Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by First Lady Jill Biden at the White House Historical Association 60th Anniversary Gala

New York, New York

Fred, your passion for history and culture shines through everything you do. Not only have you served our nation as part of our government, you continue to give back, keeping us informed, and working to preserve America’s history. 

So, thank you.  

And thank you to the board for having me tonight. I know you have many new members and I’m excited to get to know all of you.  

For the last ten months, I’ve had the honor of partnering with the White House Historical Association, just like the 11 other First Ladies before me.  

And although this pandemic has kept us physically apart, I’ve already seen the positive effects of this meaningful relationship.  

Stewart, your organization has been invaluable to my team. And I’m so excited to see all that we are going to do together.  

I will never forget the moment I stepped over the threshold of the White House on inauguration day. The mahogany doors closed behind us, and as we turned around, the grandeur of the front hall caught my breath. The crystal chandelier reflecting off the marble floor. The presidential seal above the Blue Room, reminding us of what it all meant. The exhilaration and pride the President and I both felt.  

But there have also been other moments this year that have stopped my breath. Quiet moments when I’m surprised to find ordinariness in an extraordinary place.  

Autumn has come to the White House. With Burgundy oaks and maples blazing over the grounds. And on these cool afternoons, I like to go to the Jackie Kennedy Garden. Looking out over the monuments that piece the clear blue sky. I grade my students’ essays—taking breaks to warm my hands on a cup of tea.  

Like so many Americans I grew up admiring the White House from afar—a symbol of American Leadership and strength. But now, I see it up close. And as I walk through the gardens or close the curtains of the solarium windows when the sun begins to set, I feel connected like never before to the humanity inside our history.  

The White House has always been more than a symbol, more than an office building or a museum. It’s a place that hums with life and changes with the moment.  

When the capital city was being built, George Washington decided to hold a national competition to choose a design for the President’s house. Architects, builders, and even poets sent in designs. They contained towers and turrets, courtly ball rooms and majestic domes—one even housed a throne. 

But a design by James Hoban stood out: not a palace, but a home, exactly what our first President wanted.  

Because George Washington understood that the heart of this newly created country, the values that shaped us and the power we would harness, came from America’s families—“We, the people.”  

Room by room, in marble mantles and timeless portraits, we can trace the steps of the women and men who walked the White House floors—whose decisions rippled across the world.  

And yet, in the shadows and slants of light, we can imagine those intimate moments that affected only those who felt them. The letters written in sitting room corners. The tumbling first steps of a grandchild or leisurely games of fetch with dogs on the South Lawn. The soft sounds of bedtime stories, floating down the hall. 

In May of this year, we celebrated our granddaughter’s college graduation in the Blue Room. And in June, our daughter’s birthday in the Rose Garden.  

We picked out a swing set for our little grandson to play on when he comes to visit.  

We’re beginning to feel at home—like so many families before us. Like your family, Caroline. Or your family, Lucy.  

First Ladies have always shaped the White House—from Lady Bird Johnson’s children’s garden to Pat Nixon’s collection of Americana to the historic restorations and artwork of Laura Bush and Michelle Obama.  

Tonight, we celebrate the foundation of this organization, the legacy of Jackie Kennedy, a First Lady who opened the White House to a larger audience than ever before.  

For 60 years, the White House Historical Association has helped us understand the rich, beautiful, and complicated history that has brought us here. From Native Americans who once inhabited the lands of the Presidential Park, to enslaved persons who labored to build the White House, to the families who called it home.  

As a teacher, I have always believed that education is the foundation of our democracy. That principle is reflected in the executive mansion and in the tireless work to preserve it. You, the Association, help us remember the past so that we can continue to build a nation that lives up to our own timeless ideals: the pursuit of justice and equality, the honor of service, and the strength of our unity. 

And as we make our way through the pandemic, the Association has helped our administration continue to connect with the people that we represent, through virtual guides and an ever-growing body of historical scholarship.  

All of you here tonight are helping to craft the next chapter of this work with your time, your talents, and your treasures. Thank you for your dedication to education and to honoring our country’s history.   

Since most Americans can’t yet visit the White House because of the pandemic, I have tried to bring the White House to them, traveling to almost 40 states in less than a year. On every trip—in small-town coffee shops and stunning museums—I am reminded of what makes our country special, how it’s elegantly unique and everchanging. 

And there is always a moment—often late at night after a trip back, my head filled with the stories I heard that day—when we drive up to the South Portico. The Virginia sandstone columns glow in the yellow light, and the arched doors open to welcome me home. I think about all the women who came before me and all the women—and yes, men—who will take my place. I think about how we shape this American symbol—this museum, this home.  

We all write America’s story with each passing day—and the White House Historical Association keeps our history alive. Together, we will work to open the doors of the White House wider and wider to more fully reflect the distinct beauty of all of our communities.  

Serving as your First Lady has been the honor of my life. And I promise that I will give my whole heart and soul to helping our home reflect the true promise and power of “We the People.” 

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