The Woman Behind the Lens: Frances Benjamin Johnston and the American Presidency

The Woman Behind the Lens: Frances Benjamin Johnston and the American Presidency on display February 13, 2026 thru May 31, 2026.

After setting up her own photography studio in 1894, in Washington, D.C., Frances Benjamin Johnston was described by The Washington Times as “the only lady in the business of photography in the city.” She became the unofficial White House photographer for Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt.

In addition to photographing Presidents Cleveland, Harrison, Roosevelt, and Taft, Frances Benjamin Johnston documented Southern architecture, historic gardens, and African American and Native American students. This exhibition explores her work across these genres through photographs from the Museum’s own collection, as well as images on loan from the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, The Museum of Modern Art, and the Library of Congress.

“Johnston captured several important moments during William McKinley’s administration,” said Kenney, “including the signing of the peace protocol that ended the Spanish-American War in 1898, his 1901 inauguration ceremony, and Ida McKinley wearing her 1897 inaugural gown. She also took what would become the last photographs ever taken of McKinley before he was shot at the Pan-American Exposition in September 1901. The statue on the steps of the McKinley National Memorial was based on her photograph of McKinley delivering his final speech.”

The centerpiece of the exhibition is a diamond brooch given to Johnston by Ida and William McKinley in 1898—an object that has never before been on public display. The brooch was crafted by J. Dreicer & Son, the renowned jeweler who also designed Ida McKinley’s famous platinum diamond tiara, which is permanently displayed in the McKinley Gallery. The brooch was generously donated in November 2025 by Eileen Eichhorn, Graduate Gemologist (GIA).