On Oct. 9, religious, educational and governmental leaders gathered at the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery to pay tribute to Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., president emeritus of Notre Dame.
Anne Thompson '79, a correspondent for NBC News, served as the evening's emcee. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice '75MA spoke at the event, offering her reflections on Father Hesburgh's legacy. Sen. Edward Kennedy (via a pre-recorded video) and former Sen. Alan Simpson were the evening's featured speakers. A video narrated by former CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite recounted Father Hesburgh's public service career and included tributes from former Presidents Bush and Carter.
The event featured the inclusion of a photograph of Father Hesburgh into the National Portrait Gallery's permanent collection. The image depicts Father Hesburgh and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. linking hands during a 1964 civil rights rally in Chicago.
White House, Congressional, judicial and other dignitaries attended the event, which also celebrated Father Hesburgh's 90th birthday, which was in May.
