-
John Quincy Adams
The first photograph of a sitting president was actually taken of William Henry Harrison, but has since been lost. This portrait is the earliest surviving photograph of a president, even though it was taken after Adams left office. The photograph was taken as a daguerreotype by Philip Haas in Adams’ Massachusetts home. This photo was taken in March of 1843 but the exact date is unknown. Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art -
Abraham Lincoln
Matthew Brady made this portrait of Lincoln before he made the Cooper Union speech. This image was reproduced by many publications in woodcuts to illustrate their stories and thus became the first portrait used to promote a presidential campaign. After securing the Republican nomination, Lincoln credited part of his success to this photo. -
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt with the Rough Riders, the name given by the press to the First US Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, which Roosevelt helped to form. This photo was taken after the Rough Riders’ famous charge on Kettle Hill, which was a miraculous victory that cost a large number of lives. -
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt pictured as he broadcasted his first ever Fireside Chat. Fireside Chats were radio broadcasts from 1933-1944 intended to increase public morale during the Great Depression. His position behind the desk is very strategic -- he suffered from a paralytic illness that made him wheelchair bound. -
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman holds high The Chicago Daily Tribune declaring his loss to Republican Thomas Dewey in the 1948 presidential election, despite Truman actually winning the race. This exemplifies the rush the media was in to be the first to break a story, despite its accuracy. -
Dwight D. Eisenhower
President Dwight D. Eisenhower addresses the nation on television giving his “Farewell Address”. In this address, Eisenhower frankly discussed the “military-industrial complex” and the cost of the defense budget. Televised broadcasts gained prominence during Eisenhower’s presidency and he adapted to provide good visuals. -
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy, the 35th US president, was assassinated on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. This particular photo was taken minutes before he was assassinated. It is one of the last photos taken of JFK. Elected in 1961, JFK was President during the civil rights movement. Kennedy actively supported the Civil Rights Movement and wanted racial integration. His assassination shook the nation and this photo captured his final moments of life. -
Richard Nixon
On August 9, 1974 Richard Nixon became the first US president to resign from office. This photo was taken as he was boarding a helicopter immediately after his resignation. Nixon is giving a final salute to his staff members. If Nixon did not resign, he would have been impeached for the watergate scandal. Watergate was huge political scandal involving the Nixon administration during the 1972 election. -
Gerald Ford
This is a photo of President Gerald Ford pardoning former President Richard Nixon of all offenses against the United States during the period of his presidency. There is scandal regarding this pardon because Ford was Nixon’s Vice President during his presidency. His intentions were to put the tragic and disruptive scandal behind all concerned. His decision was condemned by many Americans and could have contributed to his failure to get re-elected in 1976. -
Ronald Reagan
President Reagan waving to the crowd after giving a speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin. During his speech, Reagan had told Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall, the barrier dividing the east and west half of Germany’s capital. The Berlin Wall was seen as the defining symbol of oppression during the Cold War and Reagan's statement was seen as an important push for freedom. -
Bill Clinton
President Clinton thanks Democratic members of the House of Representatives for voting against his impeachment and vowing to complete his term. A vote was put forward to impeach Clinton after it was revealed he had had personal indiscretions with a White House intern. Clinton was ultimately acquitted becoming the second sitting United States President to be formally charged with a crime and subsequently declared not guilty. -
Barack Obama
In this photo, President Barack Obama, along with Vice President Joe Biden and members of the national security team, receive news that the mission against Osama Bin-Laden was a success and that the leader and founder of al-Qaeda was dead. al-Qaeda was the organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Over 3,000 people were killed.
