Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis July 28, 1929 - May 19, 1994

“If [our children] are not inspired by the past of our city, where will they find the strength to fight for her future?” Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jackie Kennedy visited the with her mother and sister, as a tourist, when she was 12. She was surprised that the building didn’t contain many antiques, or pieces of furniture and art from past. When she arrived at the White House as first lady, she vowed to transform the people’s house into a living museum. She searched for furniture, artwork, and artifacts that represented the building’s past. For example, she discovered a desk made out of wood from a British sailing ship that was presented to President Hayes by in 1878. The resolute desk is now the most recognizable piece of furniture in the , where the president works.

Jackie Kennedy brought the President’s Resolute Desk back to the White House when she was a first lady.

205 Market Avenue South | Canton, Ohio 44702 | (330) 452-0876 | firstladies.org She also established the White House Historical wanted to build a Society. The curators and staff at the White House skyscraper at the Grand Historical Society work to protect and teach about Central Terminal site. the White House and its artifacts. With their help, “Dear Mayor Beame… Jackie created the first White House guidebook. is it not cruel to let our She also hosted a television special featuring a city die by degrees, tour of the White House. Over 56 million people stripped of all her proud tuned in and Jackie even won an honorary Emmy moments, until there is for the special. nothing left of all her history and beauty to inspire After leaving the White House, Jackie’s passion our children? If they are not inspired by the past for preservation remained. She used her celebrity of our city, where will they find the strength to status to help protect other important buildings, fight for her future? Americans care about their past, but for short term gain they ignore it and including Grand Central Terminal, a Beaux-Arts tear down everything that matters…” train station built in 1913. In 1978 Jackie also rode the Landmark Express Jackie wrote a from to Washington D.C. to stir up letter to the mayor interest in the plight of Grand Central Terminal. of New York City Jackie and her partners eventually won their fight to encourage him to keep Grand Central, but they had to go all the to fight against way to the Supreme Court. landowners who

Through her promotion of preservation, Jackie changed the way we think about objects and buildings from the past.

205 Market Avenue South | Canton, Ohio 44702 | (330) 452-0876 | firstladies.org Practicing Preservation

The National Park Service and White House Historical Society are two Pretend your bedroom is a museum. Create a organizations committed to preserving museum label for an object in your room. land and historic sites. If you could What are important dates for the object? When choose a site that you care about to was it made and when did you get it? What do protect, what would it be? you want visitors to know about the object? Imagine you’re giving a tour of your house, just like Jackie gave television audiences a tour of the White House. What rooms would you share with your audience? What objects would you highlight on your tour? Jackie wrote a passionate letter to the mayor advocating for preserving Grand Central. Have you ever written a letter to a politician about an issue you care about? What would speak up about? Who would you write to? To Read: Just Being Jackie by Margaret Cardillo When Jackie Saved Grand Central: the True Story of Jacqueline Kennedy’s Fight for an American Icon by Natasha Wing Who Was Jacqueline Kennedy? by Bonnie Bader The White House for Kids: A History of a Home, Office, and National Symbol, with 21 Activities by Katherine L. House

205 Market Avenue South | Canton, Ohio 44702 | (330) 452-0876 | firstladies.org