A Brief History of White House State Dinners

The Table is Set For many years, long banquet tables, like this one, set for a 1902 dinner in honor of Prince Henry of Prussia, were the
The White House Historical Association (White House Collection)

The Table is Set
For many years, long banquet tables, like this one, set for a 1902 dinner in honor of Prince Henry of Prussia, were the norm. The custom of breaking up the room into circular tables was started by Jacqueline Kennedy. Her arrangement accommodated more guests — around 120 to 130 — and permitted the hosts to break away from the strict rules of protocol that comes from a formal seating arrangement.

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