This June marks the 50th Anniversary of two of President John F. Kennedy’s most memorable speeches. On June 10th 1963, JFK delivered the commencement address at American University known as his “Peace Speech.” He called for high-level negotiations with the Soviet Union, a nuclear test ban treaty and an end to the Cold War.  On June 26th 1963, President Kennedy took a harder line in West Berlin, famously stating that as a free man he took pride in the words “Ich bin ein Berliner.” This is a discussion from the Kennedy Presidential Library about the significance and lasting influence of these two addresses.

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Discussion on foreign policy during the Eisenhower years, with a special look at the Middle East including: The Eisenhower Doctrine that Ike articulated in a 1957 special message to Congress. To hold off any communist threats, he declared the sovereignty of Middle Eastern nations and declared, as he put it, America’s “deep respect for the rights and independence of every nation . . . “  This was part of a conference titled, “Ike Reconsidered: Lessons from the Eisenhower Legacy for the 21st Century,” co-hosted by Hunter College, CUNY, the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute & the Eisenhower Foundation.

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President 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.  June 10th marks the 50th anniversary of his “Peace Speech” in 1963.

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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 was hosted by American University’s School of Communication and the Newseum.

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Jeffrey Engel – director of the Center for Presidential History at Southern Methodist University in Dallas – discusses President George H.W. Bush’s motivations behind his enthusiastic push for German reunification in 1990.  Southern Methodist University hosted this event.

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This is a look at President Eisenhower’s views and actions in the area of civil rights, including the desegregation of the armed forces, his appointments of pro-civil rights Supreme Court justices and the dispatching of the 101st Airborne division to assist in the integration of Little Rock High School in Arkansas.  This discussion was part of a conference titled, “Ike Reconsidered: Lessons from the Eisenhower Legacy for the 21st Century,” co-hosted by Hunter College, City University of New York, the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute & the Eisenhower Foundation.

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A look at Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidential leadership, including his policies, political beliefs, speeches, style and legacy.  This discussion was part of a conference titled, “Ike Reconsidered: Lessons from the Eisenhower Legacy for the 21st Century” co-hosted by Hunter College, City University of New York, the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute & the Eisenhower Foundation.

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Henry Wiencek -- author of “An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America” and “Master of the Mountain: Thomas Jefferson and His Slaves” -- compares Washington and Jefferson on the divisive issue of slavery, in their private views, public words and actions. This event took place at the Kansas City Public Library in Kansas City, Missouri.

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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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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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