“The beautiful rug woven by the [Armenian] children in the [Ghazir] orphanage in the Lebanon has been received. This, their expression of gratitude for what we have been able to do in this country for their aid, is accepted by me as a token of their goodwill to the people of the United States. . . The rug has a place of honor in the White House, where it will be a daily symbol of good-will on earth” — President Coolidge, December 4, 1925.

A new book, President Calvin Coolidge and the Armenian Orphan Rug by Dr. Hagop Martin Deranian, delves into the regrettably little known events in Armenia that resulted in an unprecedented rescue and relief effort led by Americans of one million refugees, including 100,000 orphans, displaced by genocide. The rug, presented to President Coolidge in 1925, hung prominently in the prestigious Blue Room of the White House until 1928, respectfully preserved by Grace in their Northampton home and returned to Washington in 1983. The author recalls, “It was an emotional feeling to touch this very rug. These girls with their nimble fingers wove their gratitude to America into every stitch.”

The Armenian Cultural Foundation will host a reception open to the public giving Dr. Deranian an opportunity to present his work on October 20, 2013, in Arlington, Massachusetts at 3PM. It is well worth attending!