MEET FUTURE PRESIDENTS the
Donna Oklak, Chair
Robert Altice, Vice Chair
Jeremy Davis, Treasurer
BOARD OF Directors
Morgan Snyder, Secretary
Latoya Botteron, At Large
Brian Hewitt, Past Chair
Carolyn Anker
Teresa A. Bennett
Robert Biggs
Lisa Boncosky
Rosemary Dorsa
Erin Dorsey
Ellis Hall
Eric J. Holcomb
Will Lonnemann
Konye Ori
Lucille Pittard
Rod Taylor
EX-OFFICIO
John Teskey, Volunteer Association President
PRESIDENT & CEO
Charles A. Hyde
HONORARY DIRECTORS
Robert H. Everitt
Thomas P. Ewbank
Gracia Johnson Floyd
George Geib
Stan C. Hurt
Jamia Jasper Jacobsen
Thomas King
James Kirsch
John Krauss
Kimball Harrison Morsman
Susanne S. Ridlen
ADVISORY CABINET
William A. Browne, Jr.
Lloyd Crowe
Whitney Ebmeyer
Daniel F. Evans
J. Scott Keller
Howard “HJ” Lacy IV
Elizabeth Mann
Jenry Morsman
Andrea Neal
Peter Rusthoven
David Sease
Kameelah Shaheed-Diallo
Ed Simcox
James Wallis
Michael W. Wells
STAFF
JENNIFER CAPPS VP of Curatorship & Exhibition
MAGGIE SEARS Morsman Family Presidential Fellow for Advancement
DANIEL BENNETT Director of Museum Experiences
BETHANY GOSEWEHR VP of Advancement
MOLLY BEAUSIR Russell and Penny Fortune Project POTUS Presidential Fellow
ROGER HARDIG VP of Education
JENNIFER HODGE Gracia Johnson Floyd Presidential Fellow
CHRIS STENFTENAGEL Volunteer & Relationship Coordinator
LINDSEY BECKLEY Special Events & Marketing Manager
JENNY BRAUN Director of Finance and Operations
SHANÉT WALLACE Special Events Coordinator
ALEXIS PRICE Social Media & Content Coordinator
JULIO ZEPEDA Facilities Manager
GARY LARREATEGUI Weekend Supervisor
CHARLES A. HYDE President & CEO
E Pluribus Unum
This year has been a whirlwind at the Presidential Site, and the days to come promise just as much dynamic programming and activity.
The past two months alone speak to this powerfully. We started June with record breaking attendance at the 3rd annual Juneteenth Foodways Festival made possible by the Eli Lilly & Company Foundation, with over 35 food and retail partners and 2,200 attendees. Our 10th cohort of Future Presidents of America young leaders joined us later in the month, and demonstrated why we should all keep “hope in our hearts” for the next generation of fellow citizens. We partnered with the Federal Court and Judge Sarah Evans Barker in hosting a Naturalization Ceremony on July 3rd, and along with the nearly 500 total people in attendance we were proud to be among the first to welcome these 98 new citizens to the ranks of our great country.
As we head into the final twists and turns of this presidential election season—whatever the outcome—this should remind us of the great precept, E Pluribus Unum. One of our nation’s great strengths over the past (almost!) 250 years has been our ability to come together and agree and disagree constructively, pushing each other to strengthen ideas and find common ground through civil civic discourse.
Whether you’re joining us for the Presidential Speaker Series in November, one of our upcoming monthly Coffee with the Curator programs, Candlelight Theatre, voting here on Election Day, or participating in any one of the dozens of other upcoming programs and events we have planned for you before year end, we’re excited to have you as a part of our vibrant community of engaged citizens and civic leaders.
Let’s work together to make the most of this country of ours!
Very sincerely yours,
Charles A.
President & CEO
Remembering A Legacy
Along with nearly 200 Future Presidents of America alumni, 1,700 naturalized citizens on our grounds, and tens of thousands of school children and visitors to the Presidential Site every year, we are reminded daily of the importance of good citizenship. Perhaps nowhere better is this illustrated than in remembering one of Indianapolis and Indiana’s great champions—long time Presidential Site supporter and Honorary Director, Jim Morris...
(Continued on page 17)
Hyde,
Cover image by Marlee Scott, 2022 Future Presidents of America Alumna, taken in the elevator up to Bose Public Affairs Group offices on June 25, 2024.
Charlie Hyde, Sen. Richard Lugar, Jim Morris, and IU Assistant Vice-Chancellor Teresa Bennett in 2019.
John Krauss
Calendar
* Reservations required.
SEPTEMBER 2024
COFFEE WITH THE CURATOR
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 8:30AM–9:00AM
CONSTITUTION DAY KICK-OFF (HOSTED BY THE CAROLINE SCOTT HARRISON CHAPTER NSDAR) MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 . 8:30AM
CONSTITUTION DAY ROSE PLACEMENT
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 8:30AM
OCTOBER 2024
COFFEE WITH THE CURATOR
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4 . 8:30AM–9:00AM CANDLELIGHT THEATRE’S PRODUCTION OF MOBSTERS, MOLLS, & MURDER*
OCTOBER 11–12, 18–19, 26–27 PRESENTED BY CANDLELIGHT THEATRE* PERFORMANCES START AT 6PM AND 8PM FRI–SAT, 2PM AND 4PM SUNDAYS
NOVEMBER 2024
COFFEE WITH THE CURATOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 8:30AM–9:00AM
TAPS: A MUSICAL SALUTE
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11 AT SUNSET, 5:32PM ONSITE AND FACEBOOK LIVE
PRESIDENTIAL SPEAKER SERIES*
MADE POSSIBLE BY THE MARY TUCKER JASPER ENDOWMENT FUND THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14 . 6:00–9:00PM INDIANA ROOF BALLROOM
DECEMBER 2024
COFFEE WITH THE CURATOR
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 8:30AM–9:00AM LIVE! FAMILY CHRISTMAS*
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 . 10:00AM–4:30PM*
CANDLELIGHT THEATRE’S PRODUCTION OF WINTER WONDERLAND* DECEMBER 12–15 PRESENTED BY CANDLELIGHT THEATRE* PERFORMANCES START AT 6 PM FRI–SAT, 2 PM ON SUNDAYS
Coffee with the Curator
FIRST FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH
8:30AM – 9AM (VIEW ON FACEBOOK LIVE AT 8:45AM) Free for members & guests | $6 general admission Join us for a stimulating 30 minutes at our monthly First Friday event! While you enjoy coffee and pastries, you will get a chance to explore some of the most interesting, amazing and unexpected Presidential Site collection items. We promise to satisfy your curiosity and have you on your way to the office by 9am sharp! Upcoming themes include: . September 6 A Founding Family: The Harrisons and the Washingtons (onsite event & simulcast on Facebook Live) October 4 In the Spotlight: The Harrisons Bedroom & Sitting Room (onsite event & simulcast on Facebook Live) November 1 Grand Army of the Republic: Harrison and Veterans (onsite event & simulcast on Facebook Live) December 6 Here Comes St. Nicholas (onsite event & simulcast on Facebook Live)
Space is limited so reservations are recommended. Find out more by calling 317.631.1888 or visiting PresidentBenjaminHarrison.org.
Harrison House anniversary brings an unusual celebration to the Statehouse Staff Report
"The dimly lit rotunda of the Indiana Statehouse buzzed with anticipation Wednesday, but this time, it was for something a bit different from the day’s politics.
In the distance, a miniature model of President Benjamin Harrison’s former home sat, waiting to be uncovered.
The creator of the model is a resident of Greenwood who has spent 20 years of his life building things. After visiting Harrison’s home years ago, then more recently running low on ideas of what to build, Landers was inspired to create something extraordinary.
“Someone mentioned to me, 'Why don’t you build the president’s house?'” said Landers.
“And I said, 'Yep, why not?' So I did.”
While the idea was sparked by someone else, the rest stemmed from his own pure enjoyment of building.
“It’s got 48,000 bricks, real bricks, 4,000 slate shingles, and it's pretty well spot-on to the house,” he said.
The “bigature,” as it was billed, took a year to make, but his hard work paid off as his project began to gain some notice. When asked to display his work in the Statehouse, Landers was in awe.
“I’m flabbergasted. It blew my mind,” he said. “I had no intention of it ever getting in any public news, when in fact, we didn’t know what we were going to do with it for a while."
Read the full article at TheStatehouseFile.com.
YORK DAILY RECORD (PA)
You have to see this Lego video that won a Red Lion student top prize in national contest
Teresa Boeckel, York Daily Record
“Logan Zabarkes, a student at Red Lion Area Junior High School, recently won the grand prize in a national history competition with his Lego stop motion video about Harry Truman.
The teen from Windsor borough learned about Project POTUS, a middle school program from the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis, Indiana, through his social studies teacher, Troy Strayer. He explained to the students that they could create a one-minute video about a president and enter it into the competition to win a prize.
Zabarkes, who enjoys making movies, said he thought, "Why not give it a shot?"
Logan Zabarkes won the grand prize in the national history competition called Project POTUS.
He decided to create a Lego stop motion video — he likes making them and has a lot of Lego pieces — and he chose Truman as the subject.
Zabarkes learned about the 33rd president, including his decision to drop the atomic bomb during World War II, in a leadership class he took in eighth grade.
"Harry Truman kind of became my favorite president," he said.
He added that Truman isn't as wellknown as presidents such as George Washington or Abraham Lincoln.
Zabarkes researched Truman's life and realized that he had too much information to fit into a one-minute video. He had to choose the best facts.”
Read the full article on YDR.com
IDEOLUWA ADEDEJI BEN DAVIS UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL
ZION CROWDER PIKE HIGH SCHOOL
SYDNEY FESSEL FRANKLIN CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH
MEET FUTURE PRESIDENTS the
CHARLES ALLEN BROAD RIPPLE MIDDLE SCHOOL
OLIVIA DARDEN WARREN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
JACK GIRTON NORTH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
IBRAHIM BREAUX ST. RICHARDS EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
DERRICK ESPINOZA AVON HIGH SCHOOL
CONRAD GRAHAM PENDLETON HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL
Future Presidents of America™ is a week-long youth leadership camp created to engage the next generation of community leaders. It develops confidence, civic literacy and good citizenship to reveal the exceptional character that makes for great presidents and great leaders – yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We want to highlight our remarkable students from this year’s cohort; the 10th in our program’s history:
REUVEN MASCARENHAS MERIDIAN SCHOOL (TX)
CAMILLE POWELL SPEEDWAY JUNIOR HIGH
SAAVAN SHAH CREEKSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL
LUKE OSGOOD EDGEWOOD JUNIOR HIGH
HAYLA ROBERTS PERRY MERIDIAN HIGH SCHOOL
FRANCISCO TORRES BEN DAVIS HIGH SCHOOL
Applications Available For 2025
Want to learn more? Please contact the VP of Education, Roger Hardig, at rhardig@bhpsite.org, call (317)631-1888, or visit FuturePresidents.us
PARI PONUGOTI SYCAMORE SCHOOL
RICHARD SANCHEZ THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Special thanks to:
Gracia E. Johnson Foundation
Indy Summer Youth Programs
Lilly Endowment Inc. Nicholas H. Noyes Memorial Foundation
The National Bank of Indianapolis
SPEECH IN JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE
APRIL 14, 1891
President Harrison was welcomed at Johnson City, TN by a crowd of 3,000, with Congressman Alfred A. Taylor presenting. The President began his speech with:
“The office
of President of the United
States is one of very high honor and is also one of very high responsibility. No man having conscientiously at heart the good of the whole people, whose interests are, under the law, in some degree committee to his care, can fail to feel a most oppressive sense of inadequacy when he comes to the discharge of these high functions.”
DID YOU Know?
SECOND MORRILL ACT OF 1890
ON AUG. 30, 1890, PRESIDENT BENJAMIN HARRISON SIGNED THE SECOND MORRILL ACT OF 1890 INTO LAW.
People of color were often excluded from educational opportunities at the Land-grant Universities established by the Morrill Act of 1862. The Second Morrill Act required states to establish separate Land-grant Institutions for Black students or demonstrate that admission to the 1862 Land-grant was not restricted by race. The act granted money, instead of land, and resulted in the designation of a set of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as Land-grant Universities to begin receiving federal funds to support teaching, research and Extension intended to serve underserved communities.
There are currently 19 affiliated universities in the 1890 System: Alabama A&M, Alcorn State University, Central State University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Langston University, Lincoln University, North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University, South Carolina State University, Southern University, Tennessee State University, Tuskegee University, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Virginia State University, and West Virginia State University.
HARRISON IN HIS
Electoral College by Election Year
Share of electoral college and popular votes from each winning candidate, in all United States presidential elections from 1789 to 2020
Through 2020, there have been 59 presidential elections. The Electoral College process, established in the Constitution, consists of the selection of the electors, the meeting of the electors where they vote for President and Vice President, and the counting of the electoral votes by Congress. The Electoral College consists of 538 electors, and a majority of 270 electoral votes is required to elect the President. Each state has the same number of electors as it does Members in its Congressional delegation: one for each Member in the House of Representatives plus two Senators. The District of Columbia is allocated 3 electors and treated like a State for purposes of the Electoral College under the 23rd Amendment of the Constitution.
Electoral College Popular Vote
Sources ProCon; Encyclopædia Britannica; National Archives and Records Administration; 270towin.com © Statista 2024
The Presidential Site has had a busy summer! Pictured left to right: a mother and daughter enjoying the Naturalization Ceremony on July 3; a family enjoying the Juneteenth Foodways Festival on June 14; a family enjoying the Independence Day Social on July 4; and view of the south lawn for Juneteenth Foodways Festival, with 2,200 visitors in attendance.
The 10th cohort of Future Presidents of America graduated on June 28, 2024. They are pictured here at Benjamin Harrison's statue on New York Street in downtown Indianapolis.
ANDREA NEAL
ST. RICHARD’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL
EIGHTH GRADE
U.S. HISTORY TEACHER
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
In this regular feature, we highlight some of the people, schools, and partners that make our educational outreach to thousands of students each year possible.
“The crisis in civic education is well documented, with one in three Americans unable to name all three branches of government. At St. Richard’s Episcopal School in Indianapolis, we have made “civic responsibility” one of our primary areas of focus, and the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site is an invaluable partner in this endeavor.
As an Eighth Grade U.S. History teacher, I weave BHPS programming, into all that I do. Our eighth graders participate in Project POTUS, a national competition that challenges students to create a one-minute video summarizing the life and legacy of a president of their choosing. More than a dozen of our students have been selected for the Future Presidents of America summer camp, focusing on constitutional government and leadership, and I have been privileged to be one of the camp’s instructors.
Project POTUS, which St. Richard’s helped to pilot, has been the best addition to my curriculum in my 22 years teaching. Students take ownership of learning about a presidential administration — its accomplishments and failures — and their videos are incorporated in classroom lessons as we work our way from George Washington onward. The assignment helps students learn skills they will need in high school: finding good source material, writing concisely, and summarizing historic information.
The BHPS staff are always ready to supplement what we are doing in class. CEO Charles Hyde has come to campus to represent the executive branch on Constitution Day, and the education department has welcomed us to the Annenberg conference room for workshops to study the founding documents, which are on display in the Charters of Freedom exhibit adjacent to the school bus pickup location.
Our relationship over the years has been a true partnership – one that will ensure our students have the knowledge they need to be engaged and responsible citizens."
Want to engage the students in your life? Email education@bhpsite.org or find out more at PresidentBenjaminHarrison.org
Death in the White House Exhibit
A new exhibit in the 3rd floor special exhibit space opened on March 21, 2024. Titled “Death in the White House,” the exhibit looks at the history of death in the Executive Mansion with a special focus on the experiences of the Harrison family and the losses they endured while in the White House. The exhibit also explores Victorian mourning customs and delves into the causes underlying the passing of other notable Harrison family members and officials in an era when the specter of mortality seemed to loom around every corner.
CAROLINE SCOTT HARRISON MEMORIAL RIBBON
Mourning ribbons were common during the Victorian time period. They were collected and worn like campaign ribbons of the day. Our collection contains several examples for William Henry Harrison and ones saved by the family of John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. This memorial ribbon for First Lady Caroline Scott Harrison was donated by Craig Schermer to the collection in more recent years.
TRACY TRAGEDY
Anna Symmes Harrison’s black jet broach contains the hair of William Henry Harrison, which is revealed by a small glass window under the pin.
Hairwork was very popular with Victorians, made in remembrance of a loved one or as tokens of friendship. Hairwork could be elaborate braided designs of art or jewelry. Often simple locks of hair (like this one) were saved. A lock of hair will keep its color for decades, even centuries.
Publications of the day share the tragic story of the fire at the home of Secretary of Navy Benjamin Tracy. The publications include Harper’s Weekly, Once A Week, and an original newspaper clipping saved by the Harrison family.
On February 3, 1890, Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin Tracy’s wife and younger daughter died in a fire at their residence in Washington, D.C. His wife, Delinda, died by falling out a window in an attempt to escape the building, and his daughter, Mary, died from smoke inhalation. Tracy himself lost consciousness due to the smoke but was rescued by Chief Joseph Parris of the D.C. Fire Department. A funeral was held at the East Room of the White House February 5th with temporary internment at Rock Creek Cemetery and final burial later at Greenwood Cemetery Brooklyn, NY.
See the exhibit for yourself through Dec. 30, 2024.
ANNA SYMMES HARRISON BROACH
Summer is here, and the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site is busy as can be! Our volunteers have been very active giving house tours as well as being the back bone of our hosted summer events. At this point in the year, we have 56 program volunteers and more than 150 total volunteers! Over the last few months, we have acquired the talents of three new volunteers! One is a new tour docent, and the other two are Welcome Center Ambassadors who welcome you for tours and assist in the gift shop. Already they have brought new ideas, feedback, and great attitudes to the Presidential Site!
We had a very busy June and Fourth of July week. Starting with our Juneteenth Foodways Festival in June, our volunteers were a big help with set up/tear down, house tours, and general operations. The Naturalization Ceremony on July third, and our Ice Cream social following on July fourth. Our volunteers helped with the set up and tear down, worked at the merchandise and registration tables, as well as helped give and manage house tours. July fourth started out with rain, but ended in sunshine! The event was very successful, and could not have been executed without the time and effort of our volunteers. Occasionally, we receive volunteer interest from the bigger event exposure, and I could not be more proud of our volunteers who answer questions and represent the Presidential Site. More events are on the horizon in these coming months!
Our gardens are in full summer swing with the main assistance of our volunteer Master Gardeners. Throughout the season, a mix of pruning, mulching, composting, weeding, transplanting, and adding new plants is a constant task. Even though the Presidential home is located in a central downtown neighborhood, we still see a lot of wildlife on the property including many species of birds, smaller mammals and rodents, as well as a variety of pollinators. When the Harrison’s moved in the Delaware Street home, there was a few floral outdoor plants (mock orange, and Lily of the Valley), and there was an herb garden. In the Harrison’s early days in Indianapolis, they had fruit shrubs/bushes, as well as chickens at one point. It was common for
Volunteers Charles Braun and Elaine Sholty greet guests at the Independence Day Social as President & First Lady Harrison.
Master Gardener volunteers help to keep our gardens looking spectacular. Pictured (left to right): Pete Oren, Mary Ann Lear (from Arbutus Garden Club), Ken Hottell, and Steve Thomas.
most households to have an herb garden at their disposal. This was also a time period for indoor plant popularity. Caroline loved hosting social events in the Washington D.C conservatory and used many garden plants for reference in her artwork. We have original Caroline Harrison art work in our collection and displayed around the home. Come visit the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site for a house tour with our volunteers, and to see many more artifacts in our wonderful collection!
Want to share your time and talent? Find out more at PresidentBenjaminHarrison.org
Know Your IRA Options
There are times in life when we may be forced to take something sooner than desired. An example of this is the required minimum distribution (RMD) from your IRA. Did you know that once you reach age 73, the government will require you to take distribution from your IRA, even if you do not need the money or might think it better to preserve your IRA for something important, such as a rainy day? The RMD could also substantially increase the taxes you have to pay on your income.
If you are 70½ or older, consider a better use for your IRA. Make a gift from your IRA (up to $105,000 this year) directly to charity. Contact your IRA administrator and ask for the forms to make a charitable transfer to support our mission. The transfer may count against your RMD, but because you never received the IRA distribution, you will not be taxed on this amount. Rather than pay income tax on your required minimum distribution, transfer the funds to charity instead.
While this helps with your immediate RMD concerns, consider amplifying your annual gift with a legacy gift. Your IRA rollover gift can be combined with a bequest made in your will or additional IRA beneficiary designation gift to make an even greater difference. Contact the VP of Advancement, Bethany Gosewehr, at bgosewehr@bhpsite.org or at 317-631-1888 to learn more.
If you want your IRA to continue your giving legacy, ask your plan administrator to add us as a remainder beneficiary on your account.
We want to recognize you now! Our 1888 Society provides lifetime recognition to donors who have included the Presidential Site in their estate plan. All you need do is tell the Presidential Site that your plan is in place and that you have no objection to being publicly listed in the 1888 Society honor roll.
Learn more at 1888Society.org
Give Your Constitution Day Roses
Celebrate the American system of self-government by making a donation to support the mission of the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site. Your rose (or roses!) will be added to the Charters of Freedom in celebration of the U.S. Constitution on September 17th.
Project POTUS 2024
How many Lego ® blocks does it take to tell the story of Harry Truman’s legacy (and in one minute or less!)?
If you’re this year’s Project POTUS® Grand Prize winner, you know the answer all too well! Logan Zabarkes from Red Lion, PA told Project POTUS HQ that it took more than a week to put together the sets for his stop-motion Lego portrayal of POTUS #33, and the video incorporated over 500 photos. But according to Zabarkes it took even longer to research and narrow down the information he wanted to include. He suggested that he hasn’t always been very interested in history, but that the creative aspect of Project POTUS drew him in, and has resulted in Truman becoming his favorite president.
The Grand Prize and Spotlight Awards were selected by a highly qualified Grand Jury. The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site was honored to have Barbara Perry, author and Director of Presidential Studies for the renowned Miller Center at the University of Virginia, Christina Schutt, President & CEO of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, and Brian Lamb - founder and retired President of CSPAN return to this year’s panel to help the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site award excellent middle school scholarship on the presidency.
And for the second year, the public got a chance to elect a Citizens Choice winner from the top 10 scoring Project POTUS entries. Nearly 1,000 votes cast determined that Will Selzer’s project on Benjamin Harrison would receive the award.
View all winning projects, including the Grand Prize winning, Spotlight, and Citizens Choice Award videos, at ProjectPOTUS.org.
Thank you to all of the students and teachers who participated in the mission for middle school this year, and to more than 80 virtual
Remembering A Legacy
(continued from page 3)
volunteers making up the Citizen Jury – logging in from near and far to review submissions to this year’s program. Thanks especially to Jock and Penny Fortune, whose support has made Project POTUS possible.
Project POTUS 2025 opens for submission on Election Day, November 5th, 2024. Encourage the students in your life to pick their president now and take part in this unique mission – for the chance to win up to $500 in awards. See the mission brief at ProjectPOTUS.org for more details.
The mission isn’t just for middle schoolers: Join the Citizen Jury
Every year, virtual volunteers become Project POTUS Citizen Jurors, reviewing student projects for awards potential. Become a part of a talented, worldwide group of presidential history enthusiasts by sending a note to Molly Beausir, Russell & Penny Fortune Project POTUS Presidential Fellow, at mbeausir@bhpsite.org .
Jim’s stature was not tied to any elected office, but rather to his rare standing as one of our foremost citizens, a man of deep and abiding faith, a person of high principles, and a friend and mentor extraordinaire. Across his eight decades, he did many great things in the public sphere—even receiving recognition from American presidents! — but remained personally modest. He embodied the spirit of civic humility so well-articulated by the 23rd president:
“Kings sometimes bestow decorations upon those whom they desire to honor, but that man is most highly decorated who has the affectionate regard of his neighbors and friends.”
In this way, Jim Morris would be among the “most highly decorated” of all the sons and daughters of Indiana. It is a fitting reminder of all the great good that can be accomplished in a life dedicated to the common good, and advancing our American system of self-government through civility and grace.
–Charles A. Hyde, President & CEO
Special Events
PRESIDENTIAL SPEAKER SERIES
MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE MARY TUCKER JASPER ENDOWMENT FUND
NOVEMBER 14
6:00–9:00PM INDIANA ROOF BALLROOM | RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
RESERVE
TODAY! While Tickets Last!
“Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Talking” with
Michael Smerconish
Join us for the 2024 Presidential Speaker Series as we hear from CNN television host, SiriusXM radio host and author Michael Smerconish. A registered Independent and passionate centrist, Smerconish has the rare ability to address audiences of all political persuasion without alienating anyone in the room. Smerconish hosts a daily radio program on SiriusXM’s POTUS Channel, 124, from 9 a.m. to Noon ET. His eponymous CNN program airs internationally at 9:00 am ET on Saturday mornings, and he offers opinion and analysis on CNN programming throughout the week. Prior to joining CNN, Smerconish was an MSNBC contributor who served as guest-host for Hardball with Chris Matthews, and he guest-hosted the Radio Factor for Bill O’Reilly. His presentations provide audiences with a balanced, thought-provoking and entertaining analysis of the political arena.
The Presidential Speaker Series is made possible through the Mary Tucker Jasper Endowment Fund. This will be the Presidential Site’s 19th year celebrating American thought and leadership through this event. Taking place shortly after Veteran’s Day, we will carry on our tradition of also honoring men and women in the United States military, who—like President Harrison, himself a veteran—sacrificed so much in their service to our country, with special tributes throughout the evening.
Registration is required. Purchase your table or tickets at PresidentBenjaminHarrison.org.
If you have questions about this event, please contact Bethany Gosewehr, Vice President of Advancement at bgosewehr@bhpsite.org or 317-631-1888.
Special Events
MOBSTERS, MOLLS, & MURDER
OCTOBER 11-12, 18-19, 26
PERFORMANCES AT 6:00PM AND 8:00PM
OCTOBER 27
PERFORMANCES AT 2:00PM AND 4:00PM
*RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
Purchase your tickets today at CandlelightTheatre.org
WINTER WONDERLAND
BY JAMES TROFATTER
DECEMBER 12–14
PERFORMANCES BEGIN AT 6:00PM AND RUN EVERY HALF HOUR UNTIL 8:30PM
DECEMBER 15
PERFORMANCES BEGIN AT 2:00PM AND RUN EVERY HALF HOUR UNTIL 4:30PM
Don your flapper dresses and newsboy caps and join us as Candlelight Theatre presents a thrilling murder mystery set in the 1920s and staged in a National Historic Landmark home – will your team successfully solve the murder of Mickey Scapone?
Prohibition is still in full swing in Indianapolis, and while it makes alcohol a difficult commodity to obtain, it certainly isn’t impossible. In this fictional setting, Mickey Scapone is boss of one of the largest gangs responsible for importing the contraband. He owns Swingers, arguably the most popular speakeasy in the city. From bodyguards to sassy jazz singers, alcohol to fine dining, this hip club has everything.
And tonight, it even has a murder. Guests will work in teams of 10, interrogating suspects and gathering clues throughout the mansion to solve the crime. Will you be the one to crack the case?
If you’re looking to impress, don your best 1920s style duds and dazzle your fellow sleuths!
Performances will sell out! Reservations are required. Please direct questions to the Special Events and Marketing Manager: (317) 631-1888 or email events@bhpsite.org.
Gather your family close and join us in creating new holiday memories at a special Candlelight Theatre production!
Winter Wonderland written by James Trofatter, offers a heartwarming theatre experience for all ages. Sip hot cider, enjoy carolers, and meet holiday figures from tradition and folklore, as well as jolly new friends.
Treat your family and friends to a delightful holiday spectacular! Purchase a Room Buyout and bring up to 15 people along with you for a private, heartwarming performance unlike any other.
Guests will travel from room to room enjoying performances throughout the National Historic Landmark home of President Benjamin Harrison; including up and down narrow stairs (elevator assistance is available). Guests will view scenes standing (chairs available upon request). Performances are approximately 60 minutes long; a new performance begins every half hour, with six shows each day.
Performances will sell out! Reservations are required. Please direct questions to the Special Events and Marketing Manager: (317) 631-1888 or email events@bhpsite.org
