Happy birthday, Jacqueline Kennedy! As the White House resumes tours for the first time since the pandemic, @whitehousehistory remembers the legacy of a first lady who made the White House “more accessible, beautiful and a stronger force for educating Americans about their history.” As she put it, “the White House belongs to the American people.” When she first visited the White House as a girl, there had been no guide to learn about the place. As first lady, Mrs. Kennedy – and the White House Historical Association she created – worked in partnership with the National Geographic Society to create a guidebook that was educational and dignified. It was sold for a dollar a copy and helped pay for the White House restoration she led. Photos show the Yellow Oval Room in 1962 and the Blue Room in 1963 after restoration under her guidance, and offer insight into the first lady’s design style. To honor her birthday, the 60th anniversary White House guidebook is being published with new behind-the-scenes photos of lesser-known White House spaces like the floral shop and bowling alley. The guidebook Mrs. Kennedy founded doesn’t just show how the White House is a home and office for the president. It reminds us that the White House is a ceremonial stage where our country receives its most important guests, and a museum that hosts up to a half a million visitors a year. Read the column at usatoday.com/opinion ✍: Stewart D. McLaurin, White House Historical Association president 📷: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum/NARA