In 1963, President John F. Kennedy welcomed Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia to the United States with a full state ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House. The visit included military honors, a formal state dinner, and speeches celebrating Ethiopia–U.S. friendship. Kennedy had personally invited Haile Selassie as part of his effort to strengthen ties with African leaders and support Ethiopia’s leadership in the ESEA (East and South African region) and the emerging Organization of Africa