Political benefits. He also frequently attended comedies at fords theater and he was known for telling jokes, for his witty stories and selfdeprecation. The ability for a leader or politician to laugh at oneself and at politics more broadly is a hallmark of our democracy. In humor we not only have a to callvalve but a way attention to ideological differences while still maintaining the balance of democratic discourse. Today in these polarized times and as we head toward a president ial election we bring together a panel known for their ability to laugh about the business of leadership and politics. I am pleased to welcome our distinguished guest today. Log before Stephen Colbert and jon stewart mark russell dared to joke and sing about the often absurd political process. Though he actually knew little about politics when he first began performing russells ability to find humor in anything made him an immediate hit. His career spanned from a piano is mark0 years working russell comedy s
Garden spot of orchids. Growing up in a slave holding family, she ended up as the spells of the commanding general at the u. S. Army during the civil war. She and he was ulysses as grant shared 37 years together that included the hardships of war, the tribes of politics and eight challenging years in the white house. Welcome to our program, our continuing series first ladies influence an image. Tonight, the life of julia grant. Lets introduce you to our two guests of the table, a member of our Academic Advisory Panel for this year, we are delighted to have him here. Hes a Longtime White House a story in and the author of the president s house. Bill, its so great to see you. Pam is a historian at the ulysses as Grant National Historic Site and st. Louis majority and working on a biography of julia grant. Lets start with you, we last left the cities with the johnson,s after impeachment. And the politics with the radical republicans and the reconstruction, so set the stage for us as the g
Monument association is nonprofit that was organized in the 1990s. Theis associated with organization of the same name that until it was transferred to the National Park service. The dma is dedicated to the preservation of grants tomb, the largest muzzling them in the western hemisphere. An important part of our mission is to Foster Foster education , our ulysses s. Grant nations 18th president. In recent years, we revised the tradition dating back to the 19th century to commemorate grants birthday with a dinner in new york city. The program each year has been an educational one highlighted ia, quite in which general david petronius interviews a historian about different aspects of grants story. Another annual tradition is the official commemoration of grants birthday at his tomb. An impressive ceremony organized by the National Parks service and west point. We are of the pandemic all experiencing, both events have been canceled but we thought it was important to recognize grant;s birt
1990s as a successor to the organization of the same name that originally built and administered grants tomb in new york city until it was transferred to the National Park service. The gma is dedicated to the preservation of grants tomb, the largest monument in the western hemisphere. Grant, the principal author of Union Victory in the civil war, and our nations 18th president. We revived the gma tradition to commemorate grants birthday with a dinner in new york city. The program each year has been an educational one, highlighted by a hollow a colloquy in which general David Petraeus interviews a historian about different aspects of grants story. Another celebration is the commemoration of grants birthday at his tomb. Because of the pandemic, we are advanceriencing, both if vince have been canceled, but we thought it was important to celebrate grants birthday. It also means we can reach a great many people who otherwise would not have been able to make it to dinner in new york. For tho
Next, as travel for Many Americans is limited or a most impossible, we invite you to america. Lm discover the aerial trip across the u. S. Supported the johnson initiative about highlighting natural and manmade attractions from coasttocoast. Narrator an invitation to discovery beckons from each shoreline of this land, the most diverse upon our planet. So it looked to norsemen who, in ships with dragon prows, discovered the vinland of the year 1000. So it looked to dutchmen who, in weathered galleons, discovered these palisades and founded the settlement of new amsterdam. They made a purchase for an island and bowled upon their village green. The Bowling Green remains today. But time has brought a change. Among the myriad changes, one of the most dramatic is our modern way of travel. The airplane gives visitors from overseas and americans alike a means to answer the invitation to discover america by air. [chatter] [indiscernible radio chatter] narrator it is our plan now to take you on