April 22
EGG ROLL DAY
On this day in 1878, the first Egg Roll was held on the grounds of the White House in Washington, DC. The first president on hand for the first Egg Roll was Rutherford B. Hayes. He and his wife Lucy made it an official event. It has been held every year since, except during the war years of WWI and WWII through 1953. The president who brought the tradition back in 1953 was Dwight D. Eisenhower. In truth, there had been egg rolls in Washington, D.C. as far back as the mid-1860s, but they had been held on the rolling green hills of the Capitol Building. Since the grounds of the Capitol were looking pretty shabby after the 1876 Easter event, the U.S. Congress passed a law preventing the lawns at the Capitol from being used for any children’s activities ... including egg hunting and rolling. Rain washed out the first opportunity for a White House egg roll in 1877. But, President Hayes came to the children’s rescue for the next year’s Easter Monday.
Today, the Egg Roll is still held the day after Easter on the South Lawn of the White House, hosted by the President of the United States and the First Lady. The Vice President and his wife also attend the event as do other noted celebrities, including the official White House Easter Bunny. The Egg Roll usually follows a traditional Easter Egg Hunt on the grounds, as well. Roll on!
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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