President Franklin D. Roosevelt talks with National 4-H Camp delegates on the Mall, 1940. (Courtesy USDA.

During upcoming months the National 4-H History Preservation leadership team, working with staff at National 4-H Council, will be planning a photo gallery for display at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland. The gallery will show the many U.S. Presidents who were actively involved in 4-H activities over the years.

For over a century American Presidents have participated in a variety of 4-H activities and events. The first photograph we have of Presidential involvement with 4-H members is from 1912 when President William Howard Taft met with Ohio Corn Club champions when they visited him at the White House. Getting the attention of the President of the United States is no small feat and getting the President to attend or address your event is even more difficult. But 4-H over the years has been fortunate to have most of the Presidents fully aware, and involved in a variety of 4-H activities – from cutting the ribbon to officially open the National 4-H Center or hosting 4-H’ers at the White House to visiting 4-H projects at a county fair.

Photos of many of these encounters will become the central theme of this new photo gallery.

Although still in draft form, we are also placing on our 4-H history website, a new segment on U.S. Presidents and 4-H. Located in the National 4-H History section you can get there directly at http://4-HHistoryPreservation/History/U_S_Presidents/

Please take a look at the draft. If you are aware of a 4-H event directly involving a President which we have not included; please tell us about it. When and where did it take place? What was the occasion? do you have photos/captions which can be shared, or film/video coverage? contact the preservation team at: info@4-HHistoryPreservation.com