Member Exclusive – Photographs by James A. Baker, III: A Year with a Camera

In 1953, James A. Baker, III — future secretary of state, treasury secretary and White House chief of staff — turned 23. He had recently graduated from Princeton University and was a Marine Corps second lieutenant. As he shipped out to the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea, he carried an Argus C2 camera and about a dozen rolls of Kodachrome film.

More than six decades later, the Baker Institute hosted a special exhibition of the photographs from Secretary Baker’s year with a camera. The photos offered a fascinating glimpse into a little known period of his life. The collection, assembled by curator Darrell Hancock, included photographs of Baker’s military service, his travels to Spain, France, Greece and other European destinations, and his family and friends.

The exhibition opened on January 30 with a reception for Roundtable members and special guests, followed by welcome remarks from Hancock. The photographs were available for viewing in the Doré Commons of Baker Hall from January 31 to February 14.