75 T H A N N I V E R S A RY CA M PA I G N I S S U E WI NTE R 2020
EXHIBITS
EVENTS
ARCHIVES
Truman’s original plans for his presidential library 4
Wild About Harry honors Gen. Jim Mattis and features A.J. Baime 19
“Man from Independence” raised funds for Truman Library construction 20
TRU MAGAZINE CONTENTS “I’m spending the short remainder of my life trying to give the rising generation a clear idea of what they have and what they have to do to keep it.” - Harry S. Truman , 1964
HIGHLIGHTS 6 Supporting 33’s Legacy Donors share their inspiration for helping execute Truman’s vision for his library.
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Make a Difference
Contributions big and small help make the Truman Library renovation a reality.
16 America’s Greatest Leaders Doris Kearns Goodwin and U.S. Senator Jeff Flake shared insights at the 14th annual Bennett Forum.
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SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT TRUMAN’S GR ANDSON I was six when I first learned that my grandfather, Harry Truman, had been president. At least that’s what my mother told me. There was no formal declaration. My parents did not sit me down for a revelatory heart-to-heart talk and Grandpa never said a word. The fact that he had been president turned out to be one of the few things I learned in school. “Clifton, wasn’t your grandfather president of the United States?” “I don’t know,” I said. “I’ll go home and ask.” When I did, my mother, who had sworn to keep secondhand fame from spoiling me, said: “Yes, but just remember something, any little girl or boy’s grandfather can grow up to be president. Don’t let it go to your head.” When my grandfather envisioned the Truman Library, he dreamed of an institution that honored the office of the presidency, not him specifically. This helps to explain why he never told his grandson that he had once reported to the Oval Office for work every day. Although Grandpa designed his library to be for the study of our nation’s wonderful and unique form of democracy, he himself could not be excluded from the project even if he tried. As a result, what you will find at the heart of the Truman Library is the heart of my grandfather. Harry Truman’s life was defined by his passion for learning, commitment to service, and determination to do what was right. That was Grandpa and it is his presidential library. It is more than a museum and more than an archive. The Truman Library is a classroom for democracy that enlightens through innovative outreach, hands-on history exhibitions, world-class research, and public forums. It can contribute to a better tomorrow by helping adults and children alike better understand our democracy, the American presidency, and each person’s power to make a difference. This special issue of TRU magazine explores how the Truman Library Institute has carried out Grandpa’s vision and, through the 75th anniversary campaign, will ensure our ability to share his life and legacy with today’s citizens and our nation’s future leaders today, tomorrow, and for years to come. Clifton Truman Daniel Eldest Grandson of President Truman Honorary Chairman of the Truman Library Institute’s Board of Directors
Design: Design Ranch Photographer: Mark McDonald Send comments, requests, and changes of address to: Truman Library Institute | 816.400.1220 5151 Troost Ave., Ste. 300 | Kansas City, MO 64110 info@TrumanLibraryInstitute.org | Visit us online at TrumanLibraryInstitute.org TRU is published for members and friends of the Truman Library Institute.
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TRU LETTERS
How wonderfully American that a program like this [The Howard and Virginia Bennett Forum on the Presidency] can happen. Bravo for a great evening. Doug Richardson Chief Park Ranger, Truman National Historic Site Independence, Missouri
Editor’s Note: The Bennett Forum was live streamed on Facebook and is now available for viewing on the Institute’s website. See the Forum recap inside and visit TrumanLibraryInstitute.org/Bennett-Forum to watch the discussion. When I was a Cub Scout, we went on a tour of the library. After the tour, which I must admit I remember no details, we were led into a theatre and told a surprise awaited. I remember to this day when the President walked in. I was thrilled more than if it had been Elvis and still am. The summation of Truman’s words were “be a good citizen,” which I’ve tried to be to this very day. The President has my everlasting respect and admiration for meeting with children and passing on his wisdom. David Gale
“The President has my everlasting respect and admiration for meeting with children and passing on his wisdom.” - David Gale
Leawood, Kansas
Editor’s Note: Gale’s story was one of many submitted in response to a call for Truman memories from the community. Some of those collected will be featured in an interactive in the new permanent Truman exhibition and in an upcoming issue of TRU magazine.
The White House Decision Center is an extremely valuable educational partner. Through the White House Decision Center, students can develop skills in leadership, teamwork, communication, critical analysis, and public speaking. Those are critical skills for their futures and we are thankful the White House Decision Center provides this opportunity. Several students expressed how they enjoyed the day and the simulation. Sarah Martin
It is indeed an honor for the JE Dunn Construction Company to be doing the construction work at the Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri. My involvement with the Truman Library has been very important to me because I believe Harry Truman saved many lives, including my own, when he made the tough decision to drop two atomic bombs on Japan to end WWII. I do hope that no country in the future will ever have that type of bomb dropped upon its inhabitants. Again, the JE Dunn Construction Company is very privileged to be the contractor on your current project at the Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri. Bill Dunn, Sr. Chairman Emeritus, JE Dunn Construction Company | Kansas City, Missouri
Special Program Manager, Global Ties KC Kansas City, Missouri
Editor’s Note: While the Truman Library is closed for renovations, the White House Decision Center, the Library’s signature educational program, has been temporarily relocated to the Truman Memorial Building in Independence, Missouri.
Write to TRU Magazine: We want to hear from you! Submit your letter to TRU magazine by emailing info@TrumanLibraryInstitute.org or writing to TRU Magazine, Truman Library Institute, 5151 Troost Ave, Ste. 300, Kansas City, MO 64110.
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NEWS BRIEF 21st Annual Wild About Harry The 2020 Harry S. Truman Legacy of Leadership Award will be presented to General Jim Mattis at the 21st annual Wild About Harry on Thursday, April 23, 2020. The award, which recognizes individuals who have a sustained and distinguished record of serving our nation and its democratic ideals, is being presented to General Mattis for his more than forty years of military service, including commanding Marines in Operations Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. The event will feature a keynote address by A.J. Baime, two-time Truman research grant recipient and author of The Accidental President, Big Shots, Go Like Hell, The Arsenal of Democracy, and the upcoming Dewey Defeats Truman: The 1948 Election and the Battle for America’s Soul. Marny and John Sherman are honorary chairs, and Charlotte Kemper and Mindy and Meyer Sosland are event chairs for the fundraising dinner.
Truman Economic Medal The 2019 Truman Medal for Economic Policy honored former Chair of the Federal Reserve Board Janet Yellen. Dr. Yellen is a Distinguished Fellow in Residence with the Economic Studies Program at the Brookings Institution. Previously, she served as Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors. The biennial award recognizes exceptional achievement in the formation and conduct of economic policy in honor of the Truman administration’s creation of the Council of Economic Advisers and Truman’s commitment “to take any and all measures necessary for a healthy economy.”
Welcome New Board Members The Truman Library Institute Board of Directors welcomed two new members to its ranks earlier this year. Please join us in welcoming Chris Rosson, Executive Director of Teach for America, and Kari Frederickson, Ph.D., Professor of History at the University of Alabama. Rosson’s advocacy for children and education will be an asset as the Institute works to promote civic literacy through educational programs. Dr. Frederickson’s book, The Dixiecrat Revolt and the End of the Solid South, 1932-1968, won the 2002 Harry S. Truman Book Award. She joined the Institute’s Research, Scholarship, and Education Committee in 2013 and is currently the Chair of the Grants Subcommittee where she assists in distributing the Institute’s research grants, awards, and fellowships.
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“The papers of the presidents tell a deeper story than what is recorded in the official government records. It is a story that reflects the spirit of America and one that only presidents can tell.”
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Situated in the heart of Independence, Missouri—the starting point for the California, Oregon, and Santa Fe Trails—is the final resting place of President Harry S. Truman and his wife, First Lady Bess Wallace Truman. It is there, at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, that we are reminded of President Truman’s vision for his institution: to give citizens “a better understanding of the history and the nature of the presidency and the government of the United States.” Truman was intentional and deliberate about the development of his library: “If the Truman Library in Independence had been conceived as a memorial to me personally, I would have done everything I could to prevent its establishment in my lifetime. I do not believe that monuments should be erected to a living person.” He wanted it to not be about himself but about introducing people to the presidency, and more importantly, democracy. The Truman Library’s objective was, and still is, to engage and inspire future generations by giving them a better understanding of what it means to be a citizen of “the greatest government in the history of the world.” The papers of the presidents—the messages they receive and send, formal and informal letters, personal notes, memos, and scrawls on scraps of paper, of which Truman had a lot—tell a deeper story than what is recorded in the official government records. It is a story that reflects the spirit of America and one that only presidents can tell. Truman wanted his historical papers gathered in one place. He felt doing so would accomplish exactly what he had in mind: providing the American people a record of his service during a time of world crisis. When his presidency ended, Truman took his papers with him when he returned to Independence, as opposed to leaving them at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. He wanted his papers to be easily accessible to Midwest scholars and students who could not easily reach the archives and libraries that populate the East coast. But the Library was to be more than just a place to spend hours researching the Truman era. Truman wanted to offer more for the thousands of citizens that would visit every month. When it opened in 1957, the Library offered halls filled with gifts and mementos given to President Truman by world leaders and dignitaries and an auditorium that featured historical films and lectures with guest appearances by the president. Visitors could also tour a replica of the Oval Office, arranged as it was during Truman’s time in the White House.
Sketch of the proposed Truman Library in a program for a fundraising dinner at the Hotel Muehlebach, November 6, 1954
It is Truman’s vision for his library that propels the Harry S. Truman Library Institute and the work it does to support this mission. The 75th anniversary campaign aims to revitalize the Library while remaining faithful to the original vision that inspired President Truman. The result is new experiences that illuminate the history of our nation and our 33rd president who believed and proved that the United States is a country where anyone can realize their dreams.
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OPENING HISTORY’S DOOR TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
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SUPPORTING 33’S LEGACY
The original Truman Library was built thanks to gifts received from more than 17,000 friends from all over the country. These donations, and the many made since then, have fulfilled and exceeded Truman’s original vision for his library. Donors give to the Truman Library for many reasons, whether because of a family connection, an opportunity to learn more about and participate in our democratic system, or the desire to preserve and share an important part of our nation’s history. Truman believed that his presidential papers belonged to the American people and should be easily accessible. The William T. Kemper Foundation supports the digitization of the archive’s presidential papers, documents, and photographs so they will be more widely available than ever before. “The William T. Kemper Foundation has supported the Truman Library’s digitization initiatives for 20 years,” said Jonathan Kemper, Chairman Emeritus, Commerce Bank, Kansas City Region and Co-Trustee, William T. Kemper Foundation. “We have done this for several reasons, chief of which is to preserve and promote broader access to the Library’s extensive and unique collection of documents and other materials. But we also fundamentally believe that leadership in understanding digital technology and its implications, and employing it in innovative ways, is critical to realizing its fullest potential and, as we have seen, can itself be transformative to the institution.”
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Upper Left: Jonathan Kemper Lower Left: Truman Library archives staff prepare documents for digitization Upper Right: Mary and John Hunkeler Lower Right: Kevin Peraino accepts the 2018 Truman Book Award from Institute Executive Director Alex Burden (left) and Board Chair Clyde Wendel (right) for A Force So Swift
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Upper Left: Marny and John Sherman Lower Left: Truman’s first aid pouch was one of over 40 WWI personal belongings Upper Right: Michael Johnston Lower Right: A program from the 2016 Bennett Forum
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Donations to the Truman Library Institute not only support the accessibility of Truman’s papers, but their use by visiting scholars from around the world. The Truman Scholar’s Award supports post-doctoral scholars engaged in work on some aspect of Truman’s life and career or issues prominent during his administration. The Truman Book Award honors books written about Truman or the period of his presidency. Both awards, which recognize and support the scholars and researchers who are furthering Truman’s legacy and a pivotal period in our nation’s history, will continue because of generous support from Mary and John Hunkeler who endowed both of these initiatives. “John and I hope Truman Scholars, wherever they may live or work, will be able to read and learn about the legacy President Truman left us with today and for all future generations to come,” Mary said. In addition to Truman’s papers, there are thousands of artifacts in the museum collection in need of care. For example, in preparation for a 2018 temporary exhibit, former Truman Library Institute board chair John Sherman and current Institute board member Marny Sherman supported the conservation of more than 40 items of Truman’s personal World War I equipment. “It is an honor to help preserve the history of this critically important time in Truman’s life,” Marny said. This particular project was especially meaningful for her because her grandfather, Eugene Donnelly, served under Captain Truman in World War I. Object conservation keeps the history of President Truman alive, as well as their own family history. Another family connection inspired an endowed lecture series that explores the complex and evolving story of the nation’s highest office, an office which is unique in world history: the American presidency. Michael Johnston and his late wife Mary founded the Howard and Virginia Bennett Forum on the Presidency in 2007 in honor of Mary’s father who was one of several influential individuals dedicated to the founding of the Truman Library. Annually, the Bennett Forum features presidential historians, political pundits, politicians, and journalists discussing the presidency and America’s form of democracy in front of a sold-out crowd. “We are so pleased with what the Truman Library Institute has done with our philanthropic support. They are wonderful stewards of our endowed gift, and the forums they organize have been fantastic. Our families couldn’t be more pleased,” said Michael Johnston.
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The Truman Library Institute is working to address what many consider to be a crisis in civics education. For example, a recent poll showed that only 26% of Americans can name all three branches of government and only 4 in 10 Americans could pass the United States citizenship test. The Jelley Family Foundation understands the importance of civics education and recognizes President Truman’s intentions for his library’s role in helping students develop a deeper understanding of our democracy and their pivotal role in it. That is why they funded the Library’s Reading Like a Historian program, which teaches third grade participants about the functions of the three branches of the federal government and the six roles of the president. “Truman Heartland Community Foundation is pleased to support Reading Like a Historian. It’s a program that I am sure Dr. Jelley would have been excited about supporting. Educating our young students about their important role in our democracy is as important today as it has ever been,” said Phil Hanson, President and CEO, Truman Heartland Community Foundation. Truman once said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” Despite the President’s position, the Truman Library Institute does credit—and thank—these donors and many more just like them who have helped to fulfill Truman’s dream. Regardless of the reason, or the amount, their generosity makes it possible for the Truman Library Institute to provide relevant educational and public programs–guaranteeing that Truman’s Library not only serves this generation, but is ready to inspire and educate the next.
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Left: Phil Hanson Right: Third grade students learn important civics lessons in the museum galleries during Reading Like a Historian
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MAKE A DIFFERENCE
January 20, 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of Truman taking the vice president’s oath of office. He was completely unaware that just 82 short days later, he would be taking another oath… this time to become President of the United States. He never could have imagined the impact his legacy would have on today’s society or the measures we would take to preserve it 75 years later. Because that legacy is so important, the 75th anniversary campaign is about much more than just preserving the Truman Library’s artifacts and letters. It is about helping Americans understand the story and embrace the values that made this country the envy of the world, and made it possible for Harry Truman, a farmer with a high school diploma and a WWI veteran from the state of Missouri, to become our nation’s 33rd president.
President Truman shakes hands with a student visiting the Library from Ridgeview School in Prairie Village, Kansas, February 27, 1962
More than 60 years ago, the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum was built thanks to the hard work and generous support of thousands of men and women from across the country. Gifts from appreciative Americans—including a handful of coins from a young girl—helped create the Truman Library. President Truman was very proud of this fact. He once humorously stated in a letter of thanks for a three-dollar donation to the Library’s building fund that, “I would rather have donations like this than to have all the money in a lump sum from some Texas oil millionaire.” Donations of every size will help honor Harry Truman. Please consider making a contribution today to preserve Truman’s legacy for generations to come.
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75TH ANNIVERSARY LEADERSHIP
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April 12, 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of Truman’s ascension to the office of the president. To commemorate this milestone and build anticipation for the grand reopening of the Truman Library in the fall, the Truman Library Institute has exciting plans to make 2020 “The Year of Truman.” We are especially grateful to the following individuals who have generously contributed their time, vision, leadership, and support to call attention to our hometown president and bring his story and legacy to life for a 21st-century audience.
75th ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE CABINET MEMBERS
The Hon. Janet Napolitano The Hon. Robert Zoellick
Merilyn K. Berenbom Robert P. Dunn Josh Earnest Kurt Graham, Ph.D. Mary and John Hunkeler James B. Nutter, Jr. Patrick J. Ottensmeyer Karen Pack Cappy Powell Adam P. Sachs Meyer J. Sosland Jeannine Strandjord Timothy W. Triplett David Von Drehle The Hon. Eileen Weir Clyde F. Wendel W. Patrick Wilson
TRUMAN LIBRARY INSTITUTE LEADERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS
HONORARY COMMITTEE Henry W. Bloch* Clifton Truman Daniel William H. Dunn, Sr. Donald Hall Edward T. Matheny, Jr. David McCullough Marny and John Sherman Morton I. Sosland* NATIONAL COMMITTEE Dr. Madeleine Albright The Hon. Roy Blunt The Hon. Emanuel Cleaver The Hon. James Clyburn The Hon. Josh Hawley The Hon. Claire McCaskill
Clifton Truman Daniel, Honorary Chair OFFICERS Clyde F. Wendel, Chair Adam P. Sachs, Vice Chair Jeannine Strandjord, Vice Chair The Hon. Eileen Weir, Vice Chair John A. MacDonald, Treasurer Lisa Hardwick, Secretary DIRECTORS Merilyn K. Berenbom Paul M. Black Maureen McMeel Carroll Robert P. Dunn Josh Earnest Susie S. Evans Kari Frederickson Greg Gunderson Harvey L. Kaplan Charlotte L. Kemper Kay Martin Bridget McCandless Leigh Nottberg James B. Nutter, Jr. Patrick J. Ottensmeyer Karen Pack James C. Parker James D. Rine Chris Rosson Marny Sherman
Meyer J. Sosland Timothy W. Triplett David Von Drehle Thomas R. “Buzz” Willard EX OFFICIO MEMBERS Alex Burden Kurt Graham HONORARY TRUSTEES Henry W. Bloch* Elinor Borenstine* William L. Boyd Mary Shaw Branton* George H. Curtis William H. Dunn, Sr. George M. Elsey* Charles M. Foudree Larry J. Hackman Susan M. Hartmann Ken Hechler* Mary Hunkeler Jonathan M. Kemper Richard S. Kirkendall Henry J. Massman, IV Edward T. Matheny, Jr. Thomas A. McDonnell C. Westbrook Murphy Roger A. Novak James B. Nutter, Sr.* Barbara Potts Gloria Jacobson Schusterman Beth K. Smith* Morton I. Sosland* John J. Sherman David Stanley *Deceased
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AMERICA’S GREATEST LEADERS In November, Doris Kearns Goodwin made an encore appearance at the Howard and Virginia Bennett Forum on the Presidency. She was joined on stage by former U.S. Senator Jeff Flake and Washington Post columnist David Von Drehle. The annual forum features high-profile speakers discussing the presidency and America’s unique form of democracy. This year’s program focused on the leadership characteristics of America’s greatest presidents and their relationships with the legislative branch. Goodwin, presidential historian, public speaker, and bestselling author, opened the program with her thoughts on what characteristics make a good leader: humility, empathy, accessibility, the ability to control negative emotions, ambition for the greater good, character, and temperament. Of Truman, Goodwin recalled an experience she had earlier in the day: “I went to the Truman house in Independence and there’s an example of a man whose character and humility was shown in every room of that house. I loved being there. You could see the comfort that he felt in it, you could see that he was the kind of person who shared credit, who acknowledged errors when he made them.”
Senator Jeff Flake, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and David Von Drehle on stage at the 2019 Bennett Forum
Senator Flake shared stories and reflections on leadership based on his service as a United States Senator from Arizona (2013-2019) and in the House of Representatives (2001-2013): “This is an independent branch. We are the first branch of government. It’s all well and good to stand up in a partisan way if your president is in a different party but it is even better to stand up for the institution of the Senate or the House and the Congress.” More than 1,200 people attended this signature event on November 16, 2019 at Unity Temple in Kansas City, Missouri. The program can be viewed online at TrumanLibraryInstitute.org/Bennett-Forum.
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BOOK CONVERSATION Mobituaries with Mo Rocca | Thursday, March 12, 2020 | Location Mo Rocca, correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning and a frequent panelist on NPR’s Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me! Matt Stewart, reporter with Fox 4 Mo Rocca has always loved obituaries—reading about the remarkable lives of global leaders, Hollywood heavyweights, and innovators who changed the world. But not every life has received the send-off it deserves. Based on his #1 hit podcast, his newest book, Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving, continues Rocca’s quest to right that wrong by highlighting the overlooked and underrated or illuminating the lives of people whose names you may know, but whose true stories you may not, from artists and sports stars to political pioneers and founding fathers. In conversation with Matt Stewart, Rocca will bring these men and women back to life and discuss the power of rethinking, and finding humor in, the past.
SIGNATURE EVENT Wild About Harry! | Thursday, April 23, 2020 | Marriott-Muehlebach Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri Honoring Former United States Secretary of Defense James N. Mattis And featuring A.J. Baime, author of The Accidental President Join us for the 21st annual Wild About Harry! Enjoy a sparkling social hour, elegant dinner, and program commemorating the 75th anniversary of Truman’s ascension to the presidency. Hosted in the ballroom of the historic Muehlebach Hotel, Wild About Harry annually attracts more than 800 of Greater Kansas City’s civic and corporate leaders in support of the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum and its nationally recognized education and outreach programs. Tickets go on sale March 1. For information on sponsor benefits, please contact Kim Rausch at 816.400.1214 or kim.rausch@TrumanLibraryInstitute.org , or visit TrumanLibraryInstitute.org/WILD.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION Keynote Address | Thursday, May 7, 2020 | Community of Christ Auditorium, Independence, Missouri Featuring David McCullough, author of Truman
David McCullough, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author of Truman, returns to Independence to commemorate the 136th birthday of President Truman and the 75th anniversary of V-E Day with a special keynote address. McCullough spent nearly a decade researching his Truman biography onsite at the Truman Library in the 1980s and early 1990s and returned in 2007 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Library. In 2018, he was awarded the Harry S. Truman Legacy of Leadership Award for his decades-long efforts to preserve and promote Truman’s legacy, as well as his highly visible support of presidential libraries, history education, and civic literacy. Tickets will be available in early April and priority access will be given to members. Renew or join today at TrumanLibraryInstitute.org/join.
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BOOK CONVERSATION
TRU EVENTS
An Evening with Mo Rocca | Thursday, March 12, 2020 Arrupe Hall, Rockhurst University Featuring Mo Rocca, correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning and a frequent panelist on NPR’s Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, and Matt Stewart, Fox 4 reporter Mo Rocca has always loved obituaries—reading about the remarkable lives of global leaders, Hollywood heavyweights, and innovators who changed the world. But not every life has received the send-off it deserves. Based on his #1 hit podcast, his newest book, Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving, continues Rocca’s quest to right that wrong by highlighting the overlooked and underrated or illuminating the lives of people whose names you may know, but whose true stories you may not, from artists and sports stars to political pioneers and founding fathers. In conversation with Matt Stewart, Rocca will bring these men and women back to life and discuss the power of rethinking, and finding humor in, the past.
ANNUAL FUNDRAISING DINNER Wild About Harry! | Thursday, April 23, 2020 Marriott-Muehlebach Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri General Jim Mattis, Truman Legacy of Leadership Award Honoree Keynote Address by A.J. Baime, author of The Accidental President The Truman Library Institute’s 21st annual fundraising dinner will feature lively receptions, an elegant dinner, and an unforgettable RED, WHITE, and TRU themed program commemorating the 75th anniversary of Truman’s ascension to the presidency. Each year, Wild About Harry attracts more than 800 of Greater Kansas City’s civic, corporate, and philanthropic leaders for an evening benefiting the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum and its nationally recognized education and outreach programs. Sponsor and table host packages are currently available. Individual tickets go on sale March 1. For more information, please contact Kim Rausch at 816.400.1214 or Kim.Rausch@TrumanLibraryInstitute.org. Register online at TrumanLibraryInstitute.org/WILD.
75TH ANNIVERSARY EVENT Give ‘Em Hell, Harry! | May 2020 Starring Clifton Truman Daniel as his grandfather
Clifton Truman Daniel on stage as his grandfather in Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!
Clifton Truman Daniel, eldest grandson of President Harry S. Truman and honorary chairman of the Truman Library Institute, will take the stage in two special performances to benefit the Truman Library Institute’s 75th anniversary capital campaign. Written by Samuel Gallu, Give ‘Em Hell, Harry! is a faithful and often humorous portrayal of President Truman’s life and presidency. It spans his childhood, his “political apprenticeship” as a judge in Jackson County, Missouri, his years in the United States Senate, and his momentous two terms as President. Actor James Whitmore originated the role in 1975; Daniel took up the mantle in October 2017, marking the first time in history a U.S. President was portrayed onstage by a direct descendant. Tickets for the one-man show will go on sale in April. Visit TrumanLibraryInstitute.org and click on “Stay in Touch” to join the email newsletter and be the first to know when tickets are available.
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A WORD FROM HARRY
“Man From Independence” was filmed in 1955 as part of the campaign to raise $1.7 million to build the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Missouri. Produced and narrated by Phil Koury and featuring the mayor of Independence Robert Weatherford, Truman friend and Institute secretary and treasurer Tom Evans, Library Architect Lon Gentry, and early archives staff, the film reviews the major events of the Truman administration and shows Truman overseeing plans for and the site of the future library. The film’s opening prelude states, “On behalf of the proposed Truman Library, symbol of the role played by Harry S. Truman in shaping world history, this modest tribute is fondly presented by his friends in Greater Kansas City.” At the end of the film, the President speaks about his Library, the transcript of which is featured here. This film is one example of the kind of videos that are being added to the Truman Library’s YouTube channel each week. Visit TrumanLibraryInstitute.org/library-museum/the-archives/ for a link to the YouTube channel or visit YouTube.com, search for HarrySTrumanLibrary, and subscribe to explore videos from the Truman Library’s audiovisual archive. Photo: Truman posing at the future site of the Truman Library with Independence Mayor Robert Weatherford during the filming of the “Man From Independence.”
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It was my fate, due to the will of an all-wise Providence, to become president of the United States during a most crucial time. Just before the surrender of Germany at the end of World War II and a short time before the surrender of Japan. It was my duty to make some earthshaking decisions both for the welfare of the United States and for the welfare of the world. This Library which we are discussing will be situated in Independence, Missouri, and will contain the documents which were accumulated during the eight years that I was president of the United States.
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There will be the Charter of the United Nations with the original signatures on it. There will be the records of the Potsdam Conference and several other great conferences which took place while I was president. This will bring an immense number of people here who are interested in the history and education of the people of the United States. It’s a great thing for this community. My office will be there as long as I live to explain things to the people who do not understand what the documents mean. - Harry S. Truman in “Man From Independence,” 1955
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