It was a blustery day in the nation’s capital as representatives of the recently-formed American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) visited the White House.
September 22, 1924, marked the first time a Greek organization in America had a sitting meeting with a U.S. President.
AHEPA‘s historic visit with President Calvin Coolidge would establish a tradition that has stood the test of time, as since then the organization has had meetings with all presidents at the White House.
The visit also came only two years after the organization was first founded in Atlanta, Georgia, where Greek immigrants responded directly to racist activities of the Ku Klux Klan.
Fun fact: three U.S. presidents — Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and Gerald Ford — became AHEPA members during their time in office.
