Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum closed on March 13, 2020, until further notice. The Education and Public Programs Team at the Nixon Library is pleased to remind you that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) continues to be an excellent source for entertaining and historical content! Simply follow the links below for additional information:
A Secret Visit
February 3, 2021, marks the 50th anniversary of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis's only visit to the White House since leaving the residence on December 6, 1963. Accompanied by her children Caroline, 13, and John, 10, the intimate 1971 visit was personally planned by First Lady Pat Nixon with the utmost care given to the privacy of the former first family. The occasion involved unveiling the finished Presidential and First Lady portraits of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy by artist Aaron Shikler, which were commissioned in 1961. To learn more about this historic occasion, visit this link from the White House Historical Association.
Portrait of former President John F. Kennedy by Aaron Shikler, 1970. Oil on canvas. White House Collection.
Portrait of former First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy by Aaron Shikler, 1970. Oil on canvas. White House Collection.
Presidential Daily Diary
The Daily Diary provides access to the official record of President Nixon's meetings and telephone calls. It includes daily appointment calendars, lists of attendees at official functions, and the passenger manifests for presidential transport. The President's Daily Diary for the evening of February 3, 1971, is shown below.
President's Daily Diary, February 3, 1971.
Caroline Kennedy Remembers a Visit to the Nixon White House
Gracious and Courteous
Jackie Kennedy Onassis was known for her thank you notes, an attribute she passed down to her children and displayed in the notes the Nixon family received in the weeks following their visit.
Thank you note from John F. Kennedy, Jr.:
Letter from John F. Kennedy, Jr., to the Nixon's regarding the White House visit, February 4, 1971. Nixon Foundation collections.
Thank you note from Caroline Kennedy:
Letter from Caroline Kennedy to Mrs. Nixon regarding the White House visit, February 4, 1971. Nixon Foundation collections.
Thank you note from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis:
Letter from Jackie Kennedy Onassis to President and Mrs. Nixon regarding the White House visit, February 4, 1971. Nixon Foundation collections.
The President's Response
Upon receiving the letters, President Nixon responded to each child, highlighting the conversations they shared. His letter to Caroline included the cuisine and her favorite subject of history.
White House Special Files, Staff Member and Office Files, President's Personal File, box 10, folder Kennedy, Caroline, John, and Jackie
The letter to John Jr. focused on the White House pets and a wish made in the Lincoln Bedroom coming true.
White House Special Files, Staff Member and Office Files, President's Personal File, box 10, folder Kennedy, Caroline, John, and Jackie
The President's response so touched Mrs. Onassis that she sent one more thank you note on March 16, 1971.
White House Special Files, Staff Member and Office Files, President's Personal File, box 10, folder Kennedy, Caroline, John and Jackie
Legacy
The time Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis spent in the White House was brief but her legacy lives on. Mrs. Kennedy had a vision of the White House becoming the epicenter of preservation and education. In support of this vision, First Lady Pat Nixon oversaw the renovation of numerous White House rooms and added more than 600 pieces of art and antiques to the White House. To learn more about the White House Historical Association, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Pat Nixon's contributions, please visit the links below.