On Tuesday, September 19, 1961, President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy hosted a dinner at the White House in honor of President Manuel Prado Ugarteche and First Lady Clorinda Málaga de Prado of Peru. Known as the Peruvian State Dinner, among the invited guests were two Metropolitan Opera stars, Mr. Jerome Hines and Miss Roberta Peters, both of whom performed for the dinner guests that evening at the White House.
This historic, one-of-a-kind display memorializes this magical evening with a preserved collection of presidential ephemera along with a signed letter from First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to Jerome Hines, thanking Mr. Hines for his performance. The letter is on White House stationery, and bears a hand-signature reading “Jacqueline Kennedy”, which is either signed by the First Lady, or by her secretary on her behalf.
The letter from First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to Jerome Hines is dated September 22, 1961 and reads, in part:
Dear Mr. Hines,
It was such a pleasure to listen to your magnificent singing at the Peruvian State Dinner. This is a sentiment shared by The President and myself, and by everyone of our distinguished guests that evening.
We are grateful to your having come to Washington to sing for us. Your performance added a great note of distinction to the evening, and The President and I join in expressing our appreciation.
With all best wishes to you and Mrs. Hines.
Sincerely,
Jacqueline Kennedy
In addition to the personal Thank You letter to Mr. Hines, the framed collection also includes:
These items come mounted in their original, vintage presentation in a golden wood frame, freshened with the addition of new, gold custom matting surrounding the original mounting, and with fresh papering on verso. Framed size measures 17" in height x 30-1/2" width.
These links provide insights and images into the evening and era of The Peruvian State Dinner at the White House, memorialized in this beautiful presentation:
https://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKWHP-KN-C18880.aspx
https://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/Archives/JFKWHP-KN-C18877.aspx
“Don’t let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot.” —Jacqueline Kennedy, recounting her husband’s favorite line from Camelot, as emblematic of the Kennedy Presidency
Size: 17" in height x 30-1/2" width