A Brief History of White House State Dinners

Dinner for Dignitaries
From the very beginning of its history, the White House has served as the setting of official dinners hosted by presidents. In the early 19th century, the term "state dinner" was used to denote any affair that honored the president's cabinet, Congress or other dignitaries. Beginning with the administration of Ulysses S. Grant, however, the term came to mean a dinner hosted by the president in honor of a visiting head of state.

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