Pat Nixon holding the Bible as Richard Nixon took the oath of office, 1969. Courtesy of Associated Press
In the weeks before the 1969 inauguration, press coverage of Pat Nixon often had the tone of catching up with an old friend. She had become a familiar public figure in the 1950s when her husband, Richard Nixon, served as Dwight Eisenhower’s vice president. Some articles noted her smart new designer clothes. Others reported speculation, later confirmed by Mrs. Nixon, that the former teacher’s projects would be education, along with job training and community self-help programs. Reporters remarked on her connection and appeal to middle-class America. They concluded that Pat Nixon, with her years of “on-the-job training,” would make the executive mansion a friendly and welcoming place for both foreign dignitaries and average American visitors.
“But the next First Lady will see to it that every visitor, whether it’s the littlest Girl Scout or the most regal potentate, is made to feel welcome.”
—Los Angeles Times, November 11, 1968
Gift of Mrs. Richard M. Nixon
Pat Nixon’s Inaugural Gown, 1969
Pat Nixon’s Inaugural Gown, 1969 (back)
Gift of Mrs. Richard M. Nixon
Pat Nixon's shoes
Pat Nixon in her inaugural gown, 1969
Gift of Mrs. Richard M. Nixon
Pat Nixon’s Inaugural Gown, 1969 (detail)
Gift of Mrs. Richard M. Nixon