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Between the Lines: The Republican Party at a Racial Crossroads
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Leah Wright Rigeuer, Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, opened her presentation by recounting her earlier research at the Ford Library, funded by a travel grant from the Ford Presidential Foundation, and how her findings within the Library's archival collections enriched her dissertation and her subsequent work in the field. She described the remarkable responses to President Ford's nomination of William T. Coleman to a cabinet position in the administration of a party not known for engaging or including the African American community. She went on to describe the historic evolution of African American voters in the Democratic and Republican parties and described three waves of Black Republican activity between 1936 and 1980. She noted that during his first eight months in office, President Ford met with more African Americans than any prior president. However, despite Ford's personal actions as president, these were often countered by actions by the Republican Party. Her detailed presentation was followed by excellent questions from the audience, which continued through the reception and well beyond.
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Between the Lines: The Republican Party at a Racial Crossroads
View on YouTube
Leah Wright Rigeuer, Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, opened her presentation by recounting her earlier research at the Ford Library, funded by a travel grant from the Ford Presidential Foundation, and how her findings within the Library's archival collections enriched her dissertation and her subsequent work in the field. She described the remarkable responses to President Ford's nomination of William T. Coleman to a cabinet position in the administration of a party not known for engaging or including the African American community. She went on to describe the historic evolution of African American voters in the Democratic and Republican parties and described three waves of Black Republican activity between 1936 and 1980. She noted that during his first eight months in office, President Ford met with more African Americans than any prior president. However, despite Ford's personal actions as president, these were often countered by actions by the Republican Party. Her detailed presentation was followed by excellent questions from the audience, which continued through the reception and well beyond.
Find an Event
Between the Lines: The Republican Party at a Racial Crossroads
View on YouTube
Leah Wright Rigeuer, Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, opened her presentation by recounting her earlier research at the Ford Library, funded by a travel grant from the Ford Presidential Foundation, and how her findings within the Library's archival collections enriched her dissertation and her subsequent work in the field. She described the remarkable responses to President Ford's nomination of William T. Coleman to a cabinet position in the administration of a party not known for engaging or including the African American community. She went on to describe the historic evolution of African American voters in the Democratic and Republican parties and described three waves of Black Republican activity between 1936 and 1980. She noted that during his first eight months in office, President Ford met with more African Americans than any prior president. However, despite Ford's personal actions as president, these were often countered by actions by the Republican Party. Her detailed presentation was followed by excellent questions from the audience, which continued through the reception and well beyond.
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Ralph Vartabedian Decay in America's Nuclear Arsenal
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Ralph Vartabedian, co-recipient of the 2014 Gerald R. Ford Journalism Prize for Distinguished Reporting on National Defense spoke to an attentive audience at the Library about the current state of America's nuclear arsenal. Mr. Vartabedian, National Correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, provided an historical overview of America's nuclear arsenal from its inception during World War II to our present post-Cold War world, presenting insights into the many facets of the nation's aging nuclear complex. He also discussed the potential threats posed by the nuclear programs of such countries as Russia, China, North Korea, and India in today's changing world.
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Ralph Vartabedian Decay in America's Nuclear Arsenal
View on YouTube
Ralph Vartabedian, co-recipient of the 2014 Gerald R. Ford Journalism Prize for Distinguished Reporting on National Defense spoke to an attentive audience at the Library about the current state of America's nuclear arsenal. Mr. Vartabedian, National Correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, provided an historical overview of America's nuclear arsenal from its inception during World War II to our present post-Cold War world, presenting insights into the many facets of the nation's aging nuclear complex. He also discussed the potential threats posed by the nuclear programs of such countries as Russia, China, North Korea, and India in today's changing world.
Find an Event
Ralph Vartabedian Decay in America's Nuclear Arsenal
View on YouTube
Ralph Vartabedian, co-recipient of the 2014 Gerald R. Ford Journalism Prize for Distinguished Reporting on National Defense spoke to an attentive audience at the Library about the current state of America's nuclear arsenal. Mr. Vartabedian, National Correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, provided an historical overview of America's nuclear arsenal from its inception during World War II to our present post-Cold War world, presenting insights into the many facets of the nation's aging nuclear complex. He also discussed the potential threats posed by the nuclear programs of such countries as Russia, China, North Korea, and India in today's changing world.
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The Hermit Presidency - Glenn Thrush
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Glenn Thrush, Senior Staff Writer for POLITICO Magazine, provided a behind-the-scenes view and personal perspective on the evolving nature of the presidency and the White House, and the increasing barriers, both physical and technological, distancing the president from the press and the American people. He stated that the president increasingly becomes a prisoner of the White House as the senior staff screen out the noise and he receives less and less input and fewer diverse points of view. Glenn Thrush is the 2014 winner of the Ford Journalism prize for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency.
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The Hermit Presidency - Glenn Thrush
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Glenn Thrush, Senior Staff Writer for POLITICO Magazine, provided a behind-the-scenes view and personal perspective on the evolving nature of the presidency and the White House, and the increasing barriers, both physical and technological, distancing the president from the press and the American people. He stated that the president increasingly becomes a prisoner of the White House as the senior staff screen out the noise and he receives less and less input and fewer diverse points of view. Glenn Thrush is the 2014 winner of the Ford Journalism prize for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency.
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The Hermit Presidency - Glenn Thrush
View on YouTube
Glenn Thrush, Senior Staff Writer for POLITICO Magazine, provided a behind-the-scenes view and personal perspective on the evolving nature of the presidency and the White House, and the increasing barriers, both physical and technological, distancing the president from the press and the American people. He stated that the president increasingly becomes a prisoner of the White House as the senior staff screen out the noise and he receives less and less input and fewer diverse points of view. Glenn Thrush is the 2014 winner of the Ford Journalism prize for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency.
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Religion and Watergate
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Religious historian David Holmes spoke to a rapt audience on Religion and Watergate: The Religious Faith and Practice of Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford. Professor Holmes recounted the events of Watergate that led to the resignation of Nixon and the rise of Ford to the presidency, and discussed Nixons childhood immersion in the Quaker religion and Fords strong and lifelong participation in the Episcopal church. David Holmes, the winner of numerous teaching awards, is Mason Professor of Religion Emeritus at the College of William & Mary. He is the author of The Faiths of the Postwar Presidents: From Truman to Obama (2012), and The Faiths of the Founding Fathers (2006).