Tudor Place Unveils Spruced Up Mower House
Tudor Place Unveils Spruced Up Mower House
Plus, Hillary Clinton's Arkansas years and a look at Passover celebrations at the White House.
Tudor Place Historic House & Garden will be unveiling the revitalized Mower House with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, April 12. The celebration recognizes improvements made to this service building, including space and utility upgrades to increase grounds work efficiency and support sustainability efforts.
As part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, artifacts related to long-time gardener, John Luckett, who worked at the site for forty-four years from 1862 to 1906, will be on display. The life and work of John Luckett is also on view to visitors during the Ancestral Spaces: People of African Descendant of Tudor Place, a special installation and guided tour.
The Mower House, located on the South Lawn, provides extra space for garden tools and equipment. The revitalization includes the addition of a natural gas generator to provide backup power for systems throughout the site. This renovation is a key part of Tudor Place’s Master Preservation Plan. The Plan provides a blueprint for the preservation of the landmark architecture, the conservation of extraordinary collections and the care of heritage landscapes, while supporting the organization’s educational mission and enhancing the experience of visitors.
The project was funded through support from the DC Commission of the Arts & Humanities. Plans for the project were developed by a design team led by Hartman-Cox Architects. The general contractor for the Mower House was The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. Renovation began in October 2023.
Tudor Place preserves the stories of six generations of descendants of Martha Washington, and the enslaved and free people who lived and worked here for two centuries. By examining their legacy, we challenge ourselves and our visitors to celebrate the triumphs and to confront the complexities of the past.
April 12, 2024
Virtual Legacy Lecture: The Secret Lives of Janet, Jackie and Lee
The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents dramatic book reviewer Jenny Riddle in a first-person interpretation of "The Secret Lives of Janet Auchincloss and Her Daughters" from noon to 1 p.m. on April 12, 2024.
When Jackie Bouvier first started dating John Kennedy, Jackie’s mother Janet commented, “John has an impressive pedigree, but doesn’t he look a little unkempt?” Early on, Janet told her daughters that the secret to happiness was money and power. Despite their efforts to rebel against their mother, both daughters ended up following her advice.
In this first-person dramatic book review of Randy Taraborelli’s biography, Jackie, Janet & Lee: The Secret Lives of Janet Auchincloss and Her Daughters, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Lee Radziwill, Jenny Riddle brings to us Jackie Kennedy in her later years. The bouffant hairdo and pillbox hats are gone. She has been through two marriages and now works in publishing. Jackie reminisces about her earlier life, including her relationship with her mother and sister, her marriage to Jack Kennedy and their brief but pivotal time in the White House, and life after JFK. Read more
April 12, 2024
In-Person, Virtual: ‘Grace and Grits: A 50-Year Retrospective of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Years in Arkansas’
Join the Clinton Presidential Center on Friday, April 12, at 6 p.m. CDT, for “Grace and Grits: A 50-Year Retrospective of Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Years in Arkansas,” which will explore her experience settling in Arkansas and the profound impact she made in the state. Read more
April 16, 2024
Virtual: Passover Celebrations at the White House
The White House Historical Association presents a virtual White House History Live conversation, “Passover Celebrations at the White House.” More than 70% of Jewish Americans take part in the Passover Seder, making Passover the most celebrated of Jewish holidays. Since 2009, the White House has joined in celebrating Passover in various ways. Rubenstein Center Research Fellow Dr. Phillip Lieberman will discuss this tradition, as well as the ebb and flow of presidential participation in the Jewish Feast of Freedom.
The celebration will take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday. This event will be streamed on the White House Historical Association’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
April 16, 2024
First Ladies Conversation with Authors Katie Rogers and Anita McBride
At this free, in-person Authors & Insights event, New York Times White House Correspondent Katie Rogers discusses her new book, American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First Lady, from Hillary Clinton to Jill Biden, with Anita McBride, author of Remember the First Ladies, chief of staff to former First Lady Laura Bush, and director of the First Ladies Initiative at American University. Read more
National First Ladies Day is April 27. East Wing Magazine Wants to Know How You Plan to Celebrate.
National First Ladies Day is April 27 and East Wing Magazine wants to know how you plan to celebrate. Send your National First Ladies Day events to East Wing Magazine by April 20, 2024, to be included in a national roundup that recognizes the contributions America’s first ladies make to the presidency and to society. Send your event, announcement and press releases to jtaylor@eastwingmagazine.com.
Through April 21, 2024
Nancy: A Very DC Play About Ancestry and Ambition
The Mosaic Theater in partnership with New Native Theatre presents Nancy. It’s 1985 in Washington, DC and two women are trying to steer their futures—Nancy Reagan from the White House, orchestrating her husband “Ronnie’s” political career according to daily astrological trends, and Esmeralda, a Navajo mother advocating for her community. Read more
April 18, 2024
Virtual: Lou Henry Hoover—Stanford's Woman of Adventure, A Talk by Annette Dunlap
Join the Hoover Institution Library & Archives for an online talk by scholar Annette Dunlap, the most recent biographer of Lou Henry Hoover (1874–1944), in celebration of the 150 year legacy of the Hoovers and their dedication to Stanford University. This event will take place at noon PST and is presented in partnership by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives, the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and Stanford Libraries
Lou Henry Hoover’s powerful legacy endures in the ongoing success of the Girl Scouts, the music and physical therapy degree programs at Stanford University, athletic opportunities for women, and the countless unknown men and women who received an education thanks to Lou’s anonymous financial support. Dunlap will dive into Lou's time at Stanford and she will share with us stories of Lou's humor, personality, and intellect, alongside her extraordinary accomplishments. Read more
Through April 21, 2024
Ancestral Spaces: People of African Descent at Tudor Place
Tudor Place will offer “Ancestral Spaces: People of African Descent” at Tudor Place. Curated in collaboration with descendants, this special installation and guided tour presents the multi-faceted individuals and families of African descent who lived and worked at Tudor Place. Explore the historic house through their lives, learn how they impacted the world around them and discover their enduring legacy. Read more
April 27, 2024
National First Ladies Day "First Look" Annual VIP Champagne Reception
Celebrate National First Ladies Day on April 27 and be among the first to view the National First Ladies Library & Museum's 2024-25 Featured Exhibit, titled "Leaders in Literacy: First Ladies as Teachers, Educators, and Librarians" at its exclusive annual First Look Champagne Reception. The exhibit features more than a dozen first ladies who have advanced the cause of literacy and education, including Barbara and Laura Bush, Eleanor Roosevelt, Abigail Fillmore and Helen Taft.
The First Look Champagne VIP Reception will feature introductory remarks by President & CEO Patty Dowd Schmitz, a talk by our curator Michelle Gullion about the exhibit, as well as short remarks by first lady descendant Patricia Taft, the great-granddaughter of Helen Taft, who was a schoolteacher. In addition, the winner of the Mary Regula Memorial Scholarship will be announced. It will be awarded to a Stark County, Ohio, high school junior or senior who has written a compelling essay telling the story of significant historical events in American history through the eyes of the first ladies. Read more
April 27, 2024
3rd Annual Rosalynn Carter Luncheon
This luncheon further celebrates the Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival’s sister festival relationship with the Peanut Festival in Plains. Relatives and longtime friends of former President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter will be interviewed as part of the program for the luncheon that will take place during the festival in Marshfield, Missouri. Andrew Greer, eight-time Dove Award-nominated singer/songwriter, and producer will moderate. The fried chicken luncheon will reflect a southern menu. Read more
April 27, 2024
14th Annual Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival State Dinner
The 14th annual State Dinner will feature Clifton Truman Daniel, grandson of President Harry S. and Bess Truman, as the keynote speaker. His speech will be in honor of National First Ladies Day. This is a pink tie event. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Read more
April 27, 2024
Bush Family Home to Celebrate National First Ladies Day
The Bush Family Home State Historic Site will be commemorating the important role and contributions of first ladies in U.S. history by celebrating National First Ladies Day on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Bush Family Home, located at 1412 W. Ohio Ave., in Midland. There have been 46 first ladies in the United States and they have had a major impact on American history, society, and culture, including two who called Midland home. Read more
Through April 28, 2024
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Spring Native Plant Sale
Our spring plant sale features a variety of beautiful, resilient Texas native plants. Select your favorites and get gardening with help from our experts. Read more
May 10, 2024
Virtual Legacy Lecture - Helen Taft: Millennial First Lady with Patricia Taft
Could a first lady of the United States who lived more than 100 years ago influence today’s generation? Helen Taft’s millennial great-granddaughter Patricia Taft seeks to prove just that. Helen became first lady of the United States in 1909, yet her trailblazing practices, tactics, and policies remain directly applicable to today’s historical, cultural, and political climates. Most well-known for bringing the beloved cherry blossom trees to Washington D.C., Helen Taft was an especially progressive and political minded First Lady. Join the National First Ladies Library & Museum for a virtual legacy lecture about First Lady Helen Taft’s lasting legacy and influence with her direct descendant in this engaging program. Read more
May 14, 2024
The 28th Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum
The Carter Center hosts the annual in-person Georgia Mental Health Forum from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on May 14. Established in 1995, this event addresses timely mental health policy issues facing the state. Attendance is free, but pre-registration is required. Read more
May 14, 2024
Laura Bush Book Club with “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” Author Heather Morris
Mrs. Bush is excited to welcome Heather Morris to the Bush Center for the sixth “Laura Bush Book Club” edition of Engage at the Bush Center. Morris is the author of three novels, including The Tattooist of Auschwitz, a No. 1 international bestseller that sold more than 12 million copies in 47 languages and will soon be an original series on Peacock.
It has been described as a “beautiful, illuminating tale of hope and courage…based on interviews that were conducted with Holocaust survivor and Auschwitz-Birkenau tattooist Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov—an unforgettable love story in the midst of atrocity.” Anne Wicks, the Don Evans Family Managing Director, Opportunity and Democracy at the Bush Institute, will moderate the conversation. Read more
Through May 14, 2024
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Presents Tuesday Twilights
Seasonal happy hours featuring live music, food trucks, art installations and more. Read more
May 16, 2024
Third Thursdays Night Out with the First Ladies
The National First Ladies Library & Museum invites participants to enjoy a fabulous girls’ or date night out with appetizers and drink as it delves into what Abigail Fillmore, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Laura Bush all have in common — the fact that they were all teachers! Get an inside look into the newly opened 2024-25 featured exhibit, “Leaders in Literacy: First Ladies as Teachers, Librarians, and Educators” at our Third Thursdays Night Out with the First Ladies. Read more
May 18, 2024
The First Lady’s Hidden Hand: Mamie Eisenhower’s Approach to 1950s Politics with Dr. Stefanie Basalik
Mamie Doud Eisenhower was First Lady from 1953-1961. Like many first ladies, Mamie Eisenhower took her job as the nation's hostess seriously. What sets her apart from other contemporary first ladies was her subtle use of political strategy as a way to support her husband. Join Dr. Basalik to learn about how Mamie's marriage, her relationship with her grandchildren, her interactions with staff, and her influence on consumerism demonstrated her knack for the same hidden-hand approach to governing as her husband, General Eisenhower. This program will begin at 9:00 a.m. ET in the Ford Room at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. Read more
May 19, 2024
First Ladies Fine Dining: Jacqueline Kennedy
Jacqueline Kenndy was one of the most intelligent and elegant first ladies of all time. This carried over into her entertaining and her cooking. No one knew the right dish to serve at the right occasion like Jackie. Come cook and learn about this incredibly influential first lady and some of the recipes which contributed to her success as a hostess and becoming one of our most popular and researched first ladies. This is hands-on cooking classes with a lecture by Andrew Och, “The First Ladies Man.” Read more
May 20, 2024
Virtual First Ladies on the Page - Helen Taft: Our Musical First Lady
Whether they’re writing memoirs, digging into a novel, or promoting literacy, reading has been a big part of many first ladies’ lives. Join the National First Ladies Library & Museum for a discussion of a different first lady inspired book each season. We’ll explore fiction and non-fiction and examine some of the historical connections and issues highlighted in each book. We'll meet on Zoom for this discussion based, live program. This interactive program will not be recorded. Zoom info, questions, and pertinent links will be sent out to participants before the meeting. Read more