Partner Organization 2019-2023
The Association does this work in a variety of ways, including through outreach to K-12 educators nationwide. Our educational outreach efforts include creation of digital resources like Classroom Resource Packets and LibGuides, professional development programs like Teach the District and the White House History Teacher Institute, and strategic partnerships with organizations like National History Day and Untold.
The White House Historical Association offers a variety of digital resources for K-12 educators including classroom resources and teacher professional development programs.
Our digital resources include:
Finally, in addition to all of our resources, we serve educators in our community through professional development. Our in person programs include the White House History Teacher Institute. At different points throughout the year, we may also offer virtual PD opportunities. You can learn about those via our email newsletter and our social media.
In addition to K-12 Educator Resources, the White House Historical Association has an abundance of resources meant for sharing information about the White House with the public. Those resources include:
We also host virtual and in person events including lectures and conferences. Learn more about our events here.
While a tour of Decatur House is a great way to learn more about the space, we could never fit all of the information we have into a 1-hour tour. You can learn more about Decatur House using the following collections which feature articles, photos, and more:
Below, you'll find a copy of the slides shared by Lina Mann during her overview of Decatur House before the tour.
Resurrection is a painting by Alma Thomas (1891-1978), who was an educator and artist in Washington, D.C. for most of her career. She was a member of the Washington Color School and committed herself to expanding opportunities for artists. In 1938, she organized the first art gallery in the D.C. public school system. Thomas worked with her former professor turned colleague, James V. Herring, as well as Alonzo J. Aden to create the Barnett-Aden Gallery in 1943—one of the first African American art galleries in the United States. This painting was unveiled as part of the White House Collection during Black History Month in 2015 and is the first in this collection by an African American woman. Thomas was born in Columbus, Georgia but spent almost her entire life in Washington D.C., becoming the first graduate of Howard University's art department and teaching art at Shaw Junior High School for 35 years.
Resurrection serves as a jumping off point for many conversations rooted in history of the White House. Here are some suggested topics and associated resources:
In this photograph President Calvin Coolidge meets with the Sioux Indian Republican Club of the Rosebud Reservation on White House grounds. Coolidge had invited several Native American delegations to the White House to commemorate the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act. On March 10, 1925, when this photograph was taken, Coolidge had invited over twenty Native Americans to visit the White House, three of whom were descendants of Sitting Bull, the Sioux leader who defeated General Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn. This invitation signaled to the public that President Coolidge was in support of Native American citizenship and stood behind the Indian Citizenship Act.
This image of Coolidge and the Chiefs of the Sioux can initiate conversations about other topics in history such as....
The White House Historical Association is also in the process of working with teachers to create more resources about Native American history so check back periodically to see our newest resources!
This photograph was taken on March 11, 1965, when twelve protesters organized a sit-in demonstration at the White House concerning the recent events in Selma, Alabama. On March 7, 1965, in Selma, Alabama civil rights demonstrators were brutally attacked by law enforcement during their nonviolent march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on their way to Montgomery, the state capital. On March 11, these twelve protestors arrived at the White House to address this occurrence of violence towards African Americans
This image is simply one example of a demonstration in the Civil Rights Era and one example of a demonstration that has taken place in or near the White House. There are many more protests to explore and you can do so by using the following resources:
On May 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy addressed the women of the Campaign Conference for Democratic Women on the White House South Lawn. In his speech, Kennedy highlighted the importance of women voters for the congressional election of 1962 stating, “So I ask you today to recognize that you are vitally needed, that your work from now to November is vitally important…”
In this photo, we can see that President Kennedy valued the votes of white, Democratic women. This can serve as a starting point for more conversations about women's suffrage but also suffrage generally and voting disparities we still see today. Consider exploring topics such as:
Of course, we can take this conversation to the present by discussing what voting looks like for residents of Washington, DC and other US territories. What about the impact of age, citizenship, or previous experiences with incarceration? Many groups historically and presently are excluded from voting by the law.
The White House Historical Association has a few resources to provide more information about the history of voting rights through the lens of the White House. These include an article and a podcast on women picketing the White House in support of the 19th Amendment and an article about how the NAACP worked with many presidents to advocate for voting rights for Black Americans.
Finally, you can read an overview of voting rights in America with this blog post from the National Constitution Center.