In September 1964 the New York Times announced the passing of this pet, a gift, “used as a symbol of honesty in 1952”

Checkers was a Cocker Spaniel owned by Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States. In 1952, when Nixon was running for Vice President, he was accused of accepting illegal campaign funds. He delivered a speech, now known as the “Checkers Speech”, to address these allegations.

In his speech, Nixon stated that regardless of the allegations, he intended to keep one gift – a black-and-white dog his children had named Checkers. This gesture, using the dog as a symbol of his honesty and straightforwardness, won the public’s affection and helped to dispel the allegations.

Checkers never lived in the White House, as she died in 1964 before Nixon was elected President in 1968. The announcement of Checkers’ death was made by The New York Times in September 1964.