If These Walls Could Talk // The White House

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Charleston Library Society

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If These Walls Could Talk // The White House

March 17 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

$10.00 – $15.00

As part of our ongoing reflection on our nation’s 250th Anniversary year, we have a unique opportunity to host Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association, for a special talk centered around 225 Years of the White House. Following the critical role played by South Carolina in the revolution, and given the specific local ties to Charleston-based architect James Hoban, there is no more appropriate moment or place to host this discussion than at the Charleston Library Society.

About Stewart McLaurin

Stewart D. McLaurin serves as president of The White House Historical Association, a private nonprofit, nonpartisan organization founded by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961 to share and preserve the rich history of the White House. The Association works to fulfill Mrs. Kennedy’s vision through its mission of enhancing the understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the Executive Mansion. Now in his twelfth year as president, under his leadership, the Association’s cultural and educational programming has been expanded through award-winning books, popular video series, national teacher engagement, and virtual and in-person programming. Embracing cutting-edge and creative ways to convey rich content to growing audiences, Stewart has worked to ensure that White House history will be preserved for future generations. A key milestone in Stewart’s tenure as president occurred in September of 2024, when the Association opened a cutting-edge, technology-based educational center, The People’s House: A White House Experience, to further promote the story of the executive Mansion, its inhabitants, and the people who have dedicated their careers to White House service. The 33,000-square-foot The People’s House: A White House Experience was conceptualized and executed in an impressive 20 months. Stewart is the host of The White House 1600 Sessions, the Association’s award-winning official audio and video podcast with over 100 episodes devoted to exploring the history, cultural impact, untold stories, and personal accounts of America’s most iconic residence and highest office. He is a member of the USA Today Board of Contributors, writing a monthly column on the history of the White House and our nation’s presidents and first ladies. He is the author of the 2021 anthology James Hoban: Designer and Builder of the White House, which presents the life and work of the Irish-American architect who was handpicked by George Washington to design the President’s House. And he has authored a children’s book on the same topic. In September 2025, the Association published Stewart’s The People’s House Miscellany: A Treasury of White House History, Fun Facts, and Things to Know. He has held leadership roles with national nonprofit and higher education organizations, including George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, the Motion Picture Association of America, Georgetown University, and the American Red Cross. Stewart serves on the National Trust for Scotland USA Foundation; the Catawba College Board of Trustees; the Concordia Advisory Council; Purdue University’s Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy Advisory Council; the Charleston Symposium Advisory Board; and the Metropolitan Club Preservation Foundation. Having served as her chief of staff at the American Red Cross, Stewart was a founding board member of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. Stewart graduated from the University of Alabama in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American History and Political Science. A proud Crimson Tide fan, he is an avid supporter of Alabama football and can often be found in Tuscaloosa cheering on the team at home games. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy said of Stewart, “I’m sorry my mother didn’t get a chance to work with you since you seem to run at her speed.”

About The White House Historical Association

The White House Historical Association is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization founded by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961 to help The White House collect and exhibit the best artifacts of American history and culture. Today, our mission of acquisition, preservation, and education continues through private donations and the sale of books, products, and the Official White House Christmas Ornament.