1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 2: Hello and Welcome to This Day in History Class, a 3 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 2: show for those who can never know enough about history. 4 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 2: I'm Gabe Lucier, and in this episode, we're looking at 5 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 2: the day when Jackie Kennedy invited the American public into 6 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:38,480 Speaker 2: the White House through the miracle of television. The day 7 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 2: was February fourteenth, nineteen sixty two. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy 8 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 2: gave the first televised tour of the White House. In 9 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 2: the hour long primetime special, the First Lady guided CBS 10 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 2: correspondent Charles Collingwood through the recently restored executive mansion. She 11 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 2: had spearheaded the building's two million dollar renovation as a 12 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 2: way to honor its rich history and to bolster national 13 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 2: pride during a rocky stretch of the Cold War. The 14 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 2: televised tour allowed Jackie Kennedy to share the fruits of 15 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 2: her labor with the public, but it also gave her 16 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 2: a platform to tactfully encourage other donors to contribute to 17 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 2: the ongoing project. In nineteen forty one, Jacqueline Kennedy made 18 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 2: her first visit to the White House as a tourist, 19 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 2: with her mother and sister. She enjoyed the experience, but 20 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 2: was disappointed by the lack of historical furnishings on display. 21 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 2: Most of the furniture and artwork was owned by the 22 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:43,039 Speaker 2: current sitting president, which gave the impression that only one 23 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 2: family had ever lived there. Worse still, there wasn't even 24 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 2: a guidebook to fill in the gaps about the house's history. 25 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 2: Twenty years later, Jackie Kennedy returned to the White House 26 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 2: just ahead of her husband's inauguration, and she was discouraged 27 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: to find that nothing much changed. All these people come 28 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 2: to see the White House, she told Life magazine that September, 29 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 2: and they see practically nothing that dates back before nineteen 30 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 2: forty eight. The reason for that is that prior to 31 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 2: the Kennedys, American presidents would either take their furnishings with 32 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 2: them at the end of their terms, or donate them 33 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 2: or sell them at auction. Occasionally, pieces would be left 34 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 2: behind and then stored away in government facilities in Washington, 35 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 2: d c. But there was little thought given to preserving 36 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 2: them or even keeping track of which items were stored where. 37 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 2: Jackie Kennedy would help change those policies in nineteen sixty 38 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 2: one by championing legislation to establish a permanent collection of 39 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 2: White House furnishings. Under that new law, anything that is 40 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 2: given to or bought by the White House becomes part 41 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 2: of its collection, and if an incoming first family doesn't 42 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 2: want a particular piece, it goes to the Smithsonian for 43 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 2: safe keeping. That was helpful going forward, but Missus Kennedy 44 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 2: didn't stop there. She also made it her mission to 45 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 2: track down objects that had once occupied the White House 46 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 2: so that they wouldn't go missing for good. Shortly after 47 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 2: becoming First Lady, she established a White House Fine Arts 48 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 2: Committee for that task. It was composed of experts in 49 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 2: historic preservation and decorative arts. Everything in the White House 50 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 2: must have a reason for being there, she said, it 51 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 2: would be sacrilege merely to redecorate it, a word I hate. 52 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 2: It must be restored, and that has nothing to do 53 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 2: with decoration. That is a question of scholarship. Missus Kennedy 54 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 2: and her committee located dozens of artifacts owned by previous 55 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 2: presidents and convinced many of the owners to donate them 56 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 2: to the White House. She also personally explored each White 57 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 2: House storage room, uncovering forgotten items that had once belonged 58 00:03:55,520 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 2: to Presidents Washington, Lincoln, Madison, and Hayes. The goal with 59 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 2: these recovered relics was to transform the White House into 60 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 2: a showcase for the country's artistic history, or she called 61 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 2: it a living museum. To fulfill this vision, Missus Kennedy 62 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 2: founded the White House Historical Association, a private nonprofit created 63 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 2: in partnership with the National Park Service. Once the organization 64 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:25,160 Speaker 2: was up and running, she filled its advisory boards with 65 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 2: wealthy art collectors, ensuring that it would always have a 66 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: steady source of donations to fund its projects. She also 67 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:36,280 Speaker 2: oversaw the publication of the first official White House Guidebook, 68 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 2: with all profits from its sale going toward the restoration project. 69 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 2: As the initial stage of the restoration drew to a 70 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 2: close in early nineteen sixty two, Jackie Kennedy agreed to 71 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 2: conduct a tour of the executive mansion to be televised 72 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 2: on Valentine's Day. The hour long TV special was produced 73 00:04:55,640 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 2: through a rare collaboration between the three major networksbs US 74 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 2: produce the documentary with its own Charles Collingwood as the 75 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 2: on screen host, but ABC and NBC shared in the 76 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 2: production costs in exchange for the right to air the 77 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 2: finished product. The unscripted interview began and what was the 78 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 2: working room for the restoration, where various items were being 79 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 2: inspected for possible inclusion in the state rooms. After a 80 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 2: brief greeting from Charles Collingwood, Missus Kennedy explained her inspiration 81 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 2: for the project and what she hoped to achieve. Missus Kenny, 82 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:30,559 Speaker 2: take a listen. 83 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 3: I want to thank you for letting us visit your 84 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 3: official home. This is obviously the room from which much 85 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 3: of your work on it is directed. 86 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 4: Yes, it's attic and seller all in one. Since our 87 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,760 Speaker 4: work started, we received hundreds of letters every day. This 88 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 4: is where we evaluate all the finds, see if we 89 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 4: want to keep them, if they fit into our budget. 90 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 3: Missus Kennedy, every First Lady and every administration since President 91 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 3: Madison's time has made changes greater or smaller in the 92 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 3: White House. Before we look at any of the changes 93 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 3: you've made. What's your basic plan? 94 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 4: Well, I really don't have one, because I think this 95 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,919 Speaker 4: house will always grow and should. It just seemed to 96 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 4: be such a shame when we came here to find 97 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,799 Speaker 4: hardly anything of the past in the house, Hardly anything 98 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 4: before nineteen two I know when we went to Columbia 99 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 4: the Presidential Palace there as all the history of that 100 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,719 Speaker 4: country in it, where Simon Boliva was. Every piece of 101 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:29,960 Speaker 4: furniture in it has some link with the past. I 102 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 4: thought the White House should be like that. 103 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 2: The first Lady had studied diligently in preparation for the cameras. 104 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:40,599 Speaker 2: She wrote all her own talking points for each item 105 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 2: on the tour and memorized them in advance so that 106 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 2: she wouldn't need cue cards. Poised and confident, she spoke 107 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 2: with a commanding knowledge of everything, from a sofa that 108 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 2: belonged to Dolly Madison to a pair of chairs originally 109 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 2: owned by Martin Van Buren and later sold by Mary 110 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 2: Todd Lincoln following her husband's assassin. Kennedy was also careful 111 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 2: to note the provenance of each item, including the person 112 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 2: who had donated it back to the White House. This 113 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 2: clever tactic not only ensured that each contributor received due credit, 114 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 2: but also encouraged others in the same circles to make 115 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 2: their own donations in hopes of getting a nod from 116 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 2: Missus Kennedy. At the end of the tour, JFK made 117 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 2: a brief appearance to offer his take on his wife's work. 118 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: Here's a clip. 119 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 3: Missus Kennedy has been showing us about the White House 120 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 3: and all the changes that she's made therein What do 121 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 3: you think of the changes that she's made? 122 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 5: Well, I think the great effort that she's made has 123 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 5: been to bring us much more intimately in contact with 124 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 5: all the men who lived here. After all, history is 125 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 5: a people, and particularly in great moments of our history, presidents. 126 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 5: So when we have, as we do today, Grant's table 127 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 5: on Lincoln's bed and Rose a gold set, all these 128 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 5: make these men much more alive. So I think it 129 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 5: makes the White House a strong or panorama really of 130 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 5: our great story. 131 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 2: A Tour of the White House with Missus John F. 132 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 2: Kennedy aired simultaneously on CBS and NBC on February fourteenth, 133 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 2: nineteen sixty two. It was then rebroadcast on ABC four 134 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 2: nights later. According to the Nielsen Ratings Company, the combined 135 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 2: viewership for the special was about fifty six million people, 136 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 2: which meant that more Americans had seen the White House 137 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 2: through that program than had visited the landmark in its 138 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: entire history up to that date. The tour was so 139 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 2: well received that Missus Kennedy was awarded an honorary Emmy 140 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 2: for her role in its production. The special was also 141 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 2: subsequently aired around the world, serving as a kind of 142 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 2: propaganda piece, not only for the US itself, but for 143 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 2: the young glamorous couple who were currently at the country's helm. Today, 144 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 2: the White House Historical Association continues to advance the mission 145 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 2: that Missus Kennedy started its partners, and that task may 146 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 2: not always be as charming or astute as Jackie Kennedy, 147 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 2: but thanks to the foundation she laid, the organization is 148 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 2: well equipped to safeguard its priceless trove of presidential treasures, 149 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 2: regardless of who currently occupies the ovalows. I'm Gabe Lucier 150 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 2: and hopefully you now know a little more about history 151 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:36,079 Speaker 2: today than you did yesterday. You can learn even more 152 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 2: about history by following us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram 153 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 2: at TDI HC Show, and if you have any feedback 154 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 2: you'd like to share, feel free to pass it along 155 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:51,559 Speaker 2: by writing to this day at iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks 156 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 2: to Chandler Mays for producing the show, and thanks to 157 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 2: you for listening. I'll see you back here again tomorrow 158 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 2: for another day in History. Class, the 159 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:03,959 Speaker 1: B