Trouble in Lafayette Square

A unique history of the park across from the White House, and the many tumultuous events that have happened there—includes photos and illustrations.

 


Lafayette Square, near the White House, has been in the spotlight during recent protests—but many are unaware that this Washington, DC, spot is surrounded by landmarks and steeped in a fascinating history of rebellion. A congressman shot and killed the son of Francis Scott Key in broad daylight on the square and got away with it. On the night Lincoln was assassinated, a co-conspirator forced his way into Secretary of State William Seward's house and nearly killed him. The women's suffrage movement created the tradition of White House protest that goes on to this day, and in 1950, Puerto Rican nationalists tried to force their way into Blair House to assassinate President Truman, who was living there.


 


In this book, prominent Washington journalist Gil Klein recounts these and other stories, bringing to life the rich and sometimes bloody history of this seven-acre public gathering place.