We're All Shook Up For Elvis, RN Birthday Exhibit

Includes Lecture by White House Staffer Bud Krogh, Author of The Day Elvis Met Nixon

The President and the King

January 4, 2007

The historic 1970 White House meeting of Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon will be commemorated in a special exhibit opening on Elvis’ birthday, Monday, January 8, highlighted with the sartorial choices of the President and the King.

Opening day events include a lecture by special guest Egil “Bud” Krogh, the assistant to President Nixon who staffed the Elvis-RN meeting and recalled the events in his book, The Day Elvis Met Nixon, writing:  “I had prepared a memo for the President with a summary of Elvis’ letter and some talking points for their visit, but who knew where this was going to go? We got the memo back from Bob Haldeman – he’d written on it, ‘You Must Be Kidding,’ but approved the meeting anyway, and I called Elvis back over.”

Krogh’s lecture begins at 10:30 a.m. and is free and open to the public.

On special loan from Graceland, the exhibit will highlight the black velvet suit, boots, wing-collared white shirt and gold, diamond-studded belt worn by Elvis Presley during his White House drop-by December 21, 1970.  The statesmanlike gray suit and tasteful tie worn by the 37th President also will be displayed.   
 
Elvis would have been 72 on January 8, and President Nixon 94 on January 9.  The iconic photo of their White House meeting is the most requested image from the National Archives. 

The King requested the meeting in a hand-written letter on American Airlines stationery, which he presented to a startled guard at the northwest gate of the White House.   Dear Mr. President, he wrote:  First, I would like to introduce myself. I am Elvis Presley and admire you and have great respect for your office . . . Sir, I can and will be of any service that I can to help the country out…

The display also will include the gifts exchanged by the two iconic figures, from Elvis a commemorative World War II Colt 45 pistol in a presentation case, as well as family photos, and from RN, a set of Presidential cufflinks and an honorary Bureau of Narcotics Special Assistant badge requested by Elvis for his collection.

 The exhibit closes April 9, 2007.

CLICK HERE to see the National Archive's online presentation, When Nixon Met Elvis.