Reflecting on Opening Night and Beginning Business Sessions

Opening Night was such a captivating evening. Lynn Novick’s keynote remarks were so impactful and it was an honor to present her with the DAR Media and Entertainment Award for her incredible body of work. I was also pleased to recognize Paul Heinegg with the DAR History Award Medal for all of his research into the family histories of African Americans during the colonial period, compiling this research and making it available to others.

I hope you all were impressed seeing the Constitution Hall stage restored to its original 1929 design. It was wonderful getting to celebrate the successful project with you all and share some behind the scenes of all the work that was done to the stage. The extensive conservation truly gives new life to our historic Hall. The Constitution Hall Stage Restoration video that we showed during the Opening Night Ceremony is now on YouTube, feel free to share it with others!

As part of our Constitution Hall celebration, our musical entertainment last night was so interesting! It was a pleasure to have The Leesburg String Ensemble perform an homage to the first concert that was held in Constitution Hall in 1929. It felt like we had stepped back in time and had the opportunity to enjoy a performance that the earliest Constitution Hall audiences would have enjoyed, set to the same backdrop with our freshly restored stage.

Last evening we recited the Americans Creed as we always do at the beginning of each Congress session, and this year we are pleased to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of this Creed. Here you can listen to a recording of William Tyler Page reciting the Americans Creed himself.

This morning we will begin the business sessions of the 127th Continental Congress, where we will hear the reports of the Executive Officers. The Executives will again be using PowerPoint Presentations with their reports to help demonstrate the work of their offices. 

This afternoon I will greet the Units Overseas Luncheon and attend the Historic Preservation Luncheon. These are always exciting events and there will be an opportunity to greet many of the members.