Caroline and Snowman

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Holidays at the White House

"The message of Christmas- the message of peace and good will towards all men- has been the guiding star of our endeavors."

 

President Kennedy, 1962

Holiday Cards to the Kennedys

Every December, the White House received holiday cards from all over the world. Each card was carefully saved by White House social staff, and is now housed at the JFK Library. At left is a card from Princess Grace and Prince Rainier, III, of Monaco.

View more holiday cards sent to the White House





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JFK and the African Student Airlift

"Education is, in truth, the only key to genuine African independence and progress."

— Senator John F. Kennedy, February 12, 1960

At a key point in the 1960 presidential campaign, a dynamic young leader from Kenya named Tom Mboya visited Senator John F. Kennedy. Mboya led a campaign of his own that would eventually bring hundreds of African students to America for higher education, including Barack Obama Sr., President Obama's father. Kennedy's decision to support the effort became an issue in the election and possibly a factor in his narrow victory.

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The Kennedy White House

Restoring the White House

Mrs. Kennedy soon set about making the White House into a real home for her family. She turned the sun porch on the third floor into a kindergarten school for Caroline and 12 to 15 other children, who came every morning at 9:30. There was also a swimming pool, a swing set, and a tree house on the White House lawn for Caroline and John Jr.

Mrs. Kennedy also thought about what the White House represented to its many visitors and to citizens everywhere. She wanted people to have a greater appreciation of the history of America's most famous residence and its past inhabitants. Her first major project as first lady was to restore and preserve the White House. She enlisted the aid of many experts, established a White House Fine Arts Committee, and created the post of White House curator. Gathering outstanding examples of American art and furniture from around the United States (including many items that had belonged to former presidents and their families), she restored all the public rooms in the White House. CBS Television asked Mrs. Kennedy to present a televised tour of the newly restored White House. Eighty million Americans watched the broadcast, and it earned Jacqueline Kennedy an honorary Emmy Award.

A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy - Feb. 14, 1962 (1 & 2 of 6) 

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The Kennedy Whitehouse: Jacqueline Kennedy Entertains

This video podcast was originally created to accompany the special exhibit, "Jacqueline Kennedy Entertains: The Art of the White House Dinner." The video was produced by David McSweeney of Tenor Technologies and narrated by Frank Rigg, Museum Curator Emeritus of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

Creator: Video produced by David McSweeney of Tenor Technologies. Narrated by Frank Rigg, Museum Curator Emeritus of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

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