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.
Recording
Transcript
Background 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.
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.
Recording process
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.
See also Presidency of Benjamin Harrison
References