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PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
Office of Communications
Stanhope Hall, Princeton, New Jersey 08544-5264
Telephone 609-258-3601; Fax 609-258-1301Contact: Justin Harmon (609) 258-3601
January 28, 2000
Family and Friends of Adlai Stevenson to Speak at Princeton University
PRINCETON, N.J. -- A group of Adlai E. Stevenson's family and friends will mark the one hundredth anniversary of his birth by sharing their memories of the man who carried the Democratic standard in the presidential elections of 1952 and 1956. On Friday, February 4, from 4 to 6 p.m., five men who knew him well will reflect on his life, his world, and his legacy in Dodds Auditorium in Princeton University's Robertson Hall (corner of Prospect Avenue and Washington Road). The public is welcome to attend this event, which will include a question and answer period.
Although Stevenson was twice defeated by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, he won the affection and respect of countless Americans. Stevenson's power lay not in a lifetime of political victories but in his moral authority and articulate vision of a just and peaceful world. As the historian Henry Steele Commager put it, Stevenson "managed, by sheer force of intelligence and moral distinction, to lift the whole level of public life and discourse, and to infuse American politics with a dignity, a vitality, an excitement it had not known since the early days of the New Deal." Few people are in a better position to comment on Stevenson's contributions than the panelists who will assemble Friday.
The group includes Stevenson's eldest son, Adlai E. Stevenson III, who represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate from 1970 to 1981, continuing a family tradition of political involvement.
A historical as well as personal perspective will be offered by the distinguished historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., who worked on Stevenson's campaigns and served in the White House under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Among Schlesinger's many books are The Vital Center, A Thousand Days, The Imperial Presidency, and The Disuniting of America.
William McC. Blair Jr. worked closely with Stevenson during his time as governor of Illinois, during his bids for the presidency, and as a law partner. Blair later served as American ambassador to Denmark and the Philippines.
Willard Wirtz, who served as undersecretary and secretary of Labor in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, was another confidant of Stevenson. The two men were law partners, and Wirtz later taught law at the University of San Diego.
The fifth member of the panel is Newton N. Minow, who served in Stevenson's administration in Illinois, worked on his campaigns, and was a partner in his law firm. Minow later served as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and the Rand Corporation and has written and taught extensively in the field of broadcast communications.
For additional information concerning this event, please call the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library at (609) 258-6345.