Dwight D. Eisenhower Legacy Organizations
The American Assembly
Dwight D. Eisenhower founded The American Assembly, a public policy institute dedicated to illuminating issues of national importance, during his time as president of Columbia University. He envisioned it as an experiment in democratic citizenship — one that would address key challenges facing our country and address issues of national importance through the reconciliation of divergent views and interests. It is the oldest legacy organization created by Eisenhower, and his principal legacy as an educator.
History & Mission
In the late 1940s, only a handful of public policy institutions existed and structured conferences were a new and evolving form of exchange. Deeply concerned about the social, economic, and political quandaries we faced as a country after World War II, Eisenhower sought to create a place and a process that would bring together the nation’s brightest minds to address difficult issues and identify effective solutions.
Eisenhower: A Civic Thinker
Through the establishment of The American Assembly, Eisenhower helped create a rigorous framework that could marshal intellectual power across a range of public and private sectors.
Listen to Eisenhower’s Address
Eisenhower’s Address at Columbia University National Bicentennial Dinner, May 31, 1954
Though he is most often remembered as a preeminent military strategist and political leader, Eisenhower’s passionate advocacy to create The American Assembly reveals a broader commitment to key issues of democracy and the important role of educational institutions in protecting the democratic process.
He claimed: “The basic values of democracy have been won only through sacrifice, and it is essential to explore, thoroughly, all the facts and factors involved in the problems of democracy.”
Eisenhower’s Farewell Address
During his final public speech as 34th President of the United States, Eisenhower emphasized a theme that would become one of the central tenants of The American Assembly: the need for an engaged and knowledgeable citizenry in a democratic society.
He once famously said: “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwanted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”
From the White House
to Arden House
Eisenhower proposed a plan for “America’s First Conference Center” and imagined bringing together citizens who represented a spectrum of views from business, labor, politics, finance, higher education—among others—to cooperate for the greater good.
In 1951, Arden House was given to Columbia University by W. Averell Harriman.
At the dedication ceremony, he said, “It is a matter of pride that at the very time when people in some other countries are being jailed or executed for deviating from proscribed ways of thinking, we, in in this country, have established this meeting place where differences of opinion can be explored in complete freedom.”
Through the Decades
For more than 60 years, The American Assembly has held over 100 convenings on topics ranging from prison reform to health care to nuclear disarmament, and continues to foster non-partisan public policy discussions through convening, research, and publication.
Assemblies Through
The Decades
Eisenhower Foundation
and Eisenhower
Presidential Library
Today’s stately complex of the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, Boyhood Home, and Place of Meditation began with the efforts of General Eisenhower’s Abilene admirers to create a memorial to honor their hometown hero and the troops he led in World War II. Their work laid the foundation for today’s complex, now administered by the federal government.
HONORING KANSAS’
FAVORITE SON
(1944 – 1954)
As World War II drew to a close, various residents began to discuss the creation of a memorial to honor Abilene’s favorite son, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the men and women of the US Armed Forces. During this period, thanks to the resolve and persistence of a small group of Kansans to overcome multiple disappointments and challenges, the Eisenhower Foundation was established, which then acquired Eisenhower’s boyhood home, and the Eisenhower Museum was planned and built, dedicated in Eisenhower’s second year as President.
A Memorial for General Eisenhower
“I come from the very heart of America,” General Eisenhower remarked in the London Guildhall on Jun 12, 1945, upon becoming an honorary Londoner for his role as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces that just weeks earlier had achieved Victory in Europe over Nazi tyranny.
Listen to Eisenhower’s Homecoming Speech
General Eisenhower’s “Homecoming Speech” in Abilene, Kansas on June 22, 1945
As Eisenhower accepted the accolades of a grateful free world on a whirlwind victory tour, his Abilene roots attracted notice. In 1944, artist Albert Reid wrote to Abilene Reflector-Chronicle owner and editor Charles Harger suggesting the construction of a memorial or “shrine” to the general. Harger began promoting the idea and found that most people wanted to include space for items from veterans and the General himself. When Ike returned for a victory parade in 1945, he agreed to the plan and the Eisenhower Foundation was established the same day. The organization sought to erect a war memorial in Abilene to recognize General Eisenhower and honor the American soldiers of World War II.
“The proudest thing I can claim is that I am from Abilene.”
– Homecoming Speech, Abilene, Kansas, 22 June 1945
Eisenhower Foundation members with Ida Eisenhower at the family home, Abilene, KS, 1945
Back row: Thornton Scott, Emmett Graham, Lorraine Long, Matt Guilfoyle, Lester Welch, Reynold Rogers, Paul Royer Front row: Sam Heller, Mrs. Ida Eisenhower and C.M. Harger
Eisenhower Presidential Library
General Eisenhower and Charles Harger
Visit to the Eisenhower family home, Abilene, Kansas, 7 June 1947
Eisenhower Presidential Library
General Eisenhower tours the Eisenhower Home
Abilene, Kansas, 26 October 1947 From left: Charles Harger (partly hdden), Emmett Graham (with back to camera), J. Earl Endacott, Eisenhower, and Pete Carroll
Eisenhower Presidential Library
PRESERVING IKE’S LEGACY
(1955 – 1966)
After the opening of the Museum, President Eisenhower decided to give his papers to the Eisenhower Foundation if a suitable library could be built. A state commission was formed to raise money for the construction. Upon completion of the Eisenhower Presidential Library in 1966, the campus was given to the National Archives and Records Administration. That same year, the first researchers arrived. Today the Library is one of thirteen presidential libraries administered by the National Archives. The Library preserves the documents, images, films, and artifacts that provide context of the times in which Eisenhower lived and served the nation and offer a window into how he operated as General and President. And yet, the Eisenhower story is still unfolding through new interpretations and groundbreaking research thanks to declassification of records and new discoveries. The final chapter is yet to be written, but the first drafts begin in the Library’s archives.
THE CAMPUS EXPERIENCE:
FEATURES AND PROGRAMS
A multi-faceted experience awaits visitors. Experience the history of World War II and the 1950s at the Museum, stroll the manicured grounds of the 22-acre campus, shop at the Visitor Center, delve into historical records at the Library, and reflect on the Eisenhower legacy at the Place of Meditation.
People to People International
With the idea of “Peace through Understanding”, Eisenhower founded People to People International to provide immersive cultural travel, the education of all age groups in global enrichment, and the relevant humanitarian assistance for thousands of people every year.
As a not-for-profit organization, People to People International works to enhance international understanding and friendship across diverse cultures.
Partners in Peace
President Eisenhower relied on approximately 100 remarkable individuals from industry, academia, and the arts to help develop People to People International. Early leaders such as Joyce C. Hall, the founder of Hallmark Cards, Inc. and Walt Disney, as well as the partner program Sister Cities, helped the organization gain recognition and support.
The People
In 1956, President Eisenhower believed that everyday citizens wanted a more peaceful world and could achieve it more effectively without government interference. Guided by the idea of “Peach through Understanding”, Eisenhower created People to People International to focus on citizen engagement in the three main pillars of humanitarian work, cultural exchange, and global education.
Eisenhower’s Vision
President Eisenhower envisioned the execution and implementation of People to People International to come from the country’s citizens, not their government. He understood that a cross-cultural network of engaged and knowledgeable everyday citizen leaders would be an active force in creating and sustaining a more peaceful world.
With help from prominent leaders, businessmen and citizens from all walks of American life, Eisenhower brought the People to People program into the private sector in 1961. The organization was deemed not-for-profit and dedicated itself to the sharing of ideas across cultures.
“My Grandad realized that world peace had to come from the soul of human nature, and that governments could not dictate the human heart, only reflect it.”
– Mary Jean Eisenhower
People to People International President, Mary Jean Eisenhower
Global Citizens
President Eisenhower recognized that understanding was the surest way to break cycles of fear and confusion. He created People to People International to allow people yearning for dignity and freedom, the opportunity to create peace. Members of all ages engage in programs that are guided by Eisenhower’s vision.
Stories
People to People International has thousands of members around the world, and each has a story to tell. From the youngest to oldest members and from the most poverty stricken corners of the world to the their own backyard, the organization strives to change lives and break down barriers to peace and understanding.
“These trips were instrumental for opening my eyes to life outside of my local and state communities, helping me understand what it meant to be a global citizen, and for giving me motivation to care about issues affecting others around the world.”
– Stephen (USA), Global Youth Forum Humanitarian Conference ’06
Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College
The Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College promotes the undergraduate study, analysis, and understanding of critical public and global issues and develops engaged citizens guided by President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s example of principled leadership.
Gettysburg College is a highly selective national four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences.
The Eisenhower Legacy
Gettysburg College has long been associated with the life and legacy of Dwight D. Eisenhower. A half-century after the Civil War, Eisenhower took command of a tank training camp on the Gettysburg Battlefield. The College provided housing for the young officer and his wife, Mamie, at the home of Alpha Upsilon, the Gettysburg Chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, where the Eisenhower Institute office is located today.
“The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have hallowed it, far above our poor power to add or detract….It is rather for us the living, we here be dedicated to the great task remaining before us…that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.”
– President Abraham Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address, 19 November 1863
“…The measure of our leadership as a nation is the sum total of the character and sense of responsibility that each of us applies to our daily tasks. And there is nothing far-fetched in tracing a similarity between the problems of world cooperation that we face today, and those of national unity with which Lincoln struggled so long ago.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gettysburg College Commencement Address, May 1946
“Over the one hundred and twenty-seven years of Gettysburg College’s existence, its graduates have, in many ways, served the cause of freedom and of justice. May the years ahead be as fruitful as those which you now look back upon with such pride and with such satisfaction.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower, Address at the Gettysburg College Convocation: 4 April 1959
Programs
Grounded in President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s legacy of leadership, the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College promotes nonpartisan discourse and critical analysis of issues of long-term importance through competitive fellowships, access to renowned experts, and symposia.
The Institute prepares undergraduates to assume their responsibility as global citizens in public, private, and nonprofit sectors—students learn how to lead with integrity, build capital to garner influence, and translate knowledge into action.
A Gift to the World
In 1953, a group of businessmen gifted President Eisenhower an international leader exchange program for his first birthday in the White House. From it’s conception, the organization has been dedicated to promoting leadership through inspiration, engagement, and collaboration. Eisenhower Fellowships strengthens Eisenhower’s legacy by creating a global network of innovative leaders.
Historical Context
Rising from the ashes of World War II, created as the Korean War was winding down and the Cold War was heating up, EF’s primary mission has long reflected the vision of its namesake, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, to bring together leaders from all nations to help create a world more peaceful, prosperous and just. That mission remains much the same today as it was in 1953, as does its central component: a world-class, transformational fellowship experience in which outstanding mid-career leaders from all fields expand their professional horizons and join a global network of like-minded leaders seeking to better their societies.
On October 13, 1953, the eve of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s first birthday in the White House, the rural town of Hershey, Pennsylvania hosted an historic event. The festivities included a crowd of 14,000 celebrants who feasted on fried chicken, cake, and ice cream. There was singing and dancing and a giant birthday cake. But the crowning jewel of this momentous occasion – actually a political fundraiser at $100 a plate – was a lasting gesture by a group of Pennsylvania businessmen who sought to honor President Eisenhower’s devotion to world peace. Led by Thomas B. McCabe, then-CEO of Scott Paper and former Federal Reserve Chairman, they created and funded a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization, dedicated to fostering international understanding.
“This world of ours… must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.”
– President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Mamie looks on as eisenhower cuts his birthday cake, hershey, pa, 1953
“The program can well become the most meaningful thing of this kind that has been developed in our time.”
– President Eisenhower, in response to receiving the Eisenhower Fellowships as a gift
Leaders With Purpose
Eisenhower Fellows are men and women of good will that better the world through greater knowledge and understanding. Fellows work across professional sectors and national borders to pursue positive impacts in their societies. Through transformative programs, Eisenhower Fellowships provides a diverse group of leaders with the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.
Women’s Leadership
When Eisenhower Fellowships was founded in 1953, American women were under tremendous pressure to aspire to a husband, not to a degree and the job it could deliver. This cultural norm was reflected in the low level of women’s participation at all levels within our organization and fellowship programs. Until 2015, only 21 percent of our Fellows were women.
To address this underrepresentation, EF hosted two Women’s Leadership Programs, in 2010 and 2015. This served both to create gender parity in the fellowship network, and to empower the next generation of women leaders around the world to solve problems.
“There are still hurdles to overcome. We count on our Women’s Leadership Program Fellows to serve as role models, providing support and new opportunities to talented women in their regions.”
– Governor Christine Tood Whiteman, Chair of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees
The Purpose
The Eisenhower Fellowships impact is visible around the world every day. Fellows undertake programs to achieve sustainable, real-world impact across sectors, borders, and regions. The organization’s diverse network of innovative change agents and partnerships create long-term impact for a world more peaceful, prosperous, and just.
The Eisenhower Journey
The Eisenhower Journey is a quest to explore, question, open doors wherein Fellows engage in an intellectual and personal dialogue with themselves and other Fellows across sectors and cultures. The aim: to evolve, refine, pivot – reach for higher ground and improve our societies.
“Our practice of giving the Fellow a key and telling them that this house is their home in the States helps create the feeling that this is not only a fellowship, but a family….”
– Theodore Roosevelt