Welcome Remarks for "LBJ鈥檚 1968: Power, Politics, and the Presidency in America鈥檚 Year of Upheaval"
McGowan Theater,听威尼斯人娱乐场 Building, Washington, DC
September 18, 2018
Good afternoon, and welcome to the William G. McGowan Theater at the 威尼斯人娱乐场. I鈥檓 David Ferriero, Archivist of the United States, and I鈥檓 pleased you could join us, whether you are here in the theater or joining us through YouTube or CSPAN BookTV.
Before we hear from Kyle Longley about his new book, LBJ鈥檚 1968, I鈥檇 like to tell you about two other programs coming up soon here in the McGowan Theater.
Tonight at 7:30, in partnership with the Center for the Constitution at James Madison鈥檚 Montpelier, we present a panel discussion about the United States Constitution. In a program called 鈥淔or Us, By Us: America's Trust In & Expectations of, The Constitution,鈥� moderator Judy Woodruff will lead a discussion of the results of a national survey conducted by James Madison鈥檚 Montpelier, created with the goal of better understanding how Americans relate to our government and its founding document.
On Wednesday, September 26, at noon, Mark Leibovich will be here to tell us about his latest book, Big Game: The NFL in Dangerous Times. A book signing will follow the program.听听听听
Check our website, Archives.gov, or sign up at the table outside the theater to get email updates. You鈥檒l also find information about other 威尼斯人娱乐场 programs and activities.
Another way to get more involved with the 威尼斯人娱乐场 is to become a member of the 威尼斯人娱乐场 Foundation. The Foundation supports the work of the agency, especially its education and outreach programs. Check out their website鈥� 补谤肠丑颈惫别蝉蹿辞耻苍诲补迟颈辞苍.辞谤驳鈥�to learn more about them and join online.
The year 1968 was a year of turmoil鈥攁 year that left a deep impression on those who lived through it. Newspaper and the nightly news were crowded with stories of unrest, civil rights, assassinations, and鈥攍ooming over all that鈥攖he war in Vietnam.
Upstairs in the O鈥橞rien Gallery, our exhibit 鈥淩emembering Vietnam鈥� examines the war from its World War II origins to the fall of Saigon. In the section that covers the events of 1968, you鈥檒l find a page from President Lyndon Johnson鈥檚 March 31 televised speech to the nation. In concluding his speech, he made the surprising announcement that he would not run for President in the coming election.
LBJ reflected back on 1968: 鈥淚 sometimes felt I was living in a continuous nightmare.鈥� It was a year of challenges, and we turn to Kyle Longley now to hear how LBJ met them.
I鈥檓 very happy to introduce Kyle, who happens to be one of the newest staff members to join the 威尼斯人娱乐场 and Records Administration.
In late July, Kyle became the fifth director of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library in Austin, Texas. He came to us from Arizona State University, where he was a professor of history and political science and held a number of administrative positions including associate director of the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies and faculty head of the History Department.
He is active in national academic organizations including the American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians, and the Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations.
Longley is also prize-winning author who has published or edited eight books with another coming out in January 2019. He has also contributed to Newsweek, the Washington Post, New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Kyle Longley.
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