1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Hello and welcome to This Day in History Class, 3 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,759 Speaker 1: a show that shines a light on the overlooked moments 4 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: of everyday history. I'm Gabe Louzier, and today we're looking 5 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: at the origin of a holiday tradition in the US capital, 6 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: the lighting of the National Christmas Tree. The day was December. 7 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: President Calvin Coolidge pushed the button to light the first 8 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 1: National Christmas Tree of the United States. The ceremony was 9 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: held at the Ellipse, a small park just south of 10 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: the White House fence that's often used for public events 11 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: involving presidents. Coolidge's involvement lent a sense of validity to 12 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,919 Speaker 1: the event, but the idea for a national tree didn't 13 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: come from the White House. The initial proposal came from 14 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: Lucretia Walker Hardy, the acting director of the Community Center 15 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: Department for d C Public Schools. Hardy sent a letter 16 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: to the White House in late November of ninety three 17 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: proposing that a lighted Christmas tree be placed on the 18 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 1: south lawn of the White House on Christmas Eve. She 19 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: believed that the lighting of the tree could serve as 20 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: a winter event of quote national character similar to that 21 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: of the White House Easter egg roll that takes place 22 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: each spring. First Lady Grace Coolidge liked the idea, but 23 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: not the location. She had already committed to a caroling 24 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: event on the North Lawn and didn't want to have 25 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: dueling Christmas ceremonies on the White House Hounds. Mrs Coolidge 26 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: suggested the tree be placed at the Ellipse instead. Hardy 27 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: pushed back, saying that holding the event on the White 28 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: House grounds would grant the celebration quote a national significance 29 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: that it would not have otherwise. When the First Lady 30 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,639 Speaker 1: still wouldn't budge, Hardy back down and accepted the Ellipse. 31 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: Perhaps as a compromise, the President agreed to participate in 32 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 1: the event, thus lending it the national appeal that Hardy 33 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: had hoped for. Notably, she wasn't alone in her desire 34 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: to establish a national Christmas tree and to have the 35 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: President light it, and not everyone's motives were altruistic. The 36 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 1: dream was shared by the Society for Electrical Development in 37 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: New York City. The group was very interested in the 38 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: prospect of having the President show off the wonders of 39 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 1: electricity on a national stage. They hoped it would spur 40 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: a greater use of electricity throughout the country. It would 41 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: also be a chance to demonstrate that electric Christmas lights 42 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 1: could be made safe for outdoor use. Outdoor lights wouldn't 43 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 1: be made widely available to the public until nineteen twenty seven, 44 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: so the lighting ceremony in nineteen twenty three was something 45 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 1: of a glimpse into the not too distant future of 46 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: outdoor decorating. Several prominent members of the Society for Electrical 47 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: Development attended the lighting that year, and at least one 48 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: continued to serve on the events organizing committee for years 49 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: to come. That man, Frederick M. Fiker, later took credit 50 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: for the whole event. In nineteen thirty two, he wrote 51 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: a letter to his daughter Janet, saying, quote, I thought 52 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: of this idea of having the National Christmas Tree at Washington, 53 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: which would stimulate other people to have outdoor Christmas trees. 54 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: In order to get this started, we had to get 55 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: the President of the United States to light the tree. 56 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: If you get the President of the United States two 57 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: years in succession to do a thing, he will always 58 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: do it. In the end, the group raised five thousand dollars, 59 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: or nearly seventy five thousand dollars today to install underground 60 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: lighting cables for the tree's bulbs, and the ceremony went 61 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: on just as Fiker had planned. At five p m. 62 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: On that Christmas Eve, President Coolidge walked from the Oval 63 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: office to the ellipse, then pushed a button and lit 64 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: up a strand of twenty five hundred red, white, and 65 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: green Christmas lights. The tree itself was a forty eight 66 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: foot tall balsam fur, although some reports put the height 67 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: at sixty ft. It had been donated for the event 68 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:58,480 Speaker 1: by Paul D. Moody, the president of Middlebury College in Vermont, 69 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,679 Speaker 1: which happened to be the president's home state. The tree 70 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:06,359 Speaker 1: had been shipped express from Vermont, and the branches on 71 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 1: the lower ten feet had been damaged during the journey. 72 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 1: To help even things out, some branches were cut from 73 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 1: a nearby evergreen and then tied to the balsam fur. 74 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: The lighting was followed with performances by the Epiphany Church 75 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 1: Choir and the US Marine Band Quartet. More than five 76 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,720 Speaker 1: thousand spectators gathered for the ceremony, and it should be 77 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: noted that nearly all of them were white. At the time, 78 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: the city's public facilities were racially segregated. As a result, 79 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: Black residents were only permitted on park grounds to see 80 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: the National Christmas Tree after the white residents had dispersed 81 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 1: for the evening, which wasn't until just before midnight. This 82 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:56,479 Speaker 1: discrimination undermined the unifying spirit of a national Christmas Tree, 83 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: but African American residents were still able to find meaning 84 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: in the flawed symbol. Undaunted, they held an outdoor worship 85 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: service early that Christmas morning, and a choir composed of 86 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: singing groups from local community centers sang carols. The idea 87 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:17,240 Speaker 1: of a national Christmas Tree was a hit with the public, 88 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 1: so the ceremony was held again the following year, although 89 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: the tree's title was slightly altered to become the National 90 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 1: Community Christmas Tree. Coolidge, whom the press had nicknamed Silent Cow, 91 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: had refused to speak at the first lighting ceremony, but 92 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:38,920 Speaker 1: in nineteen four he agreed to give the briefest of statements, 93 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 1: saying quote, I accept this tree, and I will now 94 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:47,840 Speaker 1: light it, which he did. Coolidge had almost scrapped the 95 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 1: second year's ceremony because he didn't like the idea of 96 00:06:51,200 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 1: cutting down a new tree every year. He changed his 97 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 1: mind when it was suggested they could use a living 98 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:02,799 Speaker 1: tree instead. The event alternated between living trees and cut 99 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: trees donated from different states from nineteen twenty four until 100 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy three. From that point on, a living Christmas 101 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: tree planted in the Ellipse has been used for the celebration, 102 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: although the tree has been replaced from time to time 103 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: due to fungal disease. Beginning in nineteen twenty four, the 104 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: lighting ceremony was held in various locations on and around 105 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: the White House grounds. Finally, the ceremony returned to the 106 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: Ellipse for good in nineteen fifty four, when the event 107 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: was greatly expanded to include a whole assortment of Christmas trees. 108 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: As times changed, the ceremony gradually became the inclusive event 109 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 1: that it always should have been, welcoming visitors from all 110 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 1: backgrounds without restriction. When Coolidge lit the first outdoor national 111 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: Christmas tree, he kicked off a holiday tradition. It's been 112 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 1: followed by each succeeding president since nine. Justice Fiker had 113 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: hoped through periods of unity and division, through good times 114 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 1: and bad, the event has served as a yearly reminder 115 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: to practice peace and goodwill, and of course to use 116 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: lots and lots of electricity while you're at it. I'm 117 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: Gabe Bluesier and hopefully you now know a little more 118 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: about history today than you did yesterday. If you enjoy 119 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: today's show, consider following us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram 120 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: at td I HC Show, and if you have any 121 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:46,199 Speaker 1: comments or suggestions, feel free to send them my way 122 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 1: at this Day at I heart media dot com. Thanks 123 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 1: to Chandler Mays for producing the show, and thank you 124 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 1: for listening. I'll see you back here again tomorrow for 125 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: another Day in History Class m M. For more podcasts 126 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:10,439 Speaker 1: from I Heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 127 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.