The Earliest Surviving Color Videotape of the President of the United States

Published March 10, 2012

On May 22nd, 1958, the earliest surviving color videotape of the President of the United States was filmed and broadcast from the WRC-TV studios in Washington. Watch the video and learn more about this historic moment!

-ad 188-

-ad 615-

I came across this one on YouTube. This was the first time the President of the United States was videotaped and then broadcast in color. This is the earliest surviving color videotape. It was filmed on May 22nd, 1958 in the WRC-TV studios in Washington (the local NBC affiliate).

The video starts off in black and white while Eisenhower’s motorcade approaches the studios, but then transitions to color for the first time when Robert Sarnoff, president of NBC, flips the switch in the middle of the broadcast.