The Checkers speech or Fund speech was a television and radio address given on 
September 23, 1952 by Richard Nixon, who at the time, was the Republican vice 
presidential candidate and junior United States Senator from California. Senator
Nixon had been accused of improprieties relating to a fund established by his
backers to reimburse him for his political expenses. During the speech in which he defended himself, he stated that regardless of what anyone said, he intended to
keep one gift: a black and white dog (above) named Checkers by the Nixon children,
thus giving the address its famous name. Nixon’s speech was broadcast from The
El Capitan Theater, now known as the Avalon Hollywood in California. He had been staying at a hotel in Portland, Oregon prior to making the address. 

The Avalon Theater