Peter Hannaford is the author of "Presidential Retreats: Where the Presidents Went and Why They Went There." He spoke at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library about the getaways that have offered the nation's chief executives solace, recreation and privacy.   

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June 10th marks the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s commencement address at American University, when he called for high-level negotiations with the Soviet Union, a nuclear test ban treaty and an end to the Cold War.  This is a conversation with two veteran journalists, Tom Brokaw and Nick Clooney, on the Kennedy presidency and the significance of his “Peace Speech.”  This program is hosted by American University’s School of Communication and the Newseum, which is featuring two new exhibits on the Kennedy presidency – “Three Shots Were Fired” and "Creating Camelot".

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Presidential historian Richard Norton Smith moderates a panel on the influence of first ladies within the White House and on their fellow Americans. From Martha Washington to Michelle Obama, panelists explore how these women have defined their position and they look at the evolving public perception of their role. This discussion was part of a conference held at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and was the fourth in a series of gatherings dedicated to the legacies of America’s first ladies. 

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Two of Betty Ford's four children -- Susan Ford Bales and Steve Ford -- remember her as a wife, mother and first lady. They offer a family perspective on their parents' marriage and their own upbringing as well as the difficulties of their mother's alcohol and prescription drug addictions -- and their pride in how she overcame those addictions and eventually helped others. This conversation was part of a conference held at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was the fourth such gathering focusing on the legacies of America's first ladies. The previous events were in Texas at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, the George Bush Presidential Library and the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

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Barbara Bush and Laura Bush recall their years in the White House. This is the fourth time that the two women have sat down for extended interviews as part of a series of conferences on the legacies of America’s first ladies. Previously, they spoke at the libraries dedicated to presidents from Texas: Lyndon B. Johnson, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. In this appearance sponsored by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, they share memories of former First Lady Betty Ford and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. And they discuss their current work in childrens' and family literacy.

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Florida State University Professor Andrew Frank discusses the Creek Indians and the First Seminole War, which took place in the early 19th century in the southeastern part of the U.S. and Spanish-controlled Florida. The war was fought in part to prevent slaves from fleeing into Florida.

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Arizona State University Professor Brooks Simpson discusses Abraham Lincoln's 1863 war policies -- and the public letters he wrote to speak directly with Americans. Professor Simpson examines two of Lincoln’s public letters which explain his position on suppressing dissent during wartime and his reasons behind proposing and supporting emancipation. The Abraham Lincoln Association hosted this event.

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President Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on September 22nd, 1862. It ordered the emancipation of all slaves in any Confederate state that did not return to the Union by January 1st, 1863. No Confederate states returned, and Lincoln signed and issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Professor George Forgie discusses the evolution of Lincoln’s thinking on slavery, and the political and legal factors Lincoln considered when issuing the Emancipation Proclamation. This class is from the University of Texas at Austin.

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From Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello to Ronald Reagan’s Rancho del Cielo, author Hugh Howard explores the homes of the nation’s chief executives. Mr. Howard’s book, “Houses of the Presidents: Childhood Homes, Family Dwellings, Private Escapes and Grand Estates” offers images, personal stories and an alternative history of the American presidency. This event took place on President’s Day at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Edward Linenthal, Timothy Naftali, and Jeffrey Engel discuss how we remember historic events, our collective memory, and how John F. Kennedy’s legacy has altered since his death in November of 1963. This event was hosted by the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas.

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