The White House Easter Egg Roll: A History for All Ages, second edition

This colorfully illustrated history of the White House Easter Egg Roll tells the story of the beloved annual event in the president's backyard. Not just for children, readers of all ages will enjoy learning how the early egg rolls evolved into a long-standing tradition. More than seventy watercolors by artist John Hutton feature each first family—from President Hayes to President Trump—to welcome children to the festivities. Author Jonathan Pliska’s expertise as a White House landscape historian informs his exploration of how the White House Grounds serve as a perfect setting for egg rolling, as well as games, music, dancing, story-time and more.

It may have been First Lady Dolley Madison who first suggested the annual public
egg roll that children enjoyed on Capitol Hill for decades until they wore out their welcome in 1876. In 1878 President Rutherford B. Hayes came to the rescue and invited the children to roll their Easter eggs on the White House Grounds. With its sloped South Lawn and more than 18 acres of parkland, the grounds remain a perfect setting for what has become the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. As the celebration has grown beyond the traditional rolling of brightly dyed hard-boiled eggs to include such activities as “egg ball” during the Grover Cleveland presidency; maypole dances during the Herbert Hoover era; a petting zoo during the Jimmy Carter years; autographed eggs during the Ronald Reagan presidency; a focus on a healthy, active lifestyle during the Barack Obama presidency; educational activities during the Joe Biden presidency; and storytime with the first lady during the Donald Trump presidency. But one thing remains the same—guests enjoy a wonderful day full of fun and merriment with the first family.

For more information about our publications, please contact books@whha.org.