Events at the Gerald R. Ford Library and Museum, 2010
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George W. Bush GRAND RAPIDS -- Former President George W. Bush, shown here with Susan Ford Bales, visited the Museum to promote his new memoir, Decision Points, in a question and answer session with Al Pheley, director of the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Leadership in Public Policy and Service. An overflow crowd attended the event, which was streamed live on woodtv.com. |
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Ron Nessen ANN ARBOR – Ron Nessen, Press Secretary to President Ford, spoke about the historic State Visit to the People’s Republic of China in December, 1975. The talk was in conjunction with the Library’s new feature exhibit, “Gerald Ford in Mao’s China.” |
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Red Cavaney |
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Susan Ford Bales Grand Rapids - A full house gathered at the Museum to hear Susan Ford Bales talk about her mother’s life and character with political reporter Rick Albin on opening night of the Museum’s new exhibit Betty Ford—An Extraordinary Life. |
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First Lady Rosalynn Carter Grand Rapids – First Lady Rosalynn Carter toured Betty Ford: An Extraordinary Life with Susan Ford Bales while at the Museum to participate in a discussion about mental health, co-sponsored with Grand Valley State University. |
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Steve and Richard Ford Grand Rapids -- President Ford’s youngest son Steve and his half-brother Richard shared family stories onstage with Grand Rapids political reporter Rick Albin, as a slide show featuring never-seen-before photographs from the Ford family photo albums played above. The event, held in conjunction with the Museum’s feature exhibit From School House to White House: The Education of the Presidents, was taped by C-Span for later broadcast. |
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Annual Wreath-Laying Ceremony GRAND RAPIDS -- Individual wreathes from President Barack Obama, the Ford family, and special guest His Excellency Ichiro Fujisaki, Ambassador of Japan to the United States, were placed at President Ford's gravesite on the 97th anniversary of his birth. Reverend Steven Holmgren of Grace Episcopal Church offered the benediction. |
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Behind the Lens: Four White House Photographers from Ford to Bush GRAND RAPIDS -- Four former presidential photographers sat for a Q & A session after presenting slides and anecdotes about their lives behind the lens at the White House [l-r] Eric Draper (George W. Bush), Robert McNeeley (Bill Clinton), David Valdez (George H.W. Bush) and moderator David Hume Kennerly (Gerald R. Ford). |
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Mrs. Fords 92nd Birthday Celebration Thursday, April 9, 2010 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. GRAND RAPIDS -- Over 2,400 persons visited the Museum to celebrate Mrs. Fords birthday, enjoying cake donated by Meijer, Inc. and free admission. |
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Hank Meijer GRAND RAPIDS --- Historian Hank Meijer, co-chairman and co-CEO of Meijer Inc., spoke about the subject of his forthcoming book --- Grand Rapids' most famous senator, Arthur Vandenberg. |
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Sichan Siv A Survivor's Journey from Cambodia's Killing Fields to U.S. Diplomat Monday, March 29, 2010 7:30 p.m. ANN ARBOR -- After delivering a fascinating author talk, Sichan Siv, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, posed at a reception and book-signing with local friends and his traveling companion, H.E. Katsuhiro Shinohara, former Ambassador of Japan to Cambodia (left). |
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Sharon K. Fawcett ANN ARBOR -- The head of the National Archives’ presidential library system spoke about the major issues surrounding these unique and sometimes controversial cultural institutions, among which the Ford Library and Museum is the 8th of 13. The talk was part of the University of Michigan’s Museum Theme Year. |
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Benton Becker ANN ARBOR -- President Ford's private counsel spoke about his key role in obtaining a pardon for Richard Nixon and the disposition of Nixon's papers and tapes during one of the nation's most dramatic presidential transitons. Professor Becker currently serves on the faculty of St. Thomas University in Ft. Lauderdale. |
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Mark Updegrove GRAND RAPIDS -- Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library Director Mark Updegrove, author of Baptism by Fire: Eight Presidents Who Took Office in Times of Crisis, visited the Museum to speak about the challenges Presidents Truman and Kennedy faced during the Cold War. |
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Ron C. White, Jr. GRAND RAPIDS – Noted Lincoln biographer Ron C. White, Jr. spoke about the subject of his best-selling book, A. Lincoln: A Biography, in a program jointly sponsored by the Museum and Grand Valley State University’s Hauenstein Center. A book-signing and reception followed.
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Tom Borcher GRAND RAPIDS -- You may remember Tom Borcher and his outstanding tours of The White House in Miniature. We brought Tom back once again, this time as part of the White House Weekend Celebration. Visitors joined Tom for a lively sixty minute conversation about the nation's executive mansion. |
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Presidents Day GRAND RAPIDS -- Storytelling, crafts, and birthday cake. Activities were free with paid Museum admission. |
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President Gerald R. Ford Essay Challenge Awards Ceremony Monday, February 15, 2010 7:00 PM GRAND RAPIDS -- The Awards Ceremony for this annual competition recognized the essays of all 18 finalists on "The Meaning of Courage Today." The top winners were announced, prizes awarded and the essays read, followed by a reception. Read the winning essays on our web site. |
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HONEST ABE: A Character You Can Count On Face to Face Productions/Circle Theater Thursday and Friday, February 11-12, 2010 GRAND RAPIDS -- The Museum kicked off the Presidents Day week-end with four daytime performances of this popular K-5 musical about how the elements of good character shaped and influenced one of our greatest presidents. |
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Joan Biskupic ANN ARBOR -- USA TODAY Supreme Court correspondent Joan Biskupic spoke at the Library about her new book, American Original, and signed copies during a reception that followed. |
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Peter Earnest and Oleg Danilvoich Kalugin Grand Rapids -- Oleg Kaulgin, retired major general in the Soviet KGB, and Peter Earnest, retired CIA senior intelligence officer, opened the Museum’s new exhibit, America and the Cold War, with a memorable discussion of their experiences, following by a book signing. They are shown here standing by the Museum’s permanently installed piece of the Berlin Wall. |