"LAUDS CRUSADE OF TRUE AMERICANISM"

PRESIDENT HARDING ADDRESSES ASSEMBLED D.A.R. DELEGATES AT CONTINENTAL HALL

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On April 16, 1923, President Warren G. Harding addressed the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution* meeting at Memorial Continental Hall** here in the Nation's Capital.

According to the Evening Star, the President declared "the world today faces difficulties on a larger scale and a more varied nature than ever before."

The President also paid tribute to the assembled D.A.R. delegates by saying...

"Our country will have done well if it is assured of the full enlistment of all the unselfish devotion of its womanhood in the supreme duty of implanting sentiments of real Americanism in the hearts of our citizens."

*NSDAR was founded in 1890 with a mission of promoting historic preservation, education & patriotism.  It has had 1 million members admitted since 1890.

**Memorial Continental Hall was completed in 1910 & was the site of the 1922 Washington Naval Conference as well as headquarters of the D.A.R.  Constitution Hall, also located at 1776 D. Street NW, opened in 1929 to house the annual DAR convention.

SOURCES

"President Welcomes D.A.R.; Lauds Crusade Of True Americanism," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., April 16, 1923, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/

"Harding's Speech At D.A.R. Session In Memorial Hall," The Evening Star, Washington, D.C., April 16, 1923, Chronicling America, Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/

 

 

Illinois Daughters Attending DAR Convention

The Willard Hotel

Washington, D.C.

April 19, 1932

Library of Congress Photo

www.picryl.com

 

"WHEN THE ECONOMY IS EXPANDING, PROFITS ARE EXPANDING, & NOT AT THE COST OF THE CONSUMER"

JFK SPEAKS ON 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On April 30, 1962, President John F. Kennedy addressed the United States Chamber of Commerce at Constitution Hall here in Washington, D.C.

The President said...

"I am delighted to...welcome you, on the occasion of your fiftieth anniversary, to the Nation's Capital.  Almost all of the great nations...have their financial and political capitals located in the same city.  Our founding fathers chose differently, in an effort to isolate political leaders from the immediate pressures of political life and national life."

The President noted that he was the "second choice" of most businessmen for the Presidency and added that..."my specific interest...is in maintaining a competitive world position that will not further stir the gold at Fort Knox."

Mr. Kennedy saluted the Chamber for its endorsement of his Trade Expansion Bill and reminded his audience of his administration's efforts aimed at creating high employment along with high capacity utilization.  He said...

"When the economy is expanding, profits are...expanding, and not at the cost of the consumer."

SOURCE

"Address Before the United States Chamber of Commerce on Its 50th Anniversary, April 30, 1962," Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, January 1 to December 31, 1962, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, 1963. 

United States Chamber of Commerce Building

1615 H Street NW

Washington, D.C. (2008)

 Photo by APK like a lollipop

www.wikimedia.org/

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 2085

FIRST DAR CHAPTER ORGANIZED 126 YEARS AGO

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) A century and twenty-six years ago today, October 11, 1890, the first chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was organized at the home of Mary Smith Lockwood* here in the Nation's Capital.

The DAR was supported by First Lady Caroline Lavina Scott Harrison who also served as the first President-General of the organization.

DAR chapters support historic preservation and patriotic projects which include the installation of grave markers for veterans of the Revolutionary War.

Membership in the organization is restricted to those who can prove direct lineal descent to soldiers or supporters of the cause of American independence.

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution is headquartered in Constitution Hall* here in Washington, D.C.  The organization today has 180,000 members but since its founding has had 930,000 members.

*Mary Smith Lockwood (1831-1922) was a co-founder & the first historian of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  She became an adviser to Susan B. Anthony & Elizabeth Cady Stanton.  A memorial to Lockwood & the other founders of the DAR, sculpted by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, is located at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.

**Constitution Hall, located at 1776 D Street, NW, in Washington, D.C., was built in 1929 & designed by John Russell Pope.  The Hall is the site of the annual DAR Continental Congress which convenes each summer. Constitution Hall is also the home of the largest concert hall in the District of Columbia.

SOURCE

Daughters of the American Revolution, www.dar.org/

Constitution Hall

1776 D Street NW

Washington, D.C.

Photo by Edna Barney from Virginia

Founders of the DAR

Constitution Hall

Washington, D.C.

Photo by AgnosticPreachersKid (2010)

JFK+50 TOP TEN POSTS: #10

JFK+50 TOP POST #10

Knoxville, Tennessee (JFK+50) Today we begin a review of the ten most popular posts of our JFK+50 blog since we began in November 2010.  This review will include updates and revisions of the original posts. 

Thanks to all our visitors worldwide.

MARIAN ANDERSON SINGS AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL 

April 9, 2011, Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) African-American contralto, Marian Anderson*, gave a free concert on Easter Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial, here in the Nation's Capital seventy-two years ago, April 9, 1939.

Marian Anderson 

Lincoln Memorial

April 9, 1939

Miss Anderson was originally scheduled to perform at Constitution Hall but the concert was cancelled by the Daughters of the American Revolution.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who resigned from the DAR in protest, arranged for Anderson to sing at the Lincoln Memorial.

In her letter of resignation, Mrs. Roosevelt wrote...

"I am in complete disagreement with the attitude taken in refusing Constitutional Hall to a great artist.  You had an opportunity to lead in an enlightened way and it seems to me that your organization has failed."

President Dwight D. Eisenhower made Marian Anderson an honorary delegate to the United Nations and she was invited by President John F. Kennedy to sing the National Anthem at his inauguration on January 20, 1961.

She was later awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Mr. Kennedy.

Marian Anderson

by Carl Van Vechten

Library of Congress Image

*Marian Anderson (1897-1993) was born in Philadelphia, PA.  She grew up in the Union Baptist Church where she began singing in the choir at age six.  Four years later she sang in the People's Chorus.  With a scholarship provided by her church, MA took voice lessons and graduated from high school in 1921.

Although denied entrance into the Philadelphia Music Academy, she won 1st Prize in a 1925 NY Philharmonic contest.  She performed with the group on Aug. 26, 1925 and at Carnegie Hall in 1928.  Miss Anderson died at the age of 96 in Portland, Oregon.