Authors to be Honored in First Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards
Ceremony announcing inaugural winners of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Bravery in Literature takes place Saturday.
Authors whose works focus on racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights and gender equity will be honored Saturday in the first Eleanor Roosevelt Banned Book Awards Ceremony.
The ceremony hosted by The Eleanor Roosevelt Center and the Fisher Center at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, will celebrate the inaugural winners of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Bravery in Literature — authors who have championed intellectual freedom and the fight against censorship. The event will take place Saturday, Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m. EST at the Fisher Center.
Legendary author Judy Blume will receive a lifetime achievement award and will join the celebration by livestream.
Speakers for the evening include Emily Drabinski, President of the American Library Association, and Matt Nosanchuk, the Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education, who is often referred to as the Biden Administration’s “Banned Book Czar.”
The Eleanor Roosevelt Center launched the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Bravery in Literature in direct response to the alarming rise of book banning in the U.S. and as an extension of its historic medals honoring leaders who advance human rights. Eleanor Roosevelt authored 27 books in her lifetime. The award reflects Eleanor’s love for literature and hopes to elevate works by authors who embody her values, according to the Fisher Center’s website.
The Fisher Center at Bard has a long-standing track record in developing and supporting performance and cultural events at the intersection of the arts and social justice, producing innovative programming in the Hudson Valley, and supporting artists at critical career junctures. All proceeds will support the Eleanor Roosevelt Center’s future programming. Tickets, can be purchased here.
Calendar
Feb. 15. 2024
Carter Center Announces Video Premiere ‘Paige Alexander @TEDWomen: Information Is Power’
One of the most vital resources for women to exercise their rights and realize their full potential is information — information about government services and regulations, about educational and business opportunities, about child care and health programs.
Tune in on Feb. 15 at noon for the premiere of Carter Center CEO Paige Alexander's TEDWomen 2023 talk detailing how the Center’s Inform Women, Transform Lives project provides ways for women all over the world to have a more meaningful voice and make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities. Watch the video here.
Feb. 15, 2024
Third Thursdays Night Out with the First Ladies – In-Person, Private Curator-Led Tour
Get to know the real Jackie O with apps and drink during this private, exclusive talk about our exhibition Beyond Camelot: The Life and Legacy of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, given by the National First Ladies Library and Museum staff at the First Ladies National Historic Site. Read more
Feb. 19, 2024
Bird Walk in the Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park
SOLD OUT: The George W. Bush Presidential Center presents a morning bird walk in the Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park led by educators from the Trinity River Audubon Center. Explore the park trails while searching for the birds in their natural habitat. The bird walk is free but space is limited. You must register in advance to attend. To receive advance on upcoming events at the Bush Center, become a member today. Read more
Feb. 26, 2024
Virtual First Ladies on the Page Book Discussion: The First Ladies
The First Ladies National Library and Museum presents an online staff-led discussion of this historical fiction book The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (published June 2023). Read more
March 8, 2024
Virtual Legacy Lecture: A Remarkable Life: Lucretia Rudolph Garfield
The National First Ladies Library and Museum presents a virtual program about Lucretia Rudolph Garfield, who lived a remarkable life that took her from humble beginnings in northeast Ohio all the way to the White House as first lady of the United States. This presentation will examine Mrs. Garfield’s life for its many joys as well as its many tragedies. Read more
March 15, 2024
City Tavern Presents Author Night: Revolutionary First Ladies
Co-authors of the newly published Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women will speak about early first ladies as part of the City Tavern America 250 lecture series at 6:30 p.m. EST on Friday, March 15. Authors include Diana B. Carlin, Anita McBride, and Nancy Kegan Smith. Books will be available for onsite purchase with a book signing to follow. RSVP: bbello@citytavernclubdc.org.
March 15 and 16, 2024
First Ladies Trilogy
Three back-to-back first ladies (1945-63) appear in a two-night series of live performances at the Winona Arts Center, 228 East 5th Street Winona, Minnesota. Bess Truman, Friday, and Mamie Eisenhower and Jackie Kennedy, Saturday. Read more
March 18, 2024
A Conversation with White House Social Secretaries
The George W. Bush Presidential Center will present a panel of former White House Social Secretaries who will share insights and behind-the-scenes stories about entertaining at the White House. From state dinners to picnics on the South Lawn, the experts will discuss the importance of the White House as a stage for hospitality and diplomacy.
Anita McBride, former assistant to President Bush and chief of staff to former First Lady Laura Bush, will moderate a conversation with Jeremy Bernard, former White House social secretary to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama; Gahl Hodges Burt, former White House social secretary to President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan; and Amy Zantzinger, former White House social secretary to President Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush. Ticket information here
April 3, 2024
FLARE will Present ‘First Ladies Then and Now: Communicating Their Stories’
Registration is underway for the pre-conference program "First Ladies Then and Now: Communicating Their Stories" hosted by the First Ladies Association for Research and Education in conjunction with the Central States Communication Association. The event will be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan on April 3.
The theme of the half-day program will feature FLARE members and representatives of the Ford Library and Museum and Foundation. FLARE members will participate in three panels that look at the past 40 years of first lady scholarship, pedagogical practices, and outreach activities with a look forward by immediate past president of FLARE Myra Gutin.
Register here.
Registration is available for the Pre-Conference FLARE program only. The fee is $25 for in-person or $5 for live streaming. FLARE Lifetime Members will receive a complimentary registration.
The CSCA Convention will be held at the Grand Amway Plaza in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Follow this link for hotel accommodations.
Submit calendar items, announcements and press releases to East Wing Magazine at jtaylor@eastwingmagazine.com.