 1975 graduating class of the Holton-Arms School of Bethesda, Maryland was held predominately in the East Room. It was the first prom held in the White House. Students covered the cost with funds they had raised since seventh grade. Students danced to music performed by The Outerspace Band, a five-member group consisting of former students from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and The Sandcastle, a seven-piece rock band based out of Richmond, Virginia.

This photograph is of President Lyndon B. Johnson delivering remarks in the Capitol Rotunda prior to the signing ceremony for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which took place on August 6, 1965. The bill was signed in the President's Room. The Voting Rights Act was designed to the "enforce the 15th amendment" and remove the barriers that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote. The statue's provisions included: banning literacy tests, empowering the attorney general to investigate the unlawful use of poll taxes, and made the act of harassing, intimidating, threatening to prevent a lawfully registered voter from voting punishable by a fine of up $10,000, a five-year prison sentence or both. The legislation also allowed for the appointment of federal examiners with the ability to register qualified citizens to vote in jurisdictions where less than 50 percent of the voting age population was registered to vote. This legislation had a tremendous and immediate impact with over a quarter-million African Americans registered to vote by the end of 1965.

This photograph is of President Lyndon B. Johnson delivering remarks in the Capitol Rotunda prior to the signing ceremony for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which took place on August 6, 1965. The bill was signed in the President's Room. The Voting Rights Act was designed to the "enforce the 15th amendment" and remove the barriers that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote. The statue's provisions included: banning literacy tests, empowering the attorney general to investigate the unlawful use of poll taxes, and made the act of harassing, intimidating, threatening to prevent a lawfully registered voter from voting punishable by a fine of up $10,000, a five-year prison sentence or both. The legislation also allowed for the appointment of federal examiners with the ability to register qualified citizens to vote in jurisdictions where less than 50 percent of the voting age population was registered to vote. This legislation had a tremendous and immediate impact with over a quarter-million African Americans registered to vote by the end of 1965.

This photograph is of President Lyndon B. Johnson delivering remarks in the Capitol Rotunda prior to the signing ceremony for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which took place on August 6, 1965. The bill was signed in the President's Room. The Voting Rights Act was designed to the "enforce the 15th amendment" and remove the barriers that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote. The statue's provisions included: banning literacy tests, empowering the attorney general to investigate the unlawful use of poll taxes, and made the act of harassing, intimidating, threatening to prevent a lawfully registered voter from voting punishable by a fine of up $10,000, a five-year prison sentence or both. The legislation also allowed for the appointment of federal examiners with the ability to register qualified citizens to vote in jurisdictions where less than 50 percent of the voting age population was registered to vote. This legislation had a tremendous and immediate impact with over a quarter-million African Americans registered to vote by the end of 1965.

In this photograph from April 1963, a photographer, possibly George F. Mobley of the National Geographic Service, ascends the ladder of a firetruck parked on Pennsylvania Avenue to capture an aerial view of the White House. The photo session was for the cover of the fourth edition of "The White House: An Historic Guide," a publication released by the White House Historical Association that serves a companion book for tours of the White House, providing history of the rooms, architecture, and furniture.

This photograph of tourists taking a selfie by the National Menorah on the Ellipse was taken by Matthew D'Agostino for the White House Historical Association on December 10, 2020, shortly before the National Menorah lighting ceremony. In celebration of Hanukkah, public menorah lightings have been held in President's Park since 1979. Sponsored by the National Menorah Council and the American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), the National Menorah lighting is typically attended by thousands of guests each year and often includes remarks from prominent rabbis and political figures, performances by military bands, and traditional delicacies such as latkes and sufganiyot. In 2020, a scaled-down version of the event was held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This photograph of costumed interpreters dressed as Maccabee soldiers at the National Menorah lighting ceremony on the Ellipse was taken by Matthew D'Agostino for the White House Historical Association on December 10, 2020. In celebration of Hanukkah, public menorah lightings have been held in President's Park since 1979. Sponsored by the National Menorah Council and the American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), the National Menorah lighting is typically attended by thousands of guests each year and often includes remarks from prominent rabbis and political figures, performances by military bands, and traditional delicacies such as latkes and sufganiyot. In 2020, a scaled-down version of the event was held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This photograph of tourists on the Ellipse was taken by Matthew D'Agostino for the White House Historical Association on December 10, 2020, shortly before the National Menorah lighting ceremony. In celebration of Hanukkah, public menorah lightings have been held in President's Park since 1979. Sponsored by the National Menorah Council and the American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), the National Menorah lighting is typically attended by thousands of guests each year and often includes remarks from prominent rabbis and political figures, performances by military bands, and traditional delicacies such as latkes and sufganiyot. In 2020, a scaled-down version of the event was held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This photograph of Rabbi Levi Shemtov speaking at the National Menorah lighting ceremony on the Ellipse was taken by Matthew D'Agostino for the White House Historical Association on December 10, 2020. A prominent leader of the Jewish community in Washington, D.C., Rabbi Shemtov founded and serves as the leader of TheSHUL of the Nation's Capital, as well as executive vice president of the American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad). Shemtov and his father Rabbi Abraham Shemtov helped raise public awareness of Hanukkah by organizing events such as the National Menorah lighting and Hanukkah celebrations at the White House. In celebration of Hanukkah, public menorah lightings have been held in President's Park since 1979. Sponsored by the National Menorah Council and the American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), the National Menorah lighting is typically attended by thousands of guests each year and often includes remarks from rabbis and political figures, performances by military bands, and traditional delicacies such as latkes and sufganiyot. In 2020, a scaled-down version of the event was held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This photograph of Rabbi Levi Shemtov speaking at the National Menorah lighting ceremony on the Ellipse was taken by Matthew D'Agostino for the White House Historical Association on December 10, 2020. A prominent leader of the Jewish community in Washington, D.C., Rabbi Shemtov founded and serves as the leader of TheSHUL of the Nation's Capital, as well as executive vice president of the American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad). Shemtov and his father Rabbi Abraham Shemtov helped raise public awareness of Hanukkah by organizing events such as the National Menorah lighting and Hanukkah celebrations at the White House. In celebration of Hanukkah, public menorah lightings have been held in President's Park since 1979. Sponsored by the National Menorah Council and the American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), the National Menorah lighting is typically attended by thousands of guests each year and often includes remarks from rabbis and political figures, performances by military bands, and traditional delicacies such as latkes and sufganiyot. In 2020, a scaled-down version of the event was held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.