Lady Bird Johnson met with Lassie in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden (Page 1 ) | August 5, 2024

Annonce:

On May 3, 1967, First Lady Lady Bird Johnson met with Lassie in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden of the White House at a ceremony celebrating Lassie’s role as a “poster dog” for Mrs. Johnson’s anti-littering campaign. Human participants at this event included President of Keep America Beautiful Reuben Perin, Secretary of Agriculture Orville Freeman, and actor Robert Bray.

Lassie, actually played by “Laddie,” the fourth in his generation to play the Lassie character, participated in the ceremony by taking a piece of crumpled paper off the ground and carrying it between his teeth to a wicker trash basket. He also presented the first lady with a bouquet of flowers in honor of her beautification efforts across the nation, dropping the flowers on the steps of the garden. Afterwards, Mrs. Johnson hosted the group for tea in the White House Library.

Both the press and White House staff enjoyed Lassie’s day at the White House. One White House staff member remarked that “Lassie was picked on his merits and he has the full support of the American Kennel Association. The President knows he will make a contribution to the United States.”

In this photo, First Lady Lady Bird Johnson shakes the paw of the famous Collie.

Image: Lyndon B. Johnson Library / NARA

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