Gerald R. Ford used this family bible to take the Oath of Office as 38th President of the United States.
On August 9, 1974, Gerald R. Ford assumed the office of the Presidency after President Richard Nixon resigned. The swearing-in ceremony took place in the East Room of the White House. Ford placed his hand on this family Bible for the Oath of Office.
In his remarks, Ford said,
"The oath that I have taken is the same oath that was taken by George Washington and by every President under the Constitution. But I assume the Presidency under extraordinary circumstances never before experienced by Americans. This is an hour of history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts."
-from the Ford Library
Happy (late) Birthday, Mrs. Nixon!March 16th would have been First Lady Pat Nixon’s 100th birthday, and the Nixon Presidential Library celebrated by opening the Pat Nixon Centennial Exhibition. One of the items on display is a German Bible, dated 1893, which belonged to Mrs. Nixon’s mother, Kate Halberstadt Ryan. This before treatment image shows the condition of the inscribed leaf at the front of the Bible which had been taped to hold it into the binding. The German inscription was written to Mrs. Nixon’s mother Katie Halberstadt by her pastor on the occasion of her confirmation. The German language Bible was published in New York.