Oral history transcript, James R. Ketchum, interview 1 (I), 7/26/1978, by Michael L. Gillette

Title:

Oral history transcript, James R. Ketchum, interview 1 (I), 7/26/1978, by Michael L. Gillette

Number of Pages:

51

Description:

Ketchum’s early days in Washington D.C. and early contact with the Johnsons; Mrs. Johnson’ interest in the history of the White House; Mrs. Johnson’s sense of humor; Mrs. Johnson’s encounter with Eartha Kitt at the Women Doers’ Luncheon; Ketchum’s impressions of Eartha Kitt; Mrs. Johnson and porcelain Dorothy Doughty birds given to her as gifts; automobile privileges; Mrs. Kennedy taking a presidential desk; establishment of the Committee for the Preservation of the White House and Office of the White House Curator; White House furniture and decorating; Mrs. Kennedy in contrast to Mrs. Johnson on White House decorating projects; Mrs. Kennedy’s later contributions to White House preservation; Bill Benton; Alice Brown; specific members of the Committee for the Preservation of the White House; Jane Engelhard; the Johnson White House china; interaction with the Park Service, Smithsonian staff and commission of Fine Arts; what type of objects the White House collected; donation guidelines; presidential portraits; the Peter Hurd portrait; Eric Goldman; Arthur Schlesinger; White House Festival on the Arts; LBJ’s concept of family; LBJ’s interest in art and involvement in art acquisition; entertaining politicians at the White House.

Contributor:

Ketchum, James R.

Collection:

LBJ Library Oral Histories

Collection Description:

Go to List of Holdings

Series:

Transcripts of LBJ Library Oral Histories

See Also:

See all online interviews with James R. Ketchum

Relation:

Go to Interviewee bio page

Rights:

Possibly copyright restricted: see deed at end of transcript for details