Benjamin Harrison voice recording
.jpg) Official Presidential portrait of Benjamin Harrison | |
| Date | 1890 |
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| Type | Voice recording |
| Participants | Benjamin Harrison Gianni Bettini |
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Senator from Indiana
23rd President of the United States
Presidential campaigns
Post-presidency
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The Benjamin Harrison voice recording is the earliest surviving voice recording of a United States president. It features Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president, who served from 1889 to 1893.[1][2]
Recording
[edit]Transcript
[edit]"As president of the United States, I was present at the first Pan-American Congress in Washington, D.C. I fully believe that with God’s help, our two countries shall continue to live side by side in peace and prosperity. Benjamin Harrison."
— Benjamin Harrison, 1890[3]
Background
[edit]The administration of Benjamin Harrison oversaw the First International Conference of American States. In the recording, President Harrison mentions the conference and his hopes of peace for the future.[4]
Recording process
[edit]The recording is attributed to the professional guidance of Gianni Bettini in the actual recording process. According to the Library of Congress, only one copy survived into the modern era, contained on an Edison wax cylinder, it is currently housed at the Benjamin Harrison Memorial Site.
Any earlier recordings have been lost to time. For example, a widely reported event is that upon an invitation by President Rutherford Hayes, Thomas Edison used the event in 1878 to demonstrate how Hayes' voice could be recorded.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "President Benjamin Harrison". www.lib.msu.edu. Archived from the original on 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
- ↑ "President Benjamin Harrison". archive.lib.msu.edu. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
- ↑ Serena, Katie (2017-11-01). "Here's The Oldest Surviving Recording Of A U.S. President [AUDIO]". All That's Interesting. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
- ↑ "First International Conference of American States Convenes | History | Research Starters | EBSCO Research". EBSCO. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
- ↑ Liskai, Dillion (2025-02-17). "Thomas Edison Presidential Encounters: White House Stories & History". Edison Birthplace. Retrieved 2026-02-12.