FIRST LADIES & THE WHITE HOUSE: INITIATIVES AND IMPACT

THE RICHARD NIXON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM AND RICHARD NIXON FOUNDATION HOST SYMPOSIUM THAT EXPLORES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FIRST LADY’S ROLE AND THE WHITE HOUSE IN AMERICAN CULTURE.

YORBA LINDA, CA – The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum and the Richard Nixon Foundation will host First Ladies & The White House: Initiatives & Impact, a symposium of historians, authors, and Nixon Administration officials, on Tuesday, March 11, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (PST). This unique gathering will explore the importance of the First Lady’s role and the symbolism of the White House in American culture. It will be live-streamed for a national audience in conjunction with First Lady Pat Nixon’s 113th birthday celebrations.

The day will include two panels covering the following subjects:

• A look into the role of the First Lady and how it changed drastically, beginning with Eleanor Roosevelt and continuing today. What impact did First Lady Pat Nixon have on the evolving nature of this role?
• This highlights Pat Nixon’s work to restore and renovate the White House and add to its legacy. How did her efforts enhance its historical significance?

“I can’t imagine a more fitting way to honor Pat Nixon,” said Library Director Tamara Martin, “than by showcasing her impact as First Lady and the dedication she showed in restoring and renovating the White House.”

“First Lady Pat Nixon was a trailblazer. Her restoration efforts shaped the White House as we know it today,” said Joe Lopez, Acting President and CEO of the Richard Nixon Foundation. “She truly made it The People’s House, and this symposium will shine a light on her many accomplishments.”

Confirmed participants include:

• Alan Lowe, Host and producer of American POTUS and FLOTUS podcasts; Executive Director of the American Museum of Science and Energy and K-25 Atomic History Center.
• Heath Hardage Lee, Author of The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon: The Life and Times of Washington’s Most Private First Lady (St. Martin’s Press, 2024)
• Nancy Kegan Smith, Retired director of the Presidential Materials Division at the National Archives and Records Administration and author.
• Anita McBride, Director of the First Ladies Initiative at American University, School of Public Affairs.
• Diana B. Carlin, Professor Emerita of Communications at Saint Louis University.
• Lina Mann, Historian at the White House Historical Association.
• Donna Hayashi-Smith, White House Curator.
• Patrick Phillips-Schrock, Author of THE WHITE HOUSE: AN ILLUSTRATED ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY (2013) and THE NIXON WHITE HOUSE ACQUISITION AND REDECORATION PROGRAM: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY (2016).
• Robert Klara, Journalist and author of three critically acclaimed books, including The Hidden White House: Harry Truman and the Reconstruction of America’s Most Famous Residence.
• Robert Bostock, Curator, Pat Nixon Centennial Exhibit
• Matthew Costello, Chief Education Officer and Director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History.

This event is free and open to the public. It will be held in the East Room, and lunch along with a complimentary self-guided museum tour will be included. However, space is limited, so make a reservation here.

The symposium can be viewed live on YouTube at youtube.com/richardnixonlibrary, and youtube.com/nixonfoundation.

Media Contact:
Joe Lopez
[email protected]

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