Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:01THE ANTI-WEAPONIZATION FUND THAT HAD BEEN PROPOSED EARLIER IS NOW
00:00:05DEAD. THE OTHER IMPOSING SOME
00:00:09CONSTRAINTS AROUND IT IMMUNITY
00:00:11DEAL THE GOVERNMENT DID TO
00:00:16TRUMP, HIS FAMILY AND ASSOCIATED BUSINESSES.
00:00:18STEMMING FROM THE LAWSUIT THAT
00:00:21TRUMP FILED AGAINST THE IRS --
00:00:22LET'S SET OUT TO THE SIDE, WE DO
00:00:27NOT HAVE TO GET INTO ALL OF THAT -- IT WAS A CONTROVERSIAL DEAL. WHAT BLANCHE DID WAS ESSENTIALLY
00:00:31SAY THE CONCEPT OF PAYING OUT TO
00:00:34JANUARY 6 DEFENDEDS, THAT IS DEAD, THIS FUND IS OVER.
00:00:39THE FUND IS NOT THE ENTIRE STORY
00:00:43HERE. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RETAINS THE ABILITY TO SETTLE AND MAKE
00:00:48PAYOUTS THROUGH OTHER MECHANISMS.
00:00:51JANUARY 6 DEFENDANTS HAVE FILED
00:00:56CLAIMS UNDER THE LAW OF PEOPLE
00:01:00CAN FILE CLAIMS UNDER WHEN THE GOVERNMENT HAS WRONGED THEM.
00:01:04THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND SETTLE THOSE CLAIMS WITH PEOPLE
00:01:07OUTSIDE OF JUDICIAL OVERSIGHT. >> WHAT AN AMAZING DAY IN WEST BRANCH.
00:01:12WE ARE SO EXCITED.
00:01:16I AM THE GREAT-GRANDSON OF HERBERT HOOVER.
00:01:19I AM HONORED TO BE THE CHAIRMAN
00:01:20OF THE HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL
00:01:25FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES. BEFORE WE CONTINUE, I WILL BE
00:01:28INTRODUCING A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TODAY.
00:01:32PLEASE UNDERSTAND THE SPEAKERS HAVE REQUESTED SHORT INTRODUCTIONS TO ALLOW MORE
00:01:37OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SPEAK TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE
00:01:41PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HOOVER
00:01:44PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION TO SHARE
00:01:47A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE
00:01:51FOUNDATION'S MISSION AND PARTNERSHIPS. [APPLAUSE]
00:01:55>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
00:01:59WELCOME, EVERYONE. WE ARE EXCITED YOU ARE HERE.
00:02:05HERE IN WEST BRANCH IN 1938, IT
00:02:08WAS FOUNDED BY A GRASSROOTS GROUP OF HERBERT HOOVER'S FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS AND
00:02:15COLLEAGUES. THE HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION HAS SPENT NEARLY NINE
00:02:17DECADES PRESERVING, ADVANCING THE HOOVER STORY.
00:02:22THAT SAME COMMITMENT CONTINUES HERE TODAY.
00:02:27OUR MISSION ENSURES THE LIVES OF
00:02:29HERBERT HOOVER AND LOU HENRY
00:02:33HOOVER AND THEIR VALUES CONTINUE
00:02:35TO INSPIRE AND EDUCATE FUTURE GENERATIONS.
00:02:40TOGETHER WITH THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, THE NATIONAL PARK
00:02:44SERVICE AND THE GENEROSITY OF SO
00:02:47MANY OF YOU, OUR SUPPORTERS, WE BRING THIS MISSION TOGETHER TO
00:02:52LIFE THROUGH HERBERT HOOVER
00:02:55PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, AND THE HERBERT HOOVER NATIONAL
00:02:59HISTORIC SITE BEYOND. WE WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN
00:03:02SPECIAL EXHIBITS, EDUCATIONAL
00:03:05LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS,
00:03:07SCHOLARSHIPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND STUDENT EXPERIENCES THAT
00:03:10MAKE THE HOOVER STORY ACCESSIBLE
00:03:14AND RELEVANT TO PEOPLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
00:03:18TODAY'S REOPENING IS A REALLY POWERFUL REMINDER THAT WHEN
00:03:20PEOPLE COME TOGETHER, THEY CAN
00:03:23MAKE AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN IN
00:03:25PRESERVING HISTORY AND INSPIRING THE FUTURE.
00:03:29TWO EVERY VOLUNTEER, EVERY DONOR
00:03:32AND SUPPORTER, TRUSTEE OF THE
00:03:35FOUNDATION, STAFF MEMBER, FRIEND
00:03:38AND COMMUNITY MEMBER, THANK YOU.
00:03:40BECAUSE OF YOUR GENEROSITY,
00:03:44HERBERT AND LOU HENRY HOOVER'S
00:03:46STORY WILL CONTINUE TO RESONATE,
00:03:49EDUCATE AND INSPIRE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CELEBRATING WITH US TODAY.
00:03:53[APPLAUSE]
00:03:59>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
00:04:04COMMENTS AND YOUR LEADERSHIP. IT IS A TRUE PRIVILEGE TO
00:04:07WELCOME YOU TO WEST BRANCH, IOWA
00:04:11FOR A DAY THAT MANY OF US HAVE ANTICIPATED FOR A LONG TIME.
00:04:15ON AUGUST 10, 1962, HERBERT
00:04:18HOOVER SPOKE HERE AT THE ORIGINAL DEDICATION OF HIS
00:04:22LIBRARY AND MUSEUM. ON THAT DAY HE REMARKED, WITHIN
00:04:26THESE WALLS ARE THRILLING
00:04:30RECORDS OF SUPERIOR ACTION BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, AS WELL AS
00:04:34THEIR DEVOTION AND SACRIFICE TO THEIR IDEALS.
00:04:36HOOVER THEN CONTINUED TO SAY,
00:04:41THEY RIGHTLY SAID THOSE WHO DO
00:04:43NOT REMEMBER THEIR PAST ARE CONDEMNED TO RELIVE IT AGAIN.
00:04:48NEARLY 64 YEARS LATER, HERE WE ARE.
00:04:52WE REOPEN THE DOORS TO A MUSEUM
00:04:54THAT TELLS OF SUPERIOR ACTION OF
00:04:57THE PAST AND ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST REMARKABLE STORIES.
00:05:02THE STORY OF A YOUNG BOY, DEEP
00:05:04IN QUAKER FAITH FROM WEST
00:05:07BRANCH, IOWA, ORPHANED BY THE
00:05:10AGE OF 10, GRADUATED FROM
00:05:13STANFORD UNIVERSITY, SETTING HIM ON A PATH TO BECOME A WORLD
00:05:17RENOWNED AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL ENGINEER.
00:05:21FOR MANY, THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH AT 40 YEARS OF AGE.
00:05:24BUT NOT FOR HOOVER. NOT NEARLY ENOUGH.
00:05:29HE CHANGED THE COURSE TO SERVE
00:05:33THE PUBLIC BY CREATING HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATIONS ON A SCALE NEVER BEFORE SEEN.
00:05:38HIS WIFE PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THESE EFFORTS, RAISING FUNDS BACK HOME AND WORKING
00:05:42BEHIND THE SCENES TO ENSURE SUCCESS OF THESE CRITICAL OPERATIONS.
00:05:46HERBERT AND LOU WERE A DYNAMIC DUO.
00:05:51A HERO AFTER THE GREAT WAR,
00:05:55HOOVER ENTERED PUBLIC SERVICE AS SECRETARY OF COMMERCE UNDER TWO
00:05:57PRESIDENTS LEADING A SUCCESSFUL
00:06:00CAMPAIGN TO BECOME 31ST
00:06:02PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES. AFTER A COMPLICATED AND
00:06:05DIFFICULT PRESIDENCY, HOOVER DID NOT STOP.
00:06:08HE ROSE FROM THE ASHES OF HIS
00:06:11POLITICAL DEFEAT BY BECOMING A
00:06:13HYPERACTIVE EX-PRESIDENT, WRITING SPEECHES AND BOOKS
00:06:17AGAINST NEW DEAL POLICIES AND TRAVELED THE GLOBE TO FURTHER
00:06:21WORLD WAR II RELIEF EFFORTS AT
00:06:22THE REQUEST OF PRESIDENT TRUMAN AND OTHER RESPONSIBILITY SERVING
00:06:26PRESIDENT EISENHOWER.
00:06:27TOWARD THE END OF HOOVER'S LIFE,
00:06:31HE WOULD RECOUNT HE HAD SEEN MUCH OF PEOPLE'S, GOVERNMENTS,
00:06:36THEIR INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER HUMAN WOES.
00:06:38HE COUNTED 50 NATIONS WITH WHICH
00:06:41HE HAD SOMETHING TO DO, BUT NOT AS A TOURIST.
00:06:45HE WORKED WITH THOSE PEOPLE. IN HIS PROFESSIONAL YEARS HE
00:06:49BROUGHT TO FOREIGN LANDS AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY WITH GREATER
00:06:53PRODUCTIVITY AND BETTER LIVING.
00:06:55IN TWO WARS HE SERVED AMIDST
00:07:01FAMINE, AND IN THE AFTERMATH HE DIRECTED RECONSTRUCTION IN MANY NATIONS.
00:07:05DURING THESE TRAVELS AROUND THE
00:07:07WORLD, HE ALSO WORKED WITH GREAT
00:07:09SPIRITUAL LEADERS AND THE GREAT STATESMEN.
00:07:15HE ALSO LIVED UNDER GOVERNMENTS OF FREE MEN, OF KINGS AND
00:07:19DICTATORS, UNDER FASCISM AND COMMUNISM.
00:07:22AND EVERY HOMECOMING, TO HOOVER,
00:07:26COMING BACK TO AMERICA AND HIS
00:07:29VISITS HERE TO WEST BRANCH WAS A REAFFIRMATION OF THE GLORY OF
00:07:33AMERICA AND ITS FREEDOM OF OPPORTUNITY. HE SAID HE HAD EVERY OWNER TO
00:07:37WHICH ANY MAN COULD ASPIRE. THERE IS NO PLACE ON THE WHOLE
00:07:41EARTH, HE SAID, EXCEPT HERE IN
00:07:44AMERICA WERE ALL THE SONS OF MAN HAVE A CHANCE AT THIS LIFE.
00:07:49THAT REMARKABLE JOURNEY BEGAN
00:07:52JUST ACROSS THE CREEK FROM WHERE
00:07:53WE GATHER TODAY, MAKING HIS
00:07:57PLACE NOT ONLY THE PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM BUT THE
00:08:00BEGINNING OF AN EXTRAORDINARY AMERICAN STORY.
00:08:04TODAY IS A CELEBRATION OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN PEOPLE COME TOGETHER WITH A SHARED VISION.
00:08:07YEARS OF PLANNING, GENEROSITY,
00:08:12CRAFTSMANSHIP, AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION HAVE TRANSFORMED THIS
00:08:16MUSEUM INTO AN EXPERIENCE THAT WILL EDUCATE, INSPIRE AND
00:08:20WELCOME VISITORS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. NOW, FOR MY FAMILY.
00:08:27THIS IS AN ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL DAY.
00:08:31WE HAVE WATCHED THIS
00:08:31TRANSFORMATION TAKE SHAPE.
00:08:35SEEING ALL OF YOU HERE TODAY IS
00:08:37BOTH VERY HUMBLING AND VERY GRATIFYING.
00:08:44IT IS A REMINDER THAT HERBERT
00:08:46AND LOU HENRY HOOVER'S STORY
00:08:49BELONGS TO OUR FAMILY AND TO ALL OF YOU.
00:08:57TODAY MARKS THE FIRST TIME IN
00:09:00THE HISTORY OF THIS INSTITUTION
00:09:02THE AMERICAN AND I WILL FLAGS
00:09:05WILL BE RAISED OVER THE --
00:09:06AMERICAN AND I WHAT FLAGS WILL BE RAISED OVER THE MUSEUM.
00:09:10IN JUST A MOMENT, -- THAT IS MY
00:09:17DAUGHTER. [LAUGHTER]
00:09:21IN JUST A MOMENT, MEMBERS OF THE
00:09:24HOOVER FAMILY WILL PRESENT THE AMERICAN AND IOWA FLAGS.
00:09:29THE COLOR GUARD WILL ASSIST IN
00:09:31RAISING THEM OVER THE MUSEUM.
00:09:34AS THESE FLAGS RISE TODAY, THEY BECOME LASTING SYMBOLS OF THE
00:09:38IDEALS PRESERVED HERE.
00:09:40SERVICE, FREEDOM, OPPORTUNITY
00:09:44AND A COMMITMENT TO SOMETHING GREATER THAN OURSELVES.
00:09:47PLEASE STAND, WITH YOUR HAND ON
00:09:50YOUR HEART AS THE WEST BRANCH
00:09:52COMMUNITY CHORUS PERFORMS OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM DURING THIS
00:09:56HISTORIC FLAG RAISING.
00:12:35♪
00:13:41♪
00:13:51♪ O SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE
00:14:00DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT ♪
00:14:02♪ WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED ♪
00:14:05♪ AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST
00:14:10GLEAMING ♪
00:14:11♪ WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT
00:14:14STARS ♪
00:14:15♪ THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT ♪
00:14:21♪ O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED ♪
00:14:26♪ WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING ♪
00:14:33♪ AND THE ROCKETS' RED GLARE ♪
00:14:37♪ THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR ♪
00:14:41♪ GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT ♪
00:14:44♪ THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE ♪
00:14:46♪ O SAY DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED
00:14:51BANNER YET WAVE ♪
00:14:52♪ O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND
00:15:02THE HOME OF THE BRAVE? ♪ ♪
00:15:09[APPLAUSE]
00:15:22ALLAN" THANK YOU. PLEASE BE SEATED.
00:15:29WHAT A TERRIFIC WAY TO START THE CELEBRATIONS TODAY.
00:15:33FOR DECADES PEOPLE HAVE COME TO WEST BRANCH TO LEARN ABOUT
00:15:37HERBERT HOOVER AND HIS REMARKABLE LIFE, HIS LEADERSHIP
00:15:41AND HIS UNCOMMON SERVICE WERE NATION. BEGINNING TODAY VISITORS WILL
00:15:44EXPERIENCE A MUSEUM THAT HAS
00:15:47BEEN COMPLETELY REIMAGINED, BRINGING HIS STORY TO LIFE
00:15:50THROUGH IMMERSIVE EXHIBITS, ONE-OF-A-KIND ARTIFACTS AND THE
00:15:53PEOPLE AND EVENTS THAT SHAPED HIS EXTRAORDINARY LEGACY.
00:15:59VISITORS WILL ALSO EXPERIENCE THE IMPORTANT ROLE HENRY HOOVER PLAYED AS A HUMANITARIAN.
00:16:05IT IS NOW MY DISTINCT HONOR TO
00:16:07WELCOME AN UNCOMMON LEADER.
00:16:11SHE HAS BEEN A CHAMPION FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS GREAT STATE AND ITS COMMUNITIES.
00:16:16AS THE HOME STATE OF OUR
00:16:18NATION'S 33RD PRESIDENT, IOWA
00:16:20HAS ALWAYS TAKEN GREAT PRIDE IN PRESERVING THIS UNCOMMON LEGACY.
00:16:24WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE STATE'S
00:16:28CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AND THEIR
00:16:31VITAL SPARKS OF LEADERSHIP IN CELEBRATING THIS IMPORTANT MILESTONE.
00:16:35PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE
00:16:36GOVERNOR OF IOWA, IOWA THE GREAT
00:16:39STATE OF IOWA, GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS.
00:16:44[APPLAUSE]
00:16:49GOV. REYNOLDS: GOOD AFTERNOON,
00:16:53EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU, ALLAN,
00:16:56FOR THAT INTRODUCTION. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY HEARTFELT
00:17:00GRATITUDE FOR YOUR ENDURING DEDICATION TO YOUR
00:17:04GREAT-GRANDFATHER'S LEGACY. IT IS AN HONOR TO JOIN YOU FOR
00:17:08THIS LONG-AWAITED MOMENT AND TO WELCOME SUMMARY DISTINGUISHED
00:17:12GUESTS TO IOWA. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE HOOVER
00:17:15PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION BOARD OF
00:17:18TRUSTEES, ITS PRESIDENT AND CEO,
00:17:20AND HER TEAM, AS WELL AS THE
00:17:24LIBRARY AND MUSEUM DIRECTOR, AND
00:17:27HIS ENTIRE TEAM ALONG WITH LOCAL
00:17:30LEADERS, VOLUNTEERS AND EVERYONE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS DAY POSSIBLE. A HEARTFELT THANK YOU.
00:17:34FOR 64 YEARS, THIS MUSEUM HAS
00:17:40WELCOME VISITORS FROM ACROSS IOWA, THE NATION AND THE WORLD.
00:17:44IT HAS HELPED GENERATIONS BETTER
00:17:47UNDERSTAND HERBERT HOOVER.
00:17:52HIS JOURNEY FROM WEST BRANCH LET HIM TO THE WHITE HOUSE AND HIS COMMITMENT TO SERVICE EXTENDED
00:17:56FAR BEYOND ANYONE OFFICE OR TITLE.
00:17:59152 YEARS AGO, WHEN HOOVER WAS
00:18:02BORN,, IOWA HAD ONLY ADVANCED A
00:18:06FEW GENERATIONS BEYOND ITS PLANAR ORIGINS. COMMUNITIES LIKE WEST BRANCH
00:18:10WERE MADE UP OF PEOPLE OF MODEST MEANS WHO WORK HARD FOR A
00:18:14LIVING, WHETHER AS FARMERS OR
00:18:16LIKE HERBERT'S FATHER, KRAFTSMEN
00:18:19OR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. THERE WAS A FEELING OF
00:18:23OPPORTUNITY. AWAY FROM THE HIERARCHIES OF THE
00:18:27OLD EAST COAST CITIES, AMERICANS
00:18:29HAD THE FREEDOMS TO RISE FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS AND WITH
00:18:32ENOUGH EFFORT, AMBITION AND LUCK, ACHIEVE TRULY GREAT THINGS.
00:18:39HERBERT HOOVER DID NOT JUST SEE THIS, HE LIVED IT.
00:18:42TRANSFORMING HIMSELF AFTER LOSING BOTH PARENTS AS A YOUNG BOY INTO A SUCCESSFUL
00:18:47BUSINESSMAN, ENGINEER,
00:18:49HUMANITARIAN AND EVENTUALLY A CABINET SECRETARY AND PRESIDENT.
00:18:53THROUGH IT ALL HE NEVER FORGOT WHERE HE CAME FROM AND HE NEVER
00:18:57LOST HIS BELIEF IN THE AMERICAN DREAM.
00:18:5818 MONTHS AGO, THESE DOORS
00:19:02CLOSED FOR THE FIRST MAJOR RENOVATION SINCE 1992.
00:19:07TODAY, AFTER A $20 MILLION INVESTMENT, THOUGHTFUL PLANNING
00:19:11AND A LOT OF IOWA GRIT, THE
00:19:17HERBERT HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM REOPENS AS THE NEWEST MUSEUM EXPERIENCE IN
00:19:19THE ENTIRE PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY SYSTEM.
00:19:22THIS REOPENING IS THE RESULT OF
00:19:26A SHARED COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING THAT LEGACY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
00:19:30WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE PRIVATE DONORS WHOSE GENEROSITY HELPED
00:19:34MAKE THIS RENOVATION POSSIBLE.
00:19:35THE STATE OF IOWA, WHO AM PROUD
00:19:39TO SAY PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THIS INVESTMENT.
00:19:43AND TO THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND
00:19:46THE HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP.
00:19:51BECAUSE OF THEIR VISION,
00:19:53VISITORS WILL RETURN TO A MUSEUM REIMAGINED FOR A NEW GENERATION.
00:19:57ITS MODERN EXHIBITS, INTERACTIVE
00:20:00TECHNOLOGY AND ENHANCED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES WILL INVITE VISITORS NOT SIMPLY TO
00:20:05OBSERVE HISTORY BUT ENGAGE WITH IT. YOUNG PEOPLE WILL DISCOVER THE
00:20:09REMARKABLE STORY OF HERBERT AND
00:20:12LOU HENRY HOOVER IN WAYS THAT
00:20:14ARE RELEVANT, MEMORABLE AND INSPIRING.
00:20:19THAT MATTERS BECAUSE HISTORY IS NOT ONLY ABOUT THE PAST.
00:20:24HISTORY GIVES US PERSPECTIVE. IT TEACHES US ABOUT PERSEVERANCE
00:20:27IN DIFFICULT TIMES. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CITIZENSHIP AND CHARACTER
00:20:33REQUIRED TO LEAD THROUGH CHALLENGE AND CHANGE.
00:20:37AS AMERICA MARKS ITS 250TH YEAR,
00:20:41THIS REOPENING COULD NOT COME AT A BETTER TIME.
00:20:44HOOVER'S WIFE REMINDS US OF THE VALUES THAT BUILT THIS NATION
00:20:48AND STILL DEFINE IOWA. HARDWARE, PERSONAL
00:20:52RESPONSIBILITY, VOLUNTARILY
00:20:57COOPERATION AND PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER CAN ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS.
00:21:00HE CALLED IT AMERICAN INDIVIDUALISM. WE STILL LIVE IT EVERY DAY ON
00:21:04OUR FARMS, IN OUR SMALL TOWNS,
00:21:08IN OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES. THE HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
00:21:12AND MUSEUM IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE
00:21:14FOR WEST BRANCH AND ALL OF IOWA. IT IS A DESTINATION FOR
00:21:19VISITORS, A RESOURCE FOR STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS AND A REMINDER THAT A CHILD RAISED IN
00:21:23A SMALL IOWA TOWN CAN MAKE AN
00:21:26EXTRAORDINARY DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD.
00:21:29HERBERT HOOVER SAID HE RECEIVED EVERY HONOR TO WHICH A MAN COULD INSPIRE.
00:21:33TODAY IOWA RETURNS THE HONOR BY
00:21:37ENSURING HIS STORY AND LOU'S
00:21:41STORY WILL CONTINUE TO BE TOLD WITH EXCELLENCE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
00:21:46SO CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON THIS GRAND REOPENING AND THANK YOU TO
00:21:50EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
00:21:59ALLAN: THANK YOU, GOVERNOR
00:22:04REYNOLDS, FOR THOSE EXCELLENT REMARKS AND YOUR LEADERSHIP.
00:22:09HERBERT HOOVER BELIEVED THAT LEADERSHIP CARRIED RESPONSIBILITIES BEYOND OUR OWN
00:22:14COMMUNITIES, AND EVEN BEYOND OUR NATION'S BORDERS.
00:22:18IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE A DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC
00:22:21SERVANT WHOSE CAREER REFLECTS THAT SIN COMMITTED TO
00:22:25REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES ON THE WORLD'S STAGE.
00:22:29PLEASE WELCOME UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO NATO, THE
00:22:34HONORABLE MATTHEW WHITAKER. [APPLAUSE]
00:22:37AMB. WHITAKER: GOVERNOR
00:22:39REYNOLDS, HOOVER FAMILY,
00:22:42DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND
00:22:45GENTLEMEN, IT IS AN HONOR TO JOIN YOU TODAY AS WE CELEBRATE
00:22:48THE REOPENING OF THE HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.
00:22:53AS A PROUD IOWAN,
00:23:00RECOGNIZING ONE OF OUR STATE'S MOST REMARKABLE SONS.
00:23:04PRESIDENT HOOVER'S LIFE REMINDS
00:23:08US PUBLIC CAN TAKE MANY FORMS. HIS CAREER WAS DEFINED BY A
00:23:11COMMITMENT TO SOLVING PROBLEMS, HELPING OTHERS AND USING
00:23:14AMERICAN LEADERSHIP TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AROUND THE WORLD.
00:23:17THAT IS THE LEGACY I HAVE COME
00:23:19TO APPRECIATE EVEN MORE WHILE
00:23:23SERVING THE UNITED STATES AS AMBASSADOR TO NATO IN BRUSSELS,
00:23:28BELGIUM. THE PEOPLE OF BELGIUM REMEMBER HERBERT HOOVER'S LEADERSHIP AND
00:23:30THE COMMISSION FOR THE RELIEF IN BELGIUM DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR.
00:23:36HIS EFFORTS HELP FEED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DURING ONE OF EUROPE'S
00:23:38DARKEST MOMENTS AND HIS
00:23:41COMPASSION AND COMMITMENT REMAIN PART OF THE ENDURING FRIENDSHIP
00:23:44BETWEEN OUR TWO NATIONS.
00:23:48WHILE SERVING ABROAD HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF OBSERVING THE
00:23:51VALUES HERBERT HOOVER EMBODIED.
00:23:55THEY CONTINUE TO SHAPE AMERICA'S ROLE IN THE WORLD.
00:24:01THIS BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED LIBRARY, WHICH I HAD A GREAT
00:24:03HONOR OF GETTING A QUICK TOUR
00:24:08TODAY, WILL ENSURE FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO LEARN FROM THIS REMARKABLE LIFE
00:24:11AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS BOTH HERE IN IOWA AND AROUND THE GLOBE.
00:24:17CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS REOPENING POSSIBLE AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE
00:24:21A PART OF THIS SPECIAL DAY. THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT DAY. [APPLAUSE]
00:24:28ALLAN: THANK YOU, AMBASSADOR WHITAKER.
00:24:33TODAY REMINDS US OF THE LESSONS
00:24:35OF HISTORY ARE NOT ONLY
00:24:40PRESERVED IN BOOKS AND MUSEUMS BUT THE WORK OF LEADERS WHO
00:24:43UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY AND OUR NATION'S HERITAGE FOR
00:24:47FUTURE GENERATIONS.
00:24:49PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING A
00:24:52LONGTIME FRIEND OF THE HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION AND A DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANT FROM THE IOWA HOUSE OF
00:24:58REPRESENTATIVES, REPRESENTATIVE BOBBY KAUFMAN.
00:25:02[APPLAUSE]
00:25:04REP. KAUFMAN: GOOD AFTERNOON,
00:25:10EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING TO SPEND A PART OF YOUR DAY.
00:25:14EVERY DAY WHEN I GO TO DES MOINES, I HAVE ONE THING I LOOK
00:25:18FORWARD TO MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. THE ABILITY TO GET OFF THE
00:25:21HERBERT HOOVER UNCOMMON PUBLIC SERVANT AWARD.
00:25:24EACH YEAR A GROUP PICKS ONE
00:25:28DEMOCRAT AND ONE REPUBLICAN WHO
00:25:30EXUDE THOSE VERY QUALITIES OF AN
00:25:34UNCOMMON PUBLIC SERVANT.
00:25:36BEING ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND
00:25:40CONTINUE HERBERT HOOVER'S LEGACY EVERY YEAR TRULY IS A HIGHLIGHT FOR ME.
00:25:45HALF A DECADE AGO I VERY MUCH ENJOYED FLOOR MANAGING THE TAX CREDIT THAT HELP GET THIS
00:25:49STARTED.
00:25:50LAST YEAR I WAS HAPPY TO
00:25:54BRING THE LEADER THAT HELPED THE
00:25:56STATE OF IOWA INVEST WITH ALL OF
00:25:59YOU WITH THE GENEROSITY WHILE GIVE TO THIS FOUNDATION.
00:26:02BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY I WANT TO USE THIS AMOUNT OF TIME TO GIVE SOME THANK YOUS.
00:26:08IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT I DO IN
00:26:08THE HOUSE IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A
00:26:12GOVERNOR TO SIGN A PIECE OF LEGISLATION. I WANT TO THANK GOVERNOR
00:26:17REYNOLDS, WHO WAS ONE OF THE FIRST AND EARLIEST SUPPORTERS.
00:26:21WITHOUT HER, THIS WOULD
00:26:27NOT HAPPEN, PERIOD. [APPLAUSE]
00:26:30IT ALSO DOES NOT MATTER WHAT I DO IN THE HOUSE IF IT DOES NOT PASS THE SENATE.
00:26:36THEY ARE MAKING SURE THIS LEGISLATION GOT THROUGH THE SENATE. [APPLAUSE]
00:26:42I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE -- I
00:26:45WILL GO AHEAD AND MAKE UP AN
00:26:49AWARD -- THE TOP SERVICE ADVOCATE.
00:26:53SOMEONE WHO DEDICATES TIME WHEN THERE INTO MOWING NOT JUST FOR
00:26:55THE INTERESTS THEY ARE THEREFORE
00:26:59BUT MAKING SURE THIS FOUNDATION IS TAKEN CARE OF. EVERY CONVERSATION I HAVE WITH
00:27:02BRUCE BARNHART, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO FOR HOOVER?
00:27:07LET'S RECOGNIZE BRUCE. [APPLAUSE]
00:27:14PUTTING THIS ALTOGETHER, NOT
00:27:16JUST TODAY BUT IN DES MOINES,
00:27:21LET'S MAKE SURE SHE GETS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [APPLAUSE]
00:27:27IN CONCLUSION, LEGISLATION DOES
00:27:29NOT JUST HAPPEN. I WANT TO THANK THE HOOVER
00:27:34FAMILY -- MARGARET, HOW MANY
00:27:37TIMES DID WE TALK ABOUT GETTING THIS DONE? ALL THE THINGS THAT ALL OF YOU
00:27:41DO, LEGISLATION DOES NOT JUST HAPPEN.
00:27:44THIS FAMILY COULD TO HELP WEST
00:27:45BRANCH AND THE STATE OF IOWA. THE ONE THING I WANT TO LEAVE
00:27:49WITH YOU WITH HERBERT HOOVER,
00:27:50HIS LEGACY AND THIS MUSEUM, I
00:27:54WILL ALWAYS HAVE YOUR BACK. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
00:28:01ALLAN: THANK YOU SO MUCH,
00:28:05REPRESENTATIVE KAUFMANN, FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS.
00:28:09ALTHOUGH MANY KNOW HER AS
00:28:12PRESIDENT OF THE GIRL SCOUTS, LOU HENRY HOOVER HAD A LOVE OF
00:28:16MUSIC THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED.
00:28:18SHE FOUNDED THE FRIENDS OF MUSIC ORGANIZATION AT STANFORD
00:28:22UNIVERSITY THAT FUNDS SCHOLARSHIPS AND CAMPUS MUSICAL EVENTS.
00:28:27THAT ORGANIZATION STILL EXISTS TODAY.
00:28:29IT IS FITTING THAT TODAY CEREMONY ALSO INCLUDES MUSIC
00:28:32THAT REFLECTS LOU'S PASSION.
00:28:35PLEASE WELCOME THE WEST BRANCH
00:28:36COMMUNITY CHORUS AS THEY SING
00:28:39"SONG OF PEACE."
00:29:04♪ [SINGING] ♪
00:29:54♪ [SINGING] ♪
00:30:42♪ [SINGING] ♪
00:31:16[APPLAUSE]
00:31:24ALLAN: THANK YOU, WEST BRANCH
00:31:30COMMUNITY CHORUS FOR THE PERFORMANCE.
00:31:31ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE CHAPTERS OF HERBERT HOOVER'S
00:31:35LIFE UNFOLDED FAR FROM IOWA AND FAR FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.
00:31:38AT THE HEIGHT OF HOOVER'S
00:31:41ENGINEERING CAREER IN 1914,
00:31:45CATACLYSMIC EVENTS LED HERBERT HOOVER TO ANSWER THE CALL TO
00:31:48SAVE MILLIONS OF BELGIAN PEOPLE SUFFERING DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR.
00:31:54THIS CALLING LAUNCHED HOOVER DOWN WHEN HE CALLED THE SLIPPERY ROAD OF PUBLIC LIFE.
00:31:59THE COMMISSION FOR RELIEF IN
00:32:01BELGIUM WOULD BECOME THE FIRST
00:32:04OF HIS MANY UNPRECEDENTED HUMANITARIAN ENDEAVORS.
00:32:07MORE THAN A CENTURY LATER, THOSE
00:32:12EXTRAORDINARY EFFORTS CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN BELGIUM AND THE UNITED STATES.
00:32:16WE ARE DEEPLY HONORED TO WELCOME DISTINGUISHED REPRESENTATIVES OF
00:32:22BELGIUM, INCLUDING DIRECTORS OF
00:32:23THE BELGIUM AMERICAN
00:32:28FOUNDATION.
00:32:30PLEASE JOIN ME NOW IN WELCOMING
00:32:36-- THE HONORABLE. [APPLAUSE]
00:32:48>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS A
00:32:54GREAT HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU
00:32:56AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE KINGDOM
00:32:58OF BELGIUM FOR THE GRAND
00:33:01REOPENING OF THE HERBERT HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.
00:33:05BELGIUM'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U.S. IS PART OF THE LASTING
00:33:09RELATIONSHIP BUILT ON MUTUAL COMMITMENTS FORGED OVER MANY DECADES.
00:33:13OUR FREEDOM, OUR DEMOCRACY AND THE PROTECTION OF OUR
00:33:16FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OWE A GREAT
00:33:18DEAL TO THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO CAME TO FIGHT IN EUROPE DURING THE FIRST AND SECOND
00:33:22WORLD WARS TO HELP LIBERATE US FROM TOTALITARIANISM.
00:33:27SINCE THEN THE BONDS BETWEEN OUR PEOPLE HAVE ONLY GROWN DEEPER.
00:33:31MORE THAN $70 BILLION IN ANNUAL
00:33:35TRADE BETWEEN OUR COUNTRIES UNDERPIN 200,000 JOBS ON BOTH
00:33:38SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC, SHOWING
00:33:41HOW MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP CONTINUES TO BE.
00:33:43AS STRONG ALLIES ARE NATIONS
00:33:47STAND ON SECURITY.
00:33:52WELL BEFORE THE UNITED STATES ENTERED THE FIRST WORLD WAR,
00:33:55WHILE MY COUNTRY WAS SUFFERING SEVERE FOOD SHORTAGES AS A
00:33:59RESULT OF THE GERMAN OCCUPATION AND THE BRITISH MARITIME
00:34:03BLOCKADE, AN AMERICAN ENGINEER AND BUSINESSMAN LIVING IN
00:34:06LONDON, HERBERT HOOVER, ESTABLISHED A COMMISSION FOR
00:34:10RELIEF IN 1914. AS ONE OF THE FIRST LARGE-SCALE
00:34:14HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS OF THE MODERN ERA, THEY HELP SAVE MILLIONS OF CIVILIANS FROM STARVATION.
00:34:18HOOVER WAS LAUDED WORLDWIDE AS A SAVIOR OF BELGIUM.
00:34:24THROUGH A REMARKABLE DIPLOMATIC
00:34:25AND LOGISTICAL EFFORT, THE
00:34:29COMMISSION SHIPPED TO MILLIONS OF TONS OF FOOD AND PROVIDED
00:34:30SUSTENANCE TO NEARLY 9 MILLION PEOPLE AND OCCUPIED BELGIUM AND
00:34:36FRANCE. USING AN EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF
00:34:37LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, THE COMMISSION BUILT AN
00:34:40UNPRECEDENTED INTERNATIONAL RELIEF OPERATION THAT REMAINS A LANDMARK IN THE HISTORY OF
00:34:44HUMANITARIAN ACTION. WHEN THE WAR ENDED THE
00:34:50COMMISSION'S FINANCIAL SURPLUSES WERE DEDICATED TO A LASTING INVESTMENT IN EDUCATION AND
00:34:53KNOWLEDGE AT UBER'S REQUEST. SUBSTANTIAL FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED
00:34:58TO BELGIUM'S UNIVERSITY INTO THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSITY
00:35:02FOUNDATION AND USED TO ESTABLISH
00:35:03THE BELGIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION. .
00:35:07FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, THEY HAVE FOSTERED ACADEMIC
00:35:10EXCELLENCE AND STRENGTHEN TIES BETWEEN BELGIUM AND THE UNITED
00:35:14STATES BY SUPPORTING GENERATIONS
00:35:15OF STUDENTS, RESEARCHERS AND
00:35:19SCHOLARS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC. IT STANDS AS A LIVING TESTAMENT
00:35:23TO HERBERT HOOVER'S CONVICTION
00:35:24THAT EDUCATION IS AMONG THE STRONGEST FOUNDATIONS FOR PEACE.
00:35:30THEREFORE, WE ARE VERY HONORED
00:35:34-- THE PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION IS HERE TODAY.
00:35:37AS WE CELEBRATE THE REOPENING OF
00:35:39THIS LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, WE ARE
00:35:41NOT ONLY PRESERVING THE MEMORY OF A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE
00:35:44UNITED STATES, WE ARE HONORING A HUMANITARIAN WITH THE VISION AND
00:35:49LEADERSHIP THAT SHAPE THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS BELGIANS THAT HELPED FORGE BONDS BETWEEN THE
00:35:58NATIONS. LAST NIGHT I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF MEETING SOME OF THE DEFENDANTS OF BELGIANS THAT MOVED TO AMERICA'S HEARTLAND TO
00:36:02REALIZE THE AMERICAN DREAM.
00:36:06THEIR PERSONAL STORIES AND THE
00:36:08STORIES OF THEIR FAMILY HISTORY ARE THE BEST TESTIMONY TO THESE
00:36:12BONDS BETWEEN THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
00:36:16ON BEHALF OF BELGIUM, I WOULD
00:36:19LIKE TO THINK THE HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION AND CONGRATULATE EVERYONE WHO
00:36:24CONTRIBUTED TO THIS GRAND REOPENING. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
00:36:36ALLAN: THANK YOU FOR THOSE REMARKS.
00:36:41I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE NEXT INTRODUCTION.
00:36:58>> HELLO, EVERYBODY.
00:37:07WE ARE NOT FAMILY RELATED. HE WILL COME NEXT.
00:37:10MY SPEECH IS SHORT.
00:37:14FIRST OF ALL, DISTINGUISHED
00:37:17MEMBERS OF THE HOOVER FAMILY,
00:37:19AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WISH
00:37:24TO OFFER MY MOST SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MANY WHO
00:37:28SO ARE GENEROUSLY HOSTING TODAY.
00:37:32IT IS ALSO MY OWNER TO CONVEY
00:37:36THE WARM GREETINGS AND CONGRATULATIONS.
00:37:40THE RECTOR, YOU WOULD PROBABLY
00:37:45SAY PRESIDENT, IS A 600-YEAR-OLD
00:37:51UNIVERSITY IN THE CENTER OF
00:37:53BELGIUM, OR A PROFESSOR AND
00:37:55MYSELF ARE INVOLVED IN SOME ACTIVITIES.
00:38:02THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY WANTED TO SEND A PERSONAL
00:38:06MESSAGE FOR THE OCCASION OF THIS REOPENING OF THE HOOVER FAMILY
00:38:10AND THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY I SEE BEFORE ME.
00:38:13I HAVE IT HERE AND I WILL PICK
00:38:15UP ONE OR TWO SENTENCES OF THE
00:38:19MESSAGE THAT I WILL HAND OVER.
00:38:27IN THIS OFFICIAL MESSAGE, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY
00:38:30STARTS BY SAYING THAT FEW NAMES
00:38:32IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY
00:38:35ARE REMEMBERED WITH GREATER
00:38:38GRATITUDE THAN THAT OF HOOVER.
00:38:43SHE ADDS OUR UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
00:38:46IS ONE OF THE LASTING SYMBOLS OF THAT LEGACY.
00:38:50ITS RECONSTRUCTION REPRESENTED
00:38:54FAR MORE THAN JUST A RESTORATION OF A BUILDING. IT AFFIRMED THE BELIEF THAT
00:38:59KNOWLEDGE CAN OVERCOME DESTRUCTION AND INTERNATIONAL
00:39:04SOLIDARITY CAN TRIUMPH OVER
00:39:07CONFLICT AND THAT UNIVERSITIES
00:39:09ARE INDISPENSABLE TO THE REBUILDING OF FREE SOCIETIES.
00:39:16THIS IS VERY MUCH UNIVERSITY
00:39:18SPEAK, HUMANITARIAN LEADERSHIP
00:39:22AND ACADEMIC LIFE ARE NOT
00:39:27SEPARATE CALLINGS BUT COMPLEMENTARY EXPRESSIONS OF A SHARED COMMITMENT TO HUMAN
00:39:32DIGNITY, RESPONSIBILITY, AND THE COMMON GOOD.
00:39:35LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE
00:39:40DIRECTOR ALSO REMINDS YOU IN A
00:39:42MESSAGE THAT LIBRARIES ARE
00:39:45PLACES FOR EACH GENERATION
00:39:47ENTERS INTO DIALOGUE WITH THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE.
00:39:52THAT THOUGHT RESONATES TO ME
00:39:55PERSONALLY BECAUSE TODAY I
00:39:59WANTED TO SHOW MY GRANDSON THIS
00:40:02REMARKABLE PLACE IN THE UNITED
00:40:04STATES BECAUSE HISTORY IS
00:40:09SOMETHING THAT IS NOT INHERITED AUTOMATICALLY.
00:40:12EVERY GENERATION MUST LEARN IT, UNDERSTAND IT AND MAKE IT ITS
00:40:16OWN.
00:40:17WE ALL KNOW THAT EVERY ELECTION
00:40:21CYCLE BRINGS AN ENTIRELY NEW
00:40:27GENERATION OF YOUNG VOTERS INTO OUR DEMOCRACIES.
00:40:29THAT IS CERTAINLY THE CASE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
00:40:33I THINK EVERY FOUR YEARS THERE
00:40:37ARE 16 MILLION NEW YOUNG VOTERS THAT ENTER.
00:40:42IN THE EUROPEAN UNION IT IS
00:40:44AROUND 20 MILLION EVERY FOUR YEARS.
00:40:51NONE OF THESE 36 MILLION YOUNG
00:40:54PEOPLE EXPERIENCED THE EVENTS
00:40:57THAT PUSHED THE TRANSATLANTIC
00:41:02FRIENDSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP. AND WHETHER THEY UNDERSTAND ITS
00:41:06VALUE DEPENDS ON WHAT WE CHOOSE TO PRESERVE, TO TEACH AND TO SHARE.
00:41:15I RECENTLY HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF
00:41:17CONSULTING THE ARCHIVES OF THE BELGIAN ROYAL FAMILY.
00:41:22I ENCOUNTERED REMARKABLE
00:41:25PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN HERBERT HOOVER, KING ALBERT 1
00:41:29AND QUEEN ELIZABETH.
00:41:31ON ONE HAND WRITTEN NOTE THAT
00:41:34STRUCK ME IN PARTICULAR, KING
00:41:36ALBERT PROPOSED THAT HERBERT
00:41:40HOOVER WOULD BE GRANTED THE UNIQUE TITLE OF CITIZEN OF THE
00:41:44BELGIAN NATION AND FRIEND OF THE BELGIAN PEOPLE.
00:41:49THE GOVERNMENT OF COURSE APPROVED THAT BRILLIANT IDEA.
00:41:53I THINK FEW DISTINCTIONS COULD BETTER EXPRESS THE GRATITUDE OF AN ENTIRE NATION.
00:41:59THE SIN CORRESPONDENCE ALSO
00:42:02REVEALS THAT HOOVER'S GENEROSITY
00:42:05EXTENDED BEYOND HUMANITARIAN
00:42:08RELIEF AND THE REBUILDING OF UNIVERSITIES OR LIBRARIES THAT
00:42:12UNIVERSITIES.
00:42:13HE ALSO RESPONDED TO SUPPORTING
00:42:18MEDICAL RESEARCH, REMINDING US
00:42:21THAT HIS VISION OF
00:42:23RECONSTRUCTION -- HUMAN WELL-BEING.
00:42:27LET ME CONCLUDE, TODAY THE
00:42:31DISTANCE BETWEEN THIS BRANCH,
00:42:34IOWA, AND BELGIUM IS MEASURED
00:42:38NOT IN MILES BUT IN A CENTURY OF FRIENDSHIP.
00:42:43THAT IS HERBERT HOOVER'S ENDURING GIFT TO ALL OF US.
00:42:50IT IS NOW MY GREAT PLEASURE TO
00:42:52INTRODUCE A PROFESSOR.
00:42:58ONE OF THE FOREMOST EXPERTS ON
00:42:59HERBERT HOOVER'S DECISIVE
00:43:03CONTRIBUTION TO THE RESTORATION OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR.
00:43:09MY GRANDSON IS HERE TO DISCOVER THE STORY FOR THE FIRST TIME.
00:43:14THE PROFESSOR HAS SPENT MANY YEARS HELPING ALL OF US
00:43:17UNDERSTAND MORE DEEPLY AND
00:43:19REMIND US THAT HISTORY ONLY
00:43:23LIVES WHEN IT IS PASSED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
00:43:29AND CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
00:43:51>> BOTTOM GOVERNOR,
00:43:54DISTINGUISHED REPRESENTED --
00:43:56MADAM GOVERNOR, DISTINGUISHED
00:44:00REPRESENTATIVES. THERE ARE MOMENTS IN HISTORY
00:44:04WHEN ONE INDIVIDUAL CHANGE IS NOT MERELY THE COURSE OF EVENTS,
00:44:08BUT THE FATE OF THE PEOPLE.
00:44:09FOR BELGIUM, HERBERT HOOVER WAS SUCH A PERSON.
00:44:14AND BY COUNTRY, HIS NAME IS
00:44:19ASSOCIATED NOT WITH PRESIDENTIAL
00:44:20POLITICS, BUT WITH FOOD, SURVIVAL AND RECONSTRUCTION.
00:44:27HE IS REMEMBERED AS THE ORGANIZER OF AN UNPRECEDENTED
00:44:30RELIEF OPERATION THAT SUSTAINED
00:44:33MILLIONS OF CIVILIANS AND THEIR OCCUPATION.
00:44:37AND AS A FRIEND WHO REMAINED
00:44:40ATTACHED TO BELGIUM LONG AFTER THE EMERGENCY HAD PASSED.
00:44:46AS THE AMBASSADOR JUST SAID, HE
00:44:49HAS BEEN GIVEN A UNIQUE TITLE --
00:44:53FRIEND OF THE BELGIAN NATION,
00:44:56ALONGSIDE HONORARY CITIZENSHIP.
00:44:58AND MUCH LATER, WHEN HE VISITED
00:45:01BELGIUM AGAIN IN JULY 1958, AT
00:45:06THE BRUSSELS WORLD'S FAIR, HE
00:45:08WAS BY THEN AN OCTOGENARIAN,
00:45:11SERVING AS PRESIDENT
00:45:15EISENHOWER'S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE.
00:45:17THEN THE BELGIAN GOVERNMENT
00:45:19DECLARED JULY 5 HOOVER DAY IN HIS HONOR.
00:45:25IT IS MORE THAN AN EPISODE IN A BIOGRAPHY OF A GREAT AMERICAN STATESMAN.
00:45:30IT IS A MAJOR CHAPTER IN MODERN HUMANITARIANISM.
00:45:33IT PROVES THAT EVEN IN A WAR OF
00:45:37UNPRECEDENTED VIOLENCE, IT
00:45:40REMAIN POSSIBLE TO CREATE AN
00:45:43INTERNATIONAL SPACE DEVOTED TO HUMAN SURVIVAL.
00:45:47BECAUSE WHEN GERMAN TROOPS
00:45:49CROSSED BELGIUM IN AUGUST 1914,
00:45:53BELGIUM WAS THROWN INTO A WAR IT
00:45:56HAD NEITHER SOUGHT NOR PROVOKED.
00:45:58IN VIOLATION OF THE NEUTRALITY GUARANTEED BY THE EUROPEAN
00:46:03POWERS SINCE THE CREATION OF THE BELGIAN STATE.
00:46:07TOWNS WERE BOMBARDED AND BURNED.
00:46:13AND IT BELGIAN ARMY RETREATED.
00:46:17HOLDING A NARROW STRIP OF AN OCCUPIED TERRITORY.
00:46:22THE OCCUPATION BY THE GERMANS
00:46:25CREATED A SECOND, LESS VISIBLE DANGER.
00:46:29BELGIUM HAS ALWAYS BEEN A DENSELY POPULATED, HIGHLY
00:46:33INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRY, AND
00:46:37DEPENDENT ON IMPORTS FOR MUCH OF ITS FOOD. THE WAR SHATTERED THAT SYSTEM.
00:46:41IMPORTS CEASED.
00:46:45THE BRITISH NAVAL BLOCKADE SEALED OFF OCCUPIED TERRITORY. THE INDUSTRY HALTED.
00:46:49THE OCCUPYING FORCES
00:46:53REQUISITIONED ALL KINDS OF GOODS AND FOOD FOR THEIR OWN PURPOSES.
00:46:57THE METRIC AGRICULTURE COULD NOT COMPENSATE AND FAMINE BECAME AN
00:47:01IMMEDIATE PROSPECT. THE POLITICAL SITUATION WAS OF
00:47:04AN UNHEARD OF COMPLEXITY. GERMANY CONTROLLED THE
00:47:08TERRITORY, SO ANY RELIEF REQUIRED ITS CONSENT.
00:47:11IT WAS RELUCTANT TO ADMIT AN INDEPENDENT FOREIGN
00:47:15ORGANIZATION.
00:47:16THE BRITISH FEARED THAT FOOD
00:47:20ALLOWED THROUGH THE BLOCKADE WOULD SIMPLY BE SEIZED BY THE OCCUPIER.
00:47:24BELGIUM NEEDED ASSISTANCE IN
00:47:28ALMOST EVERY POLITICAL AND
00:47:30MILITARY CONSIDERATION MADE IT APPEAR IMPOSSIBLE.
00:47:34AND THEN YOU HAD HERBERT HOOVER.
00:47:38WE ALL KNOW HE STUDIED GEOLOGY
00:47:39AT STANFORD, BECAME A MINING
00:47:44ENGINEER, BUILT A CAREER THAT TOOK HIM TO CHINA, RUSSIA.
00:47:48BY 1914, AT 40, HE WAS A
00:47:53SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MEN WHO KNEW HOW TO ORGANIZE OPERATIONS
00:47:56ACROSS CONTINENTS, NEGOTIATE
00:47:59WITH GOVERNMENTS AND SOLVE COMPLEX LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS.
00:48:03AND WHO POSSESSED A FORMIDABLE DETERMINATION TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES.
00:48:08HIS FIRST WARTIME UNDERTAKING
00:48:11WAS TO REPATRIATE SOME 120,000
00:48:16AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO WERE STRANDED IN EUROPE BECAUSE OF
00:48:20THE OUTBREAK OF THE WORK.
00:48:21WHEN BELGIUM FOOT PRICES -- HE
00:48:26WAS KNOWN AS A GOOD MAN.
00:48:28THE INITIATIVE DID NOT ORIGINATE WITH HOOVER ALONE.
00:48:32BELGIUM LEADERS CAME TO LONDON
00:48:34AND THEY PLEADED FOR HIS HELP.
00:48:37AMONG THEM WERE AN
00:48:44ADMINISTRATOR, A PRINCIPAL LEADER OF A COMMITTEE.
00:48:50THAT WAS A BELGIAN COMMITTEE THAT ORGANIZED THE DISTRIBUTION
00:48:53OF THE RELIEF THROUGHOUT OCCUPIED BELGIUM.
00:48:55IT WAS ALSO THE UNITED STATES
00:48:59MINISTER IN BRUSSELS WHO BECAME
00:49:02AN IMPORTANT PROTECTOR OF BELGIAN INTERESTS. AS DID THE SPANISH
00:49:06REPRESENTATIVE.
00:49:09HOOVER'S TASK WAS TO BUILD THE
00:49:11EXTERNAL MACHINERY TO MAKE SURE
00:49:14THERE WOULD BE FOOD PURCHASED,
00:49:18NEGOTIATE PASSAGE THROUGH THE BLOCKADE, AND SECURE GERMAN
00:49:22GUARANTEES.
00:49:24IN OCTOBER 1914, THE COMMISSION FOR RELEASE IN BELGIUM WAS
00:49:29ESTABLISHED WITH HOOVER AS CHAIRMAN AND DOMINANT ORGANIZING FORCE.
00:49:35THE CHALLENGE WAS ALMOST
00:49:36UNIMAGINABLE -- TO FEED AN
00:49:40ENTIRE NATION, 9 MILLION-10 MILLION PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS.
00:49:45THEY WERE UNDER ENEMY OCCUPATION. IT WAS SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL.
00:49:50AS AN ORGANIZATION IT FITTED NO
00:49:53EXISTING CATEGORY.
00:49:55IT WAS FORMALLY A PRIVATE --
00:50:01FUNCTIONS NORMALLY RESERVED TO THE STATES AND GOVERNMENTS. IT NEGOTIATED DIRECTLY WITH
00:50:05POWERS.
00:50:06IT RAISED ENORMOUS RESOURCES.
00:50:09IT CHARTED A FLEET WITH ITS OWN FLAG.
00:50:11IT EMPLOYED INSPECTORS INSIDE
00:50:13OCCUPIED TERRITORY, AND SO ON.
00:50:18A BRITISH OFFICIAL FAMOUSLY
00:50:20CALLED CRB A STATE ORGANIZE FOR
00:50:32BENEVOLENCE. AN INTERESTING PHRASE THAT
00:50:36HOOVER LIKED. HE USED IT LATER.
00:50:41IT IS CAPTURING THE IMPROVISED CHARACTER AND EXTRAORDINARY AUTONOMY.
00:50:46THERE WAS A DIVISION OF LABOR
00:50:48BETWEEN THE CRV AND THE LOCAL
00:50:51NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF ALL THAT FOOD
00:50:54THROUGHOUT BELGIUM AS YOU SEE IN THE WONDERFUL EXHIBITION.
00:50:58HOOVER WAS THE ESSENTIAL
00:51:01INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN SYSTEMS THAT WERE POLITICALLY AND
00:51:05MILITARILY OPPOSED TO ONE ANOTHER. HE HAD TO CONVINCE THE BRITISH
00:51:10GOVERNMENT AND AT ONE POINT OUTMANEUVER WINSTON CHURCHILL,
00:51:14WHO WAS THEN THE FIRST LORD.
00:51:16HE HAD TO GET THEIR PERMISSION THAT FOOD WOULD BE ABLE TO BE
00:51:20EXPORTED. THAT THEY WOULD NOT BENEFIT THE GERMAN WAR EFFORT.
00:51:30SHE HAD TO OBTAIN ASSURANCES AGAINST REQUISITION.
00:51:33HE HAD TO REASSURE THE DUTCH
00:51:36GOVERNMENT THAT THE SHIPS WOULD BE IN ROTTERDAM AND SO FORTH.
00:51:40SO HE ACTED AT ONCE AS A
00:51:43BUSINESSMAN, AS A DIPLOMAT, AS AN ADVOCATE, AND AS AN
00:51:48ADMINISTRATOR.
00:51:50BELGIUM BECAME A SYMBOL IN THE UNITED STATES.
00:51:56THE SUFFERING OF CIVILIANS, THE
00:51:58BURNING OF THE LIBRARY -- THEY AROUSED DEEP SYMPATHY.
00:52:02POOR LITTLE BELGIUM, IT WAS CALLED. POOR LITTLE BELGIUM BECAME A
00:52:06SYMBOL OF A SMALL NATION
00:52:10SUFFERING AGGRESSION FROM A GREAT POWER.
00:52:11AND WHOEVER -- WHO RETURNED THAT
00:52:15SYMPATHY INTO ORGANIZED ACTION -- CHURCHES, SCHOOLS,
00:52:19UNIVERSITIES, WOMEN'S ORGANIZATIONS. LOCAL COMMUNITIES COLLECTED
00:52:23MONEY AND FOOD SO THAT HELP CAME NOT ONLY FROM GOVERNMENT AND
00:52:27WEALTHY FINANCIERS, BUT FROM ORDINARY FAMILIES.
00:52:32BELGIUM BECAME A MORAL ARGUMENT
00:52:35FOR AMERICAN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WORLD. ONE OF THE MOST ENDURING SYMBOLS
00:52:38OF HOOVER'S CONNECTION WITH
00:52:43BELGIUM WAS THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.
00:52:47IF YOU EVER VISIT BELGIUM, VISIT OUR LIBRARY.
00:52:50IT IS UNBELIEVABLE. IT WAS BURNED DOWN IN AUGUST
00:52:531914 BY GERMAN TROOPS.
00:52:57THAT CAUSED WORLDWIDE OUTRAGE.
00:52:59IT BECAME A SYMBOL OF THE ASSAULT OF WAR UPON EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION.
00:53:05NOT ONLY UPON BELGIUM, BUT UPON LEARNING ITSELF.
00:53:10REBUILDING IT BECAME AN IMPORTANT TRANSATLANTIC PROJECT.
00:53:14AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES, PRIVATE
00:53:16CITIZENS, CONTRIBUTED FUNDS, BOOKS.
00:53:18AND THE NEW LIBRARY, DESIGNED BY
00:53:23AN AMERICAN ARCHITECT, BECAME A
00:53:25MONUMENTAL EXPRESSION OF
00:53:29BELGIAN-AMERICAN SOLIDARITY. HOOVER'S NAME JUST BECAME --
00:53:32THUS BECAME LINKED NOT ONLY WITH
00:53:34FEEDING PEOPLE, BUT WITH RESTORING CULTURAL LIFE.
00:53:37AND THE LIBRARY BECAME A SITE OF
00:53:42MEMORY. IT BECAME A BIT OF A SITE OF CONTROVERSY BECAUSE THE
00:53:45ARCHITECT WISHED TO CARVE A
00:53:50FIERCELY ANTI-GERMAN LATIN INSCRIPTION ALONG THE BALUSTRADES.
00:53:54I DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD YOUR LATIN IS.
00:53:57IN LATIN, IT IS SAYING [SPEAKS
00:54:03LATIN], WHICH MEANS "DESTROYED
00:54:07BY GERMAN FURY, RESTORED BY AMERICAN GENEROSITY."
00:54:14THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN INSCRIBED ON THE BALUSTRADE OF THE LIBRARY.
00:54:17BUT THE THEN-RECTOR, WHO WAS THE
00:54:23PRESIDENT OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
00:54:27BUT ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE UNITED STATES COMMITTEE FOR
00:54:31RESTORATION, AND ALSO HOOVER HIMSELF -- THEY OPPOSED THIS
00:54:35BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY WAS GOING TO
00:54:39BE SOMETHING LIKE A SYMBOL OF
00:54:42HATE, AND HOOVER'S CONVICTION
00:54:45WAS THAT MEMORY SHOULD SUSTAIN
00:54:48MORAL RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THAT MEMORIALS MUST NOT PERPETUATE HATRED.
00:54:52AND SO OPPOSITE THE LIBRARY
00:54:55TODAY, YOU WILL SEE THE SQUARE
00:54:59NAMED AFTER HOOVER, AND A BRONZE BUST OF HIM STANDS INSIDE NEAR
00:55:01THE STAIRCASE OF THE ICONIC
00:55:06READING ROOM. HOOVER'S RELATIONSHIP WITHOUT BELGIUM -- WITH BELGIUM DID NOT
00:55:10END WITH THE FIRST WORLD WAR. BELGIAN UNIVERSITIES AND CITIES
00:55:13HONORED HIM WITH DEGREES, DECORATIONS, THE NAMING OF STREETS AND SQUARES.
00:55:18AND AFTER THE AMNESTY COMMISSION
00:55:22FOR RELIEF WAS LIQUIDATED, HOOVER ENSURED THAT THE SURPLUS,
00:55:27OVER $30 MILLION, WAS REPURPOSED
00:55:29TO BUILD A LASTING INTELLECTUAL
00:55:33BRIDGE BETWEEN OUR COUNTRIES.
00:55:36IN 1920, HE ESTABLISHED THE SEER
00:55:37BE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION,
00:55:40MEANING THE BELGIAN-AMERICAN
00:55:43EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, WHICH HE CHAIRED OVER 40 YEARS UNTIL HIS
00:55:47DEATH. AND UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, THAT
00:55:51TURNED WARTIME CAPITAL INTO AN
00:55:54ENGINE OF ACADEMIC EXCHANGE, FUNDING UNIVERSITY
00:55:58RECONSTRUCTION, BUT ALSO CREATING A FANTASTIC FELLOWSHIP
00:56:02PROGRAM THAT HAS SINCE SUPPORTED THOUSANDS OF BELGIAN AND
00:56:05AMERICAN SCHOLARS, AND WE HAVE
00:56:09THE PRESIDENT WITH US TODAY, AND
00:56:13DISTINGUISHED BOARD MEMBERS.
00:56:17SO, THAT WAS QUITE SOMETHING.
00:56:20THE LEGACY BECAME THIS BELGIAN AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION.
00:56:26A LEGACY OF THAT PIRATICAL STATE FOR BENEVOLENCE.
00:56:30LET ME EXPRESS ALSO THE GRATITUDE OF THE BELGIAN PEOPLE,
00:56:33BECAUSE THE GREATNESS OF HOOVER
00:56:36LIES NOT JUST IN REPLACING
00:56:40BELGIAN AGENCY, BUT IN ENABLING
00:56:42BELGIAN AGENCY, WORKING WITH THOSE LOCAL COMMUNITIES FOR THE
00:56:45DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD.
00:56:48THERE IS A LESSON HERE ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE ITSELF.
00:56:52POLITICAL HISTORY TENDS TO WRITE
00:56:56INDIVIDUALS BY THE OFFICES THAT
00:56:57THEY HELD, BUT HOOVER IN A WAY
00:57:01TO EXERCISE HIS MOST ADMIRABLE LEADERSHIP BEFORE HE BECAME
00:57:05PRESIDENT. HE POSSESSED NO ELECTORAL MANDATE IN BELGIUM.
00:57:09HE COMMANDED NO ARMY.
00:57:12HE GOVERNED NO TERRITORY.
00:57:14YET HE ORGANIZED AN ENTERPRISE ON WHICH MILLIONS OF LIVES
00:57:20DEPENDED, ON AN AUTHORITY
00:57:21DERIVED FROM COMPETENCE, TRUST, AND MORAL URGENCY.
00:57:28HISTORY BECOMES MOST VALUABLE WHEN IT INSPIRES ACTION IN THE PRESENT.
00:57:33TO HONOR HOVE -- HONOR HOOVER IS
00:57:35NOT SIMPLY TO PLACE HIS NAME UP ON A BUILDING.
00:57:38IT IS TO ASK WHETHER WE REMAIN
00:57:41CAPABLE OF THE SAME MORAL
00:57:45IMAGINATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL COURAGE TODAY.
00:57:48WOULD WE KNOW BUILD A VAST
00:57:50INTERNATIONAL MECHANISM TO FEED
00:57:55AN OCCUPIED POPULATION? WOULD LEADERS ASSUME
00:57:57RESPONSIBILITY FOR A CRISIS NOT
00:58:01IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY?
00:58:05DISTINGUISHED GOVERNOR, EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHEN WE REMEMBER THE
00:58:08FIRST WORLD WAR, THE FIRST OF OUR ATTENTIONS GOES TO THE BATTLEFIELDS, THE ARMIES.
00:58:14AT THE HISTORY OF WAR IS NOT ONLY THE HISTORY OF THOSE WHO FIGHT IT.
00:58:19IT IS ALSO THE HISTORY OF THOSE
00:58:23WHO ENDURE -- CIVILIANS SEEKING
00:58:24FOOD AND DIGNITY.
00:58:28INSTITUTIONS THAT DESERVE LIFE
00:58:33WHEN ORDINARY SYSTEMS COLLAPSE.
00:58:35HERBERT HOOVER BELONGS TO THAT TRADITION. HIS ACHIEVEMENT IN BELGIUM WAS
00:58:39NOT A MILITARY VICTORY. IT WAS A VICTORY OVER HUNGER.
00:58:43HE DID NOT LIBERATE OCCUPIED TERRITORY.
00:58:45HE HELPED ENSURE THAT THOSE
00:58:47LIVING UNDER OCCUPATION SURVIVED
00:58:52UNTIL LIBERATION CAME. HE DID NOT NEGOTIATE A PEACE TREATY.
00:58:55HE HELPED PRESERVE THE HUMAN
00:58:56FOUNDATIONS UPON WHICH PEACE COULD BE BUILT.
00:59:00HE DID NOT ACT ALONE, BUT HE PROVIDED THE ENERGY,
00:59:04IMAGINATION, AND AUTHORITY
00:59:06WITHOUT WHICH THE RELIEF SYSTEM
00:59:08MIGHT NEVER HAVE EXISTED, AND SO
00:59:11HE HELPED SAVE MILLIONS OF LIVES.
00:59:13HOOVER GAVE BELGIUM THE MEANS TO SURVIVE ONE OF THE DARKEST
00:59:17PERIODS IN ITS HISTORY.
00:59:20THE RELATIONSHIP WAS BORN IN MORE, BUT NOT DEFINED BY WAR
00:59:24ALONE. IT BECAME ABOUT GRATITUDE,
00:59:28FRIENDSHIP, AND SHARED COMMITMENT TO RECONSTRUCTION. HERBERT HOOVER SHOULD BE
00:59:33REMEMBERED THEREFORE NOT MERELY AS AN AMERICAN WHO ASSISTED
00:59:36BELGIUM, BUT AS ONE OF THE ARCHITECTS OF MODERN
00:59:40HUMANITARIAN ACTION, A MAN WHO SHOWED THAT AN INDIVIDUAL COULD
00:59:44ALTER THE FATE OF A NATION.
00:59:46AND THE MOST FITTING TRIBUTE IS
00:59:49NOT TO PRAISE WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED, BUT TO RECONFIRM
00:59:52THE PRINCIPAL THAT GUIDED HIS
00:59:55FINEST WORK, THAT HUMAN
00:59:57SUFFERING EVEN BEYOND OUR BORDERS AND AMID THE
01:00:00COMPLEXITIES OF WAR IMPOSES
01:00:03RESPONSIBILITIES TO US.
01:00:05HERBERT HOOVER ACCEPTED THAT
01:00:10RESPONSIBILITY, AND BELGIUM SURVIVED BECAUSE HE DID.
01:00:13FOR THAT ACHIEVEMENT, OUR COUNTRY CONTINUES TO REMEMBER
01:00:17HIM WITH GRATITUDE. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY ALSO AS
01:00:20ACADEMICS TO RETELL THAT
01:00:23INCREDIBLE STORY TO ALL GENERATIONS TO COME.
01:00:28IN BELGIUM, IN THE UNITED STATES. THAT IS WHY THE REOPENING OF
01:00:32THIS WONDERFUL PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.
01:00:39THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
01:00:51>> APOLOGIES, AMBASSADOR, FOR
01:00:55THE INTRODUCTION. THANK YOU FOR THOSE WONDERFUL REMARKS.
01:00:59THANK YOU SO MUCH.
01:01:02INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS WE RECOGNIZE TODAY REMIND US THAT
01:01:04THE HOOVER LEGACY EXTENDS FAR
01:01:07BEYOND THE OFFICE HE HELD.
01:01:08HIS LIFE'S WORK CONTINUES TO
01:01:12INSPIRE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HUMANITARIAN SERVICE,
01:01:14INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP AROUND
01:01:17THE WORLD, AND PRESERVING AND
01:01:20SHARING THIS LIBRARY AND MUSEUM IS MADE POSSIBLE FROM AN
01:01:23EXTRAORDINARY PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND
01:01:27RECORDS ADMINISTRATION. PLEASE WELCOME THE DIRECTOR OF THE HERBERT HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL
01:01:31LIBRARY MUSEUM, DR. TOM SCHWARTZ.
01:01:36[APPLAUSE]
01:01:42>> THANK YOU, ALAN.
01:01:49MATT IS A NATIVE OF OHIO AND WHO
01:01:51WAS RAISED ON A FAMILY FARM OUTSIDE OF BELGIUM.
01:01:54HE EXTENDED IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, EARNING A BS WITH
01:01:59DISTINCTION IN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING. AS AN INTERN FOR SENATOR CHUCK
01:02:04GRASSLEY AND A CLERK FOR ANOTHER
01:02:11REPRESENTATIVE, HE RECEIVED A JD
01:02:12FROM HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, SERVING AS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF THE
01:02:15HARVARD JOURNAL OF LAW AND
01:02:19PUBLIC POLICY. HE LATER WAS APPOINTED TO SERVE
01:02:23AS THE U.S. ATTORNEY FOR THE
01:02:24NORTHERN DISTRICT OF IOWA, AND A
01:02:31POSITION IN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. HE JOINED THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
01:02:34AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION IN 2025 AS GENERAL COUNSEL.
01:02:42HE ALSO TEACHES AT PATRICK HENRY COLLEGE.
01:02:46LADIES, GENTLEMEN, AND DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, PLEASE WELCOME HIM.
01:02:51[APPLAUSE]
01:02:56>> THANK YOU, TOM.
01:03:01IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK IN IOWA
01:03:04FOR A FEW DAYS TO TAKE PART IN
01:03:08THIS GREAT CELEBRATION.
01:03:11THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS
01:03:15ADMINISTRATION IS TO PRESERVE,
01:03:17PROTECT, AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO CITIZENS AND GOVERNMENT
01:03:22OFFICIALS TO THE FEDERAL RECORDS OF THE UNITED STATES.
01:03:27IN 1930 FOUR, CONGRESS ESTABLISHED THE NATIONAL
01:03:30ARCHIVES, CREATING BOTH THE POSITION OF ARCHIVIST OF THE
01:03:32UNITED STATES AND THE NATIONAL
01:03:36ARCHIVES AGENCY.
01:03:37IN FACT, THE U.S. SENATE TODAY
01:03:41IS CONFIRMING THE NEXT ONE AS WE SPEAK.
01:03:45SO IT CONTINUES.
01:03:50BUT EVEN BEFORE THE NATIONAL
01:03:53ARCHIVES WERE CREATED, FEBRUARY
01:03:5620, 1933, PRESIDENT HOOVER
01:04:00HELPED LAY THE FOUNDATION STONE
01:04:05FOR OUR BUILDING IN WASHINGTON, D.C., PLACING THE CORNERSTONE OF
01:04:10WHAT IS NOW THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES MUSEUM.
01:04:13IN THE ARCHIVIST CONFERENCE ROOM, WE HAVE A PICTURE OF
01:04:16HOOVER DOING IT.
01:04:22SO THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES MUSEUM
01:04:26MOST FAMOUSLY HOUSES THE ORIGINAL DECLARATION OF
01:04:30INDEPENDENCE, THE CONSTITUTION, AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
01:04:33WE ALSO HAVE A NEW PERMANENT EXHIBIT CALLED THE AMERICAN STORY.
01:04:38HERBERT HOOVER AND HIS WIFE WERE A HUGE PART OF IT.
01:04:41I ALSO HAVE A TEMPORARY EXHIBIT ABOUT THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
01:04:45WE HAVE BEEN BUSY HELPING CELEBRATE AMERICA'S TWO 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
01:04:49ONE OF THE BEST PARTS OF MY JOB
01:04:52THIS PAST YEAR AND A HALF WAS
01:04:55HAVING AN OFFICE ABOUT 150 STEPS
01:04:58FROM THOSE FOUNDING DOCUMENTS,
01:05:04AND I HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
01:05:06PRESERVING AND PROTECTING BOTH
01:05:09LITERALLY AND SUBSTANTIVELY, AS
01:05:10A FEDERAL OFFICIAL, IN THE OATH
01:05:16THEY TAKE, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
01:05:21ONE INDISPENSABLE PART OF THE
01:05:22AMERICAN STORY IS THAT OF THE
01:05:25UNITED STATES PRESIDENCY. THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OWNS,
01:05:29PRESERVES, PROTECTS, AND PROVIDES ACCESS TO PRESIDENTIAL
01:05:33RECORDS AND ARTIFACTS OF 16
01:05:36PRESIDENTS AT 13 LOCATIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
01:05:41I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY GOOD FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE,
01:05:45TAMERA MARTIN, WHO IS HERE TODAY.
01:05:50SHE IS THE ACTING EXECUTIVE FOR
01:05:53ALL PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES. IT IS HER JOB TO MAKE SURE THEY
01:05:56ALL RUN WELL.
01:06:01AND I VOLUNTEER HER TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY
01:06:04PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY.
01:06:10SO YES, THE HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL
01:06:12LIBRARY MUSEUM IS ONE OF THOSE
01:06:1513 LOCATIONS. PRESIDENT HOOVER IS THE EARLIEST
01:06:18PRESIDENT TO PERMANENTLY HOUSE ALL OF HIS PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS WITH THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES.
01:06:24THE NEW PERMANENT EXHIBIT ON
01:06:29PRESIDENT HOOVER AND FIRST LADY LOU HENRY HOOVER DOES AN AMAZING
01:06:32JOB OF TELLING THE INDISPENSABLE
01:06:36AND QUINTESSENTIAL AMERICAN STORY.
01:06:38EVEN THIS WEEK, I LEARNED MORE
01:06:40ABOUT PRESIDENT HOOVER.
01:06:44I LEARNED TWO THINGS THAT STRUCK ME.
01:06:48AS A FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR, I CARED A LOT ABOUT GOVERNMENT FRAUD.
01:06:55AND I LEARNED THAT DURING HIS
01:06:59ADMINISTRATION, DURING HIS TIME AS SECRETARY OF THE COMMERCE
01:07:02DEPARTMENT AND HEAD OF THE U.S. FOOD ADMINISTRATION, AND EVEN
01:07:07LEADING THE COMMISSION FOR THE RELEASE OF THE -- FOR THE RELIEF
01:07:11OF THE BELGIANS, THERE IS NOT
01:07:14EVEN A HINT OF FRAUDULENT OR IMPROPER CONDUCT.
01:07:18I THINK THAT IS JUST A HUGE
01:07:21STANDARD HE SAID, AND PROVED IT
01:07:25COULD BE DONE. I THINK PRESIDENT HOOVER FOR SHOWING US HOW TO DO THAT.
01:07:32HE EVEN DID IT WITHOUT TAKING A SALARY AFTER 1914.
01:07:38SERVED IN ALL THOSE GOVERNMENT POSITIONS.
01:07:41RAN A RELIEF ORGANIZATION. HE DID NOT TAKE ONE SENT.
01:07:46HIS ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR
01:07:46RUNNING THAT CHARITY, 1.5%.
01:07:52I THINK HE SET AN EXCELLENT
01:07:54EXAMPLE FOR BOTH GOVERNMENT, AND
01:07:57PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS, ABOUT HOW
01:08:00TO GET THE JOB DONE AND TO DO IT
01:08:03IN A FINANCIALLY AND ETHICAL MANNER.
01:08:07I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HOOVER FOUNDATION FOR MAKING THE
01:08:11RENOVATION OF THE NEW PERMANENT EXHIBIT POSSIBLE. THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES HAS A
01:08:15SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATIONS.
01:08:19IN THIS CASE, THE NATIONAL
01:08:22ARCHIVES OF SUPPLIES THE
01:08:25PERSONNEL AND THE FUNDS TO OPERATE THE LIBRARY AND MUSEUM,
01:08:28WHILE THE FOUNDATION DEVELOPED
01:08:32THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL
01:08:34SUPPORT, AND RAISES THE MONEY TO
01:08:37PAY FOR ALL OF THE CONSTRUCTION EXPENSES AND RENOVATION COSTS.
01:08:41THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
01:08:42CONTRIBUTED ZERO TO THE NEW
01:08:47EXHIBIT AND THE RENOVATION. BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO OPERATE
01:08:50IT SO EVERYONE CAN HAVE ACCESS TO IT.
01:08:55FINALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK
01:08:59DR. THOMAS SCHWARTZ, CURRENTLY THE LONGEST-SERVING PRESIDENTIAL
01:09:02LIBRARY DIRECTORY IN OUR 13 PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES.
01:09:11BUT HE WON'T HOLD THAT TITLE AFTER A FEW MORE WEEKS, BECAUSE
01:09:14HE IS RETIRING. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK HIM FOR
01:09:19HIS MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE
01:09:22HOOVER LIBRARY AND MUSEUM AND
01:09:26THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, AND TO ALL HE HAS DONE ALONG WITH HIS
01:09:30STAFF TO MAKE THIS NEW HOOVER EXHIBIT AND RENOVATION POSSIBLE.
01:09:34THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
01:09:52>> THANK YOU. WE WILL MISS YOU.
01:09:56THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES SAFEGUARDS
01:09:57RECORDS OF OUR NATION'S HISTORY, ENSURING THAT FUTURE GENERATIONS
01:10:01CAN LEARN FROM THE PEOPLE AND EVENTS THAT SHAPED AMERICA.
01:10:06WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ITS CONTINUED STEWARDSHIP OF THE
01:10:09HERBERT HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, FOR ITS
01:10:12PARTNERSHIP IN BRINGING THIS REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION TO LIFE.
01:10:15THIS MUSEUM TELLS AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY, BUT JUST
01:10:18BEYOND THESE WALLS, VISITORS CAN
01:10:21EXPERIENCE WHERE THAT STORY BEGAN.
01:10:24TOGETHER, THE LIBRARY MUSEUM AND
01:10:28NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE OFFER A
01:10:30UNIQUELY AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
01:10:33WITH A PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ON AN EXPANSIVE GROUNDS,
01:10:37PROVIDING FURTHER INSPIRATION TO SERVICE FROM ANY STATION IN
01:10:41LIFE. IN FACT, AS A YOUNG MAN, I
01:10:45DISTINCTLY REMEMBER MY RECENTLY
01:10:49PASSED UNCLE ANDY, GRANDSON OF
01:10:50THE PRESIDENT, TOOK ME UP TO THE
01:10:56GRAVESITE, AND EXPLAINED TO ME,
01:11:00GRANDDAD WANTED HIS GRAVESITE RIGHT HERE, SO THAT VISITORS
01:11:04COULD STAND WHERE HE LIES AND RESTS.
01:11:07AND REALIZE THAT HIS STORY IS TRULY AN AMERICAN STORY.
01:11:13GRANDDAD HAD HOPED THAT PEOPLE WOULD LOOK ACROSS FROM HIS
01:11:16GRAVESITE TO THAT MODEST COTTAGE
01:11:18THAT HOUSED FIVE PEOPLE WHEN HE
01:11:21GREW UP, AND THAT WOULD INSPIRE THEM TO HIGHER DEGREES OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.
01:11:28PLEASE WELCOME THE KEEPER OF THAT STORY AND THE BEAUTIFUL
01:11:32GROUNDS AROUND US. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE HERBERT HOOVER NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE.
01:11:46>> GOOD AFTERNOON. DID OK. IT IS NOT RAINING.
01:11:50I SUPPOSE I COULD HAVE CALLED IN
01:11:52THE WHOLE OF THE ARMY, BUT WHAT WAS THE USE?
01:11:56ALL I HAD TO DO WAS CALL IT MAIN STREET ITSELF.
01:11:59THOSE WORDS FROM HERBERT HOOVER REMIND US THAT THE GREATEST
01:12:02FORCE IN SHAPING OUR NATION IS NOT FOUND IN GRAND INSTITUTIONS
01:12:07OR POWERFUL COMMANDS, BUT IN THE QUIET STRENGTH OF INDIVIDUALS
01:12:10WORKING TOGETHER -- NEIGHBORS,
01:12:15FAMILIES, VOLUNTEERS, COMMUNITIES, UNIFIED BY PURPOSE.
01:12:20TODAY, AS WE CELEBRATE THE GRAND REOPENING OF THE HOOVER
01:12:24PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, WE HONOR THAT SPIRIT, THE
01:12:27COLLECTIVE WILL, DEDICATION, AND
01:12:31PRIDE THAT MAKE MEANINGFUL ENDEAVORS POSSIBLE TO KEEP OUR SHARED HISTORY ALIVE.
01:12:38WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO HERBERT HOOVER NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE,
01:12:41AS WE CELEBRATE THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION WITH OUR PARTNERS AND
01:12:45OUR COMMUNITIES. IT IS MY HONOR THIS AFTERNOON TO
01:12:50INTRODUCE SOMEONE WHOSE LEADERSHIP, EXPERIENCE, AND
01:12:54DEDICATION HAVE PROFOUNDLY SHAPED THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
01:12:56AND THE MANY PLACES WE CARE FOR. STEPHANIE STEVENS CURRENTLY
01:13:00SERVES AS THE ACTING REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR THE NATIONAL PARK
01:13:04SERVICE MIDWEST REGION, BRINGING MORE THAN 35 YEARS OF EXPERTISE AND CULTURAL RESOURCE
01:13:09STEWARDSHIP, PARK OPERATIONS,
01:13:13AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP. SHE IS MY SUPERVISOR, WHICH I ASSURE YOU IS NO SMALL TASK.
01:13:19PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING ACTING REGIONAL DIRECTOR STEPHANIE STEVENS.
01:13:34>> YOU CAN SEE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO BE HIS BOSS.
01:13:38GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS SPECIAL CELEBRATION.
01:13:43IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO STAND WITH
01:13:44YOU AT THE GRAND REOPENING OF THE HERBERT HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL
01:13:48LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, AN
01:13:50INSTITUTION THAT PRESERVES THE
01:13:52ENDURING LEGACY OF OUR 31ST
01:13:56PRESIDENT. TODAY'S EVENT IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT A RENEWED MUSEUM BUILDING.
01:14:02IT IS ABOUT HONORING A UNIQUE PLACE IN THE AMERICAN STORY.
01:14:06HERE IN WEST BRANCH, WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE SOMETHING
01:14:10TRULY EXTRAORDINARY -- A NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE AND A
01:14:13PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
01:14:16LOCATED IN THE SAME LANDSCAPE.
01:14:18THIS CLOSE INTEGRATION ALLOWS
01:14:21VISITORS TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN PRESIDENT HOOVER'S LIFE IN A
01:14:24WAY UNMATCHED ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE NATION.
01:14:28WITHIN JUST A SHORT WALK, ONE
01:14:30CAN EXPERIENCE HIS BIRTHPLACE,
01:14:32HIS BOYHOOD SURROUNDINGS, HIS
01:14:38AND THE FIRST LADY'S FINAL RESTING PLACE, AND A WORLD-CLASS
01:14:42MUSEUM THAT INTERPRETS HIS LIFE,
01:14:46HUMANITARIANISM, AND PUBLIC SERVICE.
01:14:50THIS REMARKABLE PAIRING AS A RESULT OF VISION AND COMMITMENT
01:14:52ACROSS DECADES.
01:14:55CONGRESS AUTHORIZED THE HERBERT HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND
01:14:59MUSEUM IN 1955, WITH ITS OPENING
01:15:02TO THE PUBLIC IN 1962, ESTABLISHING WEST BRANCH AS A
01:15:06PLACE OF NATIONAL LEARNING AND REFLECTION.
01:15:10JUST A FEW YEARS LATER, IN 1965,
01:15:16CONGRESS AUTHORIZED THE HERBERT HOOVER NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE,
01:15:20RESTORING PERMANENT PROTECTION OF THE PLACES THAT SHAPED
01:15:23PRESIDENT HOOVER'S FORMATIVE YEARS. TOGETHER, THESE COMPLEMENTARY
01:15:28INSTITUTIONS, ONE STEWARDED BY THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND
01:15:31RECORDS ADMINISTRATION, AND THE OTHER BY THE NATIONAL PARK
01:15:35SERVICE, ALONG WITH THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE HOOVER
01:15:37PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION, CREATE
01:15:40A UNIFIED EXPERIENCE THAT BRINGS HISTORY TO LIFE.
01:15:43AS WE OPEN THESE DOORS, WE REAFFIRM OUR SHARED COMMITMENT
01:15:47TO EDUCATION, RESERVATION, AND
01:15:51PUBLIC SERVICE.
01:15:52THIS REVITALIZED MUSEUM URGES
01:15:57THE VISITORS TO NOT ONLY CONSIDER PRESIDENT HOOVER'S
01:16:01ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT ALSO THE
01:16:02VALUES OF INTEGRITY, COMPASSION,
01:16:07AND THE BELIEF THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN RISE TO MEET GREAT CHALLENGES.
01:16:11THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO CELEBRATE THIS MOMENTOUS DAY.
01:16:14THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IS PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS
01:16:18CELEBRATION, IN COOPERATION WITH
01:16:20THE HOOVER FAMILY, THE HOOVER
01:16:22PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION, THE
01:16:25NATIONAL ARCHIVES, AND THE
01:16:29HERBERT HOOVER PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM.
01:16:32WE WELCOME THE PUBLIC BACK TO THIS EXTRAORDINARY PLACE TODAY,
01:16:37TOMORROW, AND FOR GENERATIONS.
01:16:42[APPLAUSE]
01:16:52X THANK YOU, MISS STEVENS.
01:16:55TOGETHER, THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
01:16:57PRESERVES SOMETHING TRULY UNIQUE
01:16:59IN A WAY THAT WAS VERY PERSONAL FOR THE PRESIDENT.
01:17:02IN WEST BRANCH, VISITORS CAN WALK THE STREETS WERE HERBERT
01:17:05HOOVER GREW UP, AND THEN STEPPED
01:17:07INSIDE THIS MUSEUM TO UNDERSTAND
01:17:10HOW HIS REAL EXPERIENCE SHAPED A
01:17:13LIFE OF EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE. FEW PLACES IN OUR COUNTRY TELL A
01:17:17STORY IN SUCH A COMPLETE AND MEANINGFUL WAY. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE
01:17:21PARTNERSHIP THAT MAKES THAT POSSIBLE TODAY. WHILE THIS MUSEUM SHARES THE
01:17:24HOOVER STORY WITH VISITORS, IT
01:17:28ALSO HOLDS DEEP MEANING FOR THE HOOVER FAMILY.
01:17:31IT IS NOW MY PLEASURE TO WELCOME HERBERT HOOVER'S
01:17:35GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER, HIS GRANDDAUGHTER, THE HOST OF
01:17:38FIRING LINE, AND MY COUSIN, MARGARET HOOVER.
01:17:43[APPLAUSE]
01:17:50MARGARET: ALRIGHT. IT HAS GOT TO BE THE FINAL STRETCH.
01:17:56ALL RIGHT. A COUPLE OF THANK YOU'S.
01:17:58GOVERNOR REYNOLDS, WE WOULD NOT
01:18:02BE HERE WITHOUT YOU TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
01:18:10AND THERE IS ANOTHER GOVERNOR COULD NOT BE WITH US TODAY, BUT
01:18:14HIS WIFE IS HERE REPRESENTING HIM.
01:18:19GOVERNOR TERRY WAS THE COCHAIR
01:18:21OF THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TO RAISE
01:18:24THE $20 MILLION THAT REPRESENTS THIS NEW EXHIBIT THAT YOU ARE
01:18:28GOING TO SEE. AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE
01:18:33LEADERSHIP OF TERRY BRANSTAD AND GOVERNOR REYNOLDS, FOR HIM HE
01:18:37HELPED US GET THIS DOWN THE FIELD.
01:18:43YOU MAY NOTICE I AM GOING TO HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF FOOTBALL
01:18:47REFERENCES IN THIS SMALL SET OF
01:18:50REMARKS, BECAUSE THE AMBASSADOR
01:18:51TO NATO, AMBASSADOR WHITAKER,
01:18:55WAS ALSO A STAR FOOTBALL CHAMPION, A TIGHT END FOR THE
01:18:59IOWA HOCKETT -- HAWKEYES, AS YOU ALL KNOW.
01:19:03GO HAWKS. AND WE ARE SO FLATTERED THAT YOU
01:19:06CAME ALL THE WAY FROM BELGIUM TO BE WITH US.
01:19:09IF YOU ARE NOTICING A THEME, A
01:19:11BELGIAN THEME, THAT CONTINUES EVEN IN HIS PARTICIPATION.
01:19:15CONGRESSWOMAN HENSON AND
01:19:20CONGRESSWOMAN MARIANNETTE MILLER-MEEKS, PLEASE WAIVE.
01:19:22WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE HERE TODAY.
01:19:28BOBBY KAUFMAN, SENATOR, THANK
01:19:34YOU FOR HELPING US THROUGH THE PROCESS. YOU GUYS KNOW HOW THE SAUSAGE
01:19:38GETS MADE WAY BETTER THAN THE REST OF US.
01:19:41WE JUST DID WHAT YOU TOLD US.
01:19:45DIGNITARIES FROM BELGIUM, THANK
01:19:48YOU FOR ARTICULATING THE STORY OF HERBERT HOOVER BETTER AND
01:19:52MORE ARTICULATELY THAN MANY OF US CAN.
01:19:58YOUR REPRESENTATION AND THIS CONTRIBUTION FROM BELGIUM IS BEAUTIFUL.
01:20:02THREE PEOPLE, A TRIFECTA OF
01:20:06COMPLETE GRACE AND POWER, HAVE
01:20:10ACTUALLY MADE THIS HAPPEN, AND
01:20:13THAT IS MONDAY, TOM, AND PETE
01:20:18SWISHER.
01:20:24I GENUINELY HAD A HARD TIME
01:20:28BELIEVING THAT MONDAY COULD DO THIS WHEN SHE CAME IN AND ASKED ME.
01:20:34TOGETHER -- THIS WHOLE COMPLEX DOES NOT WORK IF THOSE THREE ARE
01:20:37NOT COMPLETELY ALIGNED AND ROLLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
01:20:41AND THEY HAVE DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB, IN
01:20:44CONJUNCTION WITH THE MAYOR OF WEST BRANCH. THANK YOU.
01:20:50I KNEW I SAID IT WRONG.
01:20:55FINALLY -- NOT FINALLY. TWO MORE.
01:20:57BOB ROGERS IS THE HEAD OF THE
01:21:04DESIGN FIRM THAT IMPLEMENTED THE VISION YOU ARE GOING TO SEE WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE LIBRARY.
01:21:10IT IS AN EXCELLENT MODERNIZATION
01:21:11OF THE UBER -- THE HOOVER STORY
01:21:16FOR MODERN AUDIENCES. IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES THIS MORNING.
01:21:20I DON'T THINK IT IS JUST ME. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING HOW
01:21:23YOU ALL FIND IT IN THIS EXTRAORDINARY UPDATE AND
01:21:28MODERNIZATION.
01:21:33FINALLY, I AM SO TOUCHED THAT I HAVE SO MANY COUSINS WHO ARE
01:21:36PARTICIPATING TODAY.
01:21:40THERE ARE 20 HOOVER'S HERE AT
01:21:42LEAST, ALONG WITH MY MOTHER.
01:21:45THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR
01:21:51LOCKING ARMS AND BEING PART OF
01:21:52THIS RESTORATION OF THE LEGACY.
01:21:59THE STORY OF HERBERT HOOVER'S LIFE -- I AM GOING TO GO REALLY FAST.
01:22:04BUT I'M GOING TO SAY SOMETHING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.
01:22:06IT IS THE OPPORTUNITY EMBODIED
01:22:12WEEKLY IN THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE AT THAT TIME.
01:22:14THE CENTRALITY OF THIS VISIT, AS
01:22:19HERBERT HOOVER INTENDED WHEN HE DEDICATED THE LIBRARY WITH HARRY
01:22:23TRUMAN -- IT WAS REMODELED IN 1992.
01:22:26AND IT CONTINUES TO BE THE
01:22:31COTTAGE, THE BIRTHPLACE COTTAGE OF LESS THAN 200 SQUARE FEET,
01:22:34WITH TWO ROOMS AND FLYPAPER.
01:22:40THAT IS THE THING HERBERT HOOVER WANTED PEOPLE TO FOCUS ON,
01:22:45BECAUSE -- MY DAD WAS ALWAYS
01:22:50ADAMANT THAT THE SIGHT LINE OF THE TREES BE TRIMMED AWAY --
01:22:53THANK YOU, PETE.
01:22:57HE DOES IT BECAUSE THAT WAS THE VISION OF THE FOUNDER.
01:23:01GRAVESITE, THE FINAL RESTING PLACE, WOULD LOOK DOWN ON THE
01:23:05PLACE WHERE IT ALL STARTED.
01:23:07AND IN BETWEEN IS THE LIBRARY
01:23:10AND THE MUSEUM, WHICH TELLS THE
01:23:14STORY OF EVERYTHING HE DID IN HIS LIFE, AND PUBLIC SERVICE.
01:23:19WE ALL KNOW HE WAS ORPHANED.
01:23:24HE WAS THE FIRST STUDENT TO MATRICULATE INTO STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
01:23:31HAVING NOT SERIOUS NEEDS OF HIS
01:23:33OWN, HE INNOVATED A MECHANISM
01:23:36PAYING FOR HIS ROOM AND BOARD, WHICH WAS TO COMMERCIALIZE THE
01:23:41STANFORD FOOTBALL TEAM. AND AS AMBASSADOR WHITAKER SAID WHEN I REMINDED HIM THAT
01:23:46ACTUALLY HERBERT HOOVER IS THE PERSON WHO MADE THE BUSINESS OF
01:23:49COLLEGE SPORTS, HE SAID THAT COULD BE A GOOD OR A BAD THING.
01:23:56GRADUATES FROM STANFORD.
01:23:59SHOVELS IN A SIERRA NEVADA MINE,
01:24:08MAKING TWO DOLLARS AN HOUR. BY THE TIME HE IS 40 YEARS OLD,
01:24:11HE HAS CIRCUMNAVIGATED THE GLOBE FIVE TIMES.
01:24:14THIS IS ALL BEFORE THE ADVENT OF AVIATION.
01:24:17HE GOES ON TO SERVE IN WORLD WAR
01:24:22I, INVENTING THE MODERN INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN FOOD RELIEF ORGANIZATION.
01:24:27HE SERVED IN THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH
01:24:30DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS. OF COURSE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE
01:24:34UNITED STATES.
01:24:37AND DESPITE HIS NAME BEING
01:24:43UNFAIRLY TETHERED TO THE GREAT
01:24:44DEPRESSION BY HIS SUCCESSOR, AND
01:24:50HIS SUCCESSOR'S POLITICAL OPERATIVES, HE WAS CALLED BACK
01:24:53TO SERVICE BY HARRY TRUMAN THE
01:24:57MOMENT HARRY TRUMAN ASCENDS TO THE PRESIDENCY, AND HELPS TO
01:24:59FEED EUROPE AFTER WORLD WAR II.
01:25:04HELPS TO REORGANIZE THE
01:25:04EXECUTIVE BRANCH TWICE, ALL
01:25:08WHILE WRITING 38 BOOKS, DEVOTING
01:25:11HIMSELF TO THE BOYS CLUBS OF AMERICA, WHICH IS NOW THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB'S, AND THE
01:25:15SALVATION ARMY, AND RECEIVES OVER 90 HONORARY DEGREES.
01:25:20AND YET HIS LEGACY IS AS MUCH
01:25:23ABOUT THE LIVES HE TOUCHED WHEN
01:25:25HE WAS ALIVE AND THEY WERE ALIVE , AS THE LIVES HE CONTINUES TO
01:25:29TOUCH TO THIS VERY DAY.
01:25:32I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TWO
01:25:35GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE.
01:25:38ONE PERSON IS VERY SPECIAL, MARIA LUIS.
01:25:42I AM GOING TO ASK YOU TO STAND UP.
01:25:44MARIA LUIS IS 93 YEARS OLD AND
01:25:48IS THE LAST LIVING RESEARCH
01:25:51ASSISTANT FOR HERBERT HOOVER. SHE WORKED FOR HIM WHEN SHE WAS
01:25:5522 YEARS OLD. HE WAS IN HIS 80'S.
01:25:5819 52 TO 1954, RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE.
01:26:02HELPED HIM WRITE ONE OF HIS BOOKS.
01:26:03WORKED WITH HIM FOR TWO YEARS. HAS EXTRAORDINARY RECOLLECTIONS
01:26:07OF WHAT SHE LEARNED IN HER TIME WORKING WITH HERBERT HOOVER.
01:26:11FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE FROM THE 31ST PRESIDENT IS AVAILABLE.
01:26:14YOU CAN TALK TO MARY LOUISE.
01:26:17THERE IS ALSO A LITTLE SPECIAL INSIDE THE LOBBY.
01:26:22MARIE SAT DOWN WITH MY SON JACK AND I. YOU CAN WATCH IT.
01:26:27IT IS PLAYING SEQUENTIALLY. YOU CAN GO IN AND SEE IT. MARY LOUISE, WILL YOU STAND UP?
01:26:38[APPLAUSE]
01:26:49SHE SAID HE IS THE MOST
01:26:53EXTRAORDINARY HUMAN BEING OUTSIDE OF HER OWN FAMILY SHE HAS EVER MET.
01:26:58AND YOU CAN HEAR IT ALL INSIDE THE LOBBY.
01:27:02THERE IS ANOTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE
01:27:04THAT CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM
01:27:06THE >> HE OF HERBERT HOOVER.
01:27:09YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE BELGIAN AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION.
01:27:13THIS LITERALLY WAS SET UP WITH
01:27:14SURPLUS FUNDS FROM THE BUDGET
01:27:18WHICH FED THE BELGIANS DURING WORLD WAR I.
01:27:20AND THEN THERE WAS A $30 MILLION SURPLUS.
01:27:26THIS IS AN NGO WITH A $30 MILLION SURPLUS.
01:27:29IT IS EXTRAORDINARY AND WE SHOULD FIGURE IT OUT.
01:27:34HE GOES ON TO USE THOSE FUNDS TO
01:27:39REBUILD THE LIBRARY, AS YOU HEARD.
01:27:42AND USED THE LAST BIT OF FUNDS
01:27:45FOR A CONTINUING SCHOLARSHIP,
01:27:49AND HONORARY SCHOLARSHIP, FOR
01:27:51BELGIANS WHO ARE STUDYING POSTGRADUATE DEGREES IN THE UNITED STATES AND FOR AMERICANS
01:27:55WHO WANT TO STUDY IN BELGIUM.
01:27:59THIS ORGANIZATION IS MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
01:28:01IT HAS AN ENDOWMENT OF MORE THAN $150 MILLION.
01:28:09IT CONTINUES TO GIVE MORE THAN
01:28:10100 SCHOLARSHIPS OUT PER YEAR.
01:28:14THREE OF THE RECIPIENTS OF THAT
01:28:16SCHOLARSHIP, ONE FROM BELGIUM --
01:28:19TWO FROM BELGIUM, ONE FROM THE UNITED STATES, ARE HERE WITH US
01:28:23TODAY. I WOULD LIKE VERY QUICKLY FOR A
01:28:26MEAL, WHO HAS BEEN REFERENCED BY EVERY BELGIAN DIGNITARY BECAUSE
01:28:29ALL OF THEM KNOW HIM, TO SAY
01:28:32JUST A FEW WORDS.
01:28:47EMILE: FOR THE LAST 49 YEARS,
01:28:51THE SPIRIT OF HERBERT HOOVER --
01:28:56I HAVE WORKED PRO BONO AS THE HEAD OF THE BELGIAN EDUCATIONAL
01:29:02FOUNDATION, INITIALLY CALLED THE
01:29:05CRP EDUCATION FOUNDATION. AND PRESIDENT HOOVER WAS THE
01:29:08PRESIDENT OF THIS FOUNDATION IN
01:29:111920, THE FOUNDING YEAR, UNTIL 1923.
01:29:16THEREAFTER, PRESIDENT OF THE
01:29:18BELGIAN EDUCATION FOUNDATION UNTIL HIS DEATH.
01:29:22I'M GLAD TO SAY WE HAVE A VERY
01:29:24POWERFUL DELEGATION OF THE BOARD HERE.
01:29:27WE HAVE ONLY 15 BOARD MEMBERS, HALF OF WHICH ARE RESIDING IN
01:29:32BELGIUM, AND HALF ARE IN THE U.S..
01:29:34OF THE U.S. BUNCH, WE HAVE FOUR
01:29:38BOARD MEMBERS HERE. FIRST, MARGARET HOOVER. SHE IS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD.
01:29:44AND TWO OFFICERS, THE CORPORATE
01:29:47SECRETARY AND THE TREASURER.
01:29:50NEEDLESS TO SAY, EACH ARE FORMER
01:29:55FELLOWS OF THE FOUNDATION. I WAS A FORMER FELLOW OF THE
01:29:58FOUNDATION AND I HAVE BEEN GLAD TO SERVE AS ITS PRESIDENT. LET ME JUST SAY WHERE WE COME
01:30:02FROM.
01:30:04HOOVER GAVE $33 MILLION AS THE
01:30:08LEFTOVER OF THIS NGO.
01:30:12THE LEFTOVER OF THAT $30 MILLION WAS $3 MILLION.
01:30:18TODAY, WE HAVE GIVEN IN THE LAST
01:30:20106 YEARS 4500 FELLOWSHIPS
01:30:26LASTING A FULL YEAR, FOR BELGIANS TO STUDY IN THE U.S.,
01:30:29AND ABOUT 1100 AMERICANS TO
01:30:34STUDY IN BELGIUM.
01:30:35WE ARE DOING THIS IN THE MEMORY OF HOOVER.
01:30:39AND I CAN TELL YOU THIS YEAR WE
01:30:42ARE SPENDING ON 100 OF THOSE FELLOWSHIPS.
01:30:48TWICE THE AMOUNT OF THE
01:30:49ENDOWMENT WE RECEIVED IN 1920,
01:30:55NAMELY $3 MILLION. WE SPENT $6 MILLION.
01:31:08MARGARET: THE REASON WE SAY THE
01:31:09STORY OF HOOVER'S LIFE IS
01:31:12UNIQUELY EMBODIED, THE ALLEGORY OF WHAT HITS LIFE REPRESENTED
01:31:16WAS FOCUSED AROUND THE COTTAGE
01:31:20-- AS YOU SEE IN THE NEW EXHIBIT , AND I ALMOST DON'T WANT TO
01:31:23GIVE IT AWAY -- BUT SOMEBODY
01:31:26GAVE IT AWAY TO ME EVEN THOUGH MY COUSIN WANTED IT TO BE A SURPRISE.
01:31:31BUT AS YOU ENTER THE GALLERY
01:31:35WHERE HOOVER DELIVERS HIS
01:31:36INAUGURAL ADDRESS, ROB ROGERS
01:31:40WAS SO BRILLIANT AS TO ENSURE THAT THAT EXACT MOMENT, WHERE
01:31:44YOU STAND ON THE SPOT WHERE
01:31:47HOOVER IS DELIVERING HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS -- IT HAPPENS
01:31:50TO BE PLACED RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BAY WINDOWS COME UP WITH A
01:31:54DIRECT LINE OF SIGHT TO THE COTTAGE, HIS COTTAGE.
01:31:57THE POINT IS OBVIOUS.
01:32:01ONLY IN THIS COUNTRY WOULD A CHILD BE BORN OF THESE
01:32:06CIRCUMSTANCES, SERVE THE WORLD, BECOME PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
01:32:10STATES, AND CONTINUE ANOTHER 31
01:32:15YEAR LEGACY OF SERVICE. I WILL END WITH HOOVER'S OWN WORDS.
01:32:18MY COUNTRY OWES ME NOTHING.
01:32:21IT GAVE ME, AS IT GIVES EVERY BOY AND GIRL, A CHANCE.
01:32:27THEY GAVE ME SCHOOLING, INDEPENDENCE OF ACTION,
01:32:30OPPORTUNITY FOR SERVICE. THE EVERY BOY AND GIRL HAVE THE CHANCE TO CLIMB TO THE POSITION
01:32:34TO WHICH HIS ABILITY AND
01:32:38CHARACTER ENTITLE HIM.
01:32:38THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US HERE
01:32:43TO CELEBRATE TODAY.
01:32:59>> THANK YOU, MARGARET. THE PEOPLE OF WEST BRANCH
01:33:03EMBRACED THAT RESPONSIBILITY WITH PRIDE. THIS COMMUNITY HAS CARED FOR THE
01:33:07PLACES, THE STORIES, AND THE VALUES THAT MAKE THE HOOVER
01:33:10LEGACY COME ALIVE AND REACH
01:33:13EVERY CORNER OF THE EARTH. THE CITY OF WEST BRANCH
01:33:16CONTINUES THAT TRADITION. I'M PLEASED TO WELCOME THE MAYOR OF WEST BRANCH.
01:33:30>> THANK YOU, ALAN.
01:33:34I AM GLAD TO SEE SO MANY IN THE SEATS.
01:33:38I AM GOING TO PRESENT TO THE HOOVER'S.
01:33:42I AM PROUD TO BE HERE ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF WEST BRANCH.
01:33:46HERBERT AND LOU HENRY HAVE GIVEN
01:33:48THIS CITY AND ENDURING LEGACY OF
01:33:50SERVICE, COMPASSION, RESPECT,
01:33:54AND LEADERSHIP, THAT CONTINUES TO INSPIRE FUTURE LEADERS.
01:34:01AS A QUAKER BORN AND RAISED
01:34:03QUAKER IN WEST BRANCH, I'M
01:34:06PRETTY SURE I ATTENDED A MEETING RIGHT OVER THERE IN THAT MEETING HOUSE.
01:34:14I GREW TO APPRECIATE QUAKER
01:34:16VALUES THAT PRESIDENT HOOVER
01:34:21EXHIBITED HIMSELF. NOW, IF YOU COULD MAKE YOUR WAY
01:34:25UP HERE, POSSIBLY, IT IS MY
01:34:28HONOR TO PRESENT THIS, AS A
01:34:34SYMBOL OF OUR COMMUNITY'S
01:34:38GRATITUDE TO THE HOOVER FAMILY,
01:34:40ACCEPTED BY LESLIE HOOVER.
01:34:54>> THANK YOU.
01:35:09>> THANK YOU, MAYER. AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF WEST BRANCH FOR THIS VERY
01:35:13MEANINGFUL RECOGNITION. MY FAMILY IS GRATEFUL TO
01:35:16CELEBRATE THIS DAY WITH A COMMUNITY THAT HAS CARED SO
01:35:20DEEPLY ABOUT PRESERVING PRESIDENT HOOVER'S STORY.
01:35:25PLEASE WELCOME THE WEST BRANCH CHORUS AS THEY PERFORM "AMERICA
01:35:28THE BEAUTIFUL."
01:35:43>> ♪ O BEAUTIFUL FOR SPACIOUS
01:35:49SKIES
01:35:51FOR AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN
01:35:58FOR PURPLE MOUNTAIN MAJESTIES
01:36:05ABOVE THE FRUITED PLAIN
01:36:11AMERICA, AMERICA
01:36:17GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE
01:36:23AND CROWN THY GOOD WITH BROTHERHOOD
01:36:29FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
01:36:38O BEAUTIFUL FOR PATRIOT DREAM
01:36:47THAT SEES BEYOND THE YEARS
01:36:52THINE ALABASTER CITIES GLEAM
01:36:58UNDIMMED BY HUMAN TEARS
01:37:06AMERICA, AMERICA
01:37:12GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE
01:37:20AND CROWN LIKE GOOD WITH
01:37:23BROTHERHOOD-- CROWN THY GOOD
01:37:28WITH BROTHERHOOD
01:37:31FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
01:37:33FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
01:37:44SEA TO SHINING SEA ♪
01:37:48[APPLAUSE]
01:38:00>> THANK YOU TO THE WEST BRANCH COMMUNITY CHORUS FOR THAT
01:38:04BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE.
01:38:07IN CLOSING, TODAY WE CELEBRATE
01:38:10THE REOPENING OF A MUSEUM TRANSFORMED THROUGH YEARS OF
01:38:12VISION, GENEROSITY, AND DEDICATION.
01:38:16IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS, THOSE
01:38:18EFFORTS COME TO LIFE AS WE OPEN
01:38:20THOSE DOORS AND WELCOME VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE THE HISTORIC
01:38:24LEGACY. WE HOPE YOU WILL TAKE TIME NOT
01:38:26ONLY TO EXPLORE THE RENOVATED
01:38:30MUSEUM, BUT TO VISIT THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS OF THE HOOVER
01:38:32NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, EXPERIENCE THE FREEDOM TO
01:38:35HUNDRED 50 MOBILE MUSEUM, AND
01:38:40ENJOY HISTORIC MAIN STREET WEST BRANCH.
01:38:41THANK YOU FOR JOINING US IN
01:38:45CELEBRATING TO MARK A MILESTONE, AND TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORT ME IN THE STATE POSSIBLE.
01:38:50WE WILL END OUR CEREMONY WITH A RETIREMENT OF COLORS.
01:38:56AFTERWARDS, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE HER BOARD OF TRUSTEES,
01:38:58MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY, AND
01:39:00TODAY'S SPEAKERS TO JOIN US FOR
01:39:03THE CEREMONIAL RIBBON CUTTING AND PHOTOS IN THE PLAZA.
01:39:07FIRST, THE RETIREMENT OF THE COLORS BY THE UNITED STATES ARMY
01:39:12COLORGUARD. PLEASE RISE.
01:40:38>> GREAT JOB. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [CAPTIONS COPYRIGHT NATIONAL CABLE SATELLITE CORP. 2026] [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE
01:40:42NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY. VISIT NCICAP.ORG]
01:42:57>> GOVERNOR REYNOLDS, A MOMENT.
01:43:13CRITICS WE GOT IT.
01:43:20>> EVERYBODY IS TALLER THAN ME.
01:43:35>> THE PICTURE, COME ON IN.
01:43:38>> I DON'T WANT TO BE UP HERE BY MYSELF.
01:44:04CRITICS FILL IN.
01:44:08WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET CLOSE.
01:44:21PERFECT.
01:44:25OK, READY?
01:44:43>> DO I SIT THIS WAY?
01:44:53CRITICS NOT THIS, BUT RIGHT AFTER.
01:44:58>> HOOVER FAMILY.
01:45:04YOU STAY.
01:45:21THANKS. I SAW THAT LAST NIGHT.
01:45:30OK.
01:45:57[MURMURING] >> THE RIBBON IS BEING CUT.
01:46:01DON'T. I HAVE NOT CUT THE RIBBON YET.
01:46:12ARE WE GOOD? OK?
01:46:19>> ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT WERE ON THE STAGE.
01:46:52CRITICS OUT OF THE SHOT.
01:47:01>> THIS IS THE OFFICIAL.
01:47:07>> ALL THE SPEAKERS.
01:47:09YOU GUYS ARE IN THE PICTURE HERE.
01:47:14STEP IN.
01:47:21WE NEED YOU RIGHT IN THE FRONT.
01:47:31ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY COME IN.
01:47:41CRITICS I KNOW, I KNOW.
01:47:50THREE, 2, 1.
01:47:52[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
01:48:18>> YOU ARE WATCHING C-SPAN --
01:48:23DEMOCRACY UNFILTERED.
01:48:28>> AMERICA CELEBRATES 250 YEARS,
01:48:32AND C-SPAN IS THERE TO MARK
01:48:35EVERY MOMENT, FROM THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE TO THE VOICES
01:48:38SHAPING OUR NATIONS FUTURE, FROM
01:48:40FAMOUS SPEECHES TO BATTLE
01:48:44REENACTMENTS. AND VISITS TO KEY HISTORIC SITES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
01:48:50WE BRING YOU UNPRECEDENTED ALL
01:48:53PLATFORM COVERAGE, EXPLORING THE
01:48:56STORIES, SITES, AND SPIRIT THAT MAKE UP AMERICA.
01:49:00JOIN US FOR REMARKABLE COAST-TO-COAST COVERAGE FEATURING KEY EVENTS FROM OUR
01:49:04PAST THAT MAKE POSSIBLE THE UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITIES OF OUR
01:49:08FUTURE, CELEBRATING OUR NATION'S
01:49:11JOURNEY LIKE NO OTHER NETWORK CAN.
01:49:14AMERICA 250 -- OVER A YEAR OF HISTORIC MOMENTS.
01:49:17C-SPAN -- OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER OF AMERICA 250.
01:49:23ASK C-SPAN IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE CABLE, SATELLITE, AND
01:49:27STREAMING COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE C-SPAN AS A PUBLIC SERVICE.
01:49:29>> A BIPARTISAN DISCUSSION ON
01:49:34THE U.S. WAR IN IRAN FEATURING
01:49:37TEXAS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN PETE SESSIONS, JOINED BY HOST
01:49:41DASHA BURNS. ALSO, THE ECONOMY AND THE BATTLE FOR CONTROL OF CONGRESS IN THE
01:49:46UPCOMING MIDTERM ELECTIONS. ONLY ON C-SPAN.
01:49:53>> CAMPAIGN 2026 IS UNDERWAY AND
01:49:58THE STAKES COULD NOT