EXCITING NEWS!!!

Congratulations, Dr. Boritt!

President Bush Awards 2008 National Humanities Medals

Recipients honored for outstanding cultural contributions

Leading Lincoln scholars and Civil War historians Gabor S. Boritt and Harold Holzer, and biographer and historian Richard Brookhiser among this year’s honorees

WASHINGTON (November 17, 2008) — Today, President George W. Bush awarded the prestigious National Humanities Medal for 2008 to scholars and Civil War historians Gabor S. Boritt and Harold Holzer and biographer and historian Richard Brookhiser during a ceremony held in the White House East Room. In total, nine distinguished Americans, one museum, and a philanthropic foundation were honored for their exemplary contributions to the humanities and were recognized for their scholarship, literary works, philanthropy, and preservation efforts. In addition to Gabor S. Boritt, Richard Brookhiser, and Harold Holzer, the President presented National Humanities Medals to Myron Magnet, journalist and author; Albert Marrin, children’s book author; Milton J. Rosenberg, radio show host and scholar; Thomas A. Saunders III and Jordan Horner Saunders, philanthropists; Robert H. Smith, philanthropist; John Templeton Foundation; and Norman Rockwell Museum.

Gabor S. Boritt is being recognized “for a distinguished career of scholarship on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War era. His life’s work and his life’s story stand as testaments to our Nation’s precious legacy of liberty.”

Richard Brookhiser is being recognized “for helping reintroduce Americans to the personalities, eccentricities, and noble ideals of our Founding Fathers. His works of biography and history have rendered vivid and accessible portraits of the early days of the Republic.”

Harold Holzer is being recognized “for engaging scholarship on that crucible of our history, the American Civil War. His work has brought new understanding of the many facets of Abraham Lincoln and his era through the study of image, word, and deed.”

The National Humanities Medal, first awarded in 1989 as the Charles Frankel Prize, honors individuals or groups whose work has deepened the nation's understanding of the humanities, broadened our citizens' engagement with the humanities, or helped preserve and expand Americans' access to important resources in the humanities.

The Humanities Medal is the most prestigious award in the humanities. Over the last decade, including this year’s recipients, the National Humanities Medal has been awarded to only 107 individuals and 9 organizations. Among those recognized during this time period are Bernard Lewis, Judith “Miss Manners” Martin, Madeleine L’Engle, Harvey Mansfield, and John Updike.

Medal recipients do not compete for this award but are specially selected by the President for their life-long achievements in their diverse areas of expertise.

A detailed profile of each of the 2008 medalists is available at: http://www.neh.gov/news/archive/2008_Medalists.html

Gettysburg National Military Park has news!

Kate Lawhon from the Gettysburg National Military Park shared some great pieces of news with me! See below!

Main Street Gettysburg and Gettysburg National Military Park will provide an update on the David Wills House museum exhibits and aspecial "behind-the-scenes" look at original artifacts that will be on display in the museum.

The briefing will take place in the Library of thepark's new Museum and Visitor Center, 1195 Baltimore Pike, and in theCollections Storage Area. Both are located on the lower level of the Museumand Visitor Center.The briefing will be held on Thursday, November 13, 2008 from 10: a.m.until approximately 11:30 a.m.
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Gettysburg National Military ParkSuperintendent John Latschar will be leaving his post on March 1, 2009 tobecome the new president of the nonprofit Gettysburg Foundation, it was announced today by the Gettysburg Foundation and the National Park Service.

"John's vision and leadership are an important part of the successful public-private partnership between the Gettysburg Foundation and theNational Park Service," said Robert Kinsley, Chair of the GettysburgFoundation. "John's experience and dedication exemplifies the type of leader we are looking for as we continue to work with the National Park Service to preserve Gettysburg for future generations."

Latschar was selected after a unanimous vote by the Board of Directors of theFoundation. "Obviously, Bob Wilburn is leaving some huge shoes to fill," said Latschar. "No one else could have taken the Gettysburg Foundation from a concept tothe opening of our new museum and visitor center in eight short years. I'm excited about the opportunity to continue to work towards the preservation and care of Gettysburg NMP and Eisenhower NHS from a new perspective. My goal will be ensure that we continue our momentum, and to move the organization forward into a new era of philanthropy for the benefit of this and future generations," said Latschar.

Working as a partner with the National Park Service, the Gettysburg Foundation raised $103 million to build a new park Museum and Visitor Center which has ensured the preservation of the Gettysburg's museum collections and the Cyclorama painting. The facility's 24,000 square feet of museum exhibits have improved visitor understanding of the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg within the context of the causes and consequences of the American Civil War. A final keystone to the projectwill begin this winter when the park and the Gettysburg Foundation demolish two outdated visitor facilities located upon the center of the Union Army's battle line of July 1863.

"John's background and perspectives as an army officer, a combat veteran, a Ph.D. historian, and park superintendent contributed to his success in addressing preservation challenges at both Gettysburg NMP and the Eisenhower Site in innovative ways," said Dennis Reidenbach, Regional Director for the National Park Service Northeast Region. "The projects and partnerships he created have dramatically improved the park's ability to meet its mission now and for the future."

"It has been a pleasure to work with the dedicated park staff, our partners, and the community to create the new museum and implement battlefield rehabilitation to restore Gettysburg's historic integrity and enhance visitor understanding of the battle. I'm also proud of our combined efforts with Main Street Gettysburg and others to develop the David Wills House, a National Park Service museum opening February 2009 in downtown Gettysburg about the aftermath of battle and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address," said Latschar. "As President of the Gettysburg Foundation, we will continue to work with all our Gettysburg-area partners on the implementation of the Borough of Gettysburg Interpretive Plan."

Latschar has been superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park since 1994. He is a 31-year veteran of the National Park Service. Prior to his appointment at Gettysburg, he served as the first Superintendent of Steamtown National Historic Site in Scranton, PA, and in various capacities at the NPS Denver Service Center. He has been recognized by the National Park Service for his leadership numerous times, including being named Superintendent of the Year for the Northeast Region of the NPS in 1991 and in 2001, Superintendent of the Year for Natural Resource Stewardship in 2003 and for Cultural Resource Stewardship in 2000.

The Gettysburg Foundation is in the midst of a $125 million Campaign to Preserve Gettysburg, which includes the construction of the new Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park. TheFoundation's broad preservation mission began in 1989 and includes land preservation, battlefield rehabilitation, artifact preservation and monument and cannon-carriage preservation. The Foundation has more than 30,000 members and supporters nationwide and internationally.