The President’s Daughter Banned From The White House Because of The Voodoo Doll She Hid There
Alice Roosevelt remains perhaps the most controversial child of a sitting U.S. president due to her ongoing stream of salacious behavior
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Young people face a lot of challenges and exploration as they approach adulthood, which can result in puzzling and consequential decisions. This is obviously only magnified when their parents’ lives are in the spotlight. Consider the case of Alice Roosevelt, the daughter of U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt, who developed a reputation for risque and controversial behavior, including burying a voodoo doll outside of the White House and being banned from returning to the premises after her father’s predecessor discovered what she did.
After serving in a variety of high-profile political positions, including governor of New York and U.S. vice president, Teddy Roosevelt held the nation’s highest office as the 26th president from 1901–1909. His wife Edith and their six children lived with him at the White House during his tenure. Alice, his oldest child, who he had with his first wife, also named Alice, proved to be one of the biggest challenges he faced while he held down the position.
Alice, who was born in 1884, was just coming into adulthood when her father ascended to the presidency. Eschewing the old principle of children should be seen and not heard, she was independent to a fault, frequently appearing in the papers for her perceived outrageous behavior. This included wearing pants, chewing gum and smoking cigarettes. Perhaps embracing her burgeoning reputation as a rebel rouser, she was even seen picking up winnings from a wager made with a bookie, and cheekily smoking on the roof of the White House after her father mandated she would never smoke under his roof as long as she lived there.
There were other more serious incidents regarding other politicians. In 1905 she was with the secretary of war on a ship bound for Japan when she jumped into the onboard pool and convinced Congressman Nicholas Longworth (who became her husband the following year) to join her. In 1908, she watched with glee of what unfolded after she placed tacks on the chair of an older member of…
