Details:

John F. Kennedy State Luncheon program issued for the extraordinary diplomatic event hosted in honor of the President of the United States by His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia. Held in the Grand Ballroom of the Woodmont Country Club, Rockville, Maryland, on Wednesday, October 2, 1963, just seven weeks before President Kennedy’s assassination.

Fine condition, with original Ethiopian tricolor ribbon binding intact.

This elegant heavy-stock, deckle-edged program features the Emperor’s imperial crest on the cover and opens to reveal a beautifully printed menu, including:

• Melon Balls
• Fresh Strawberry Supreme
• Filet Mignon of Beef with Port Wine Sauce
• Tomatoes & Asparagus Mornay
• Glazed Baby Carrots
• New Potatoes Mignonne
• Le Soufflé Imperial
• Friandises
• Ethiopian Coffee

This luncheon was part of Haile Selassie’s highly publicized 1963 state visit, a cornerstone moment in U.S.–Ethiopian Cold War diplomacy. Kennedy and Selassie maintained a strong strategic relationship, focusing on African development, peacekeeping, and countering Soviet influence on the continent.

Programs from Kennedy-era diplomatic functions—especially those hosted by foreign heads of state—are scarce and highly collectible, representing the peak of JFK’s international statesmanship just weeks before Dallas.

A beautifully preserved and historically important piece of Kennedy White House-era protocol ephemera.

Authentication:
Includes a full letter of authenticity from JG Autographs, Inc.

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A 25% Buyers Premium Will Be Added to All Winning Bids

Reference sku: 11665 1412561-1