The White House: The First Two Hundred Years.

Abstract

Since the cornerstone was laid on October 13, 1792, the history of the White House has mirrored the American experience. In many ways, the White House represents living history, a beautiful and powerful symbol of American political culture. In this collection, historians and journalists reflect on and assess the first two hundred years of the White House to provide insights into the evolution of the people's house from its limited role in a struggling new nation to its present role as the embodiment of America's view of the presidency. Among the topics addressed are the ways in which presidents shaped and reflected national taste in the arts, how the national tragedy of the Civil War translated into a personal ordeal for the Lincoln family, the changing public roles of the First Ladies, the White House as a site for protests, and the often manipulative relationship between the media and the presidency. These papers are an outgrowth of the two-hundredth anniversary symposium sponsored by the White House Historical Association.