Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
1069188
label
1976/01/13 - Nevelson Sculpture Unveiling, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
1069188
sourceUrl
contentType
document
title
1976/01/13 - Nevelson Sculpture Unveiling, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
citationUrl
collections
Frances K. Pullen Files
Frances Pullen's Speech Reading Copies
subjects
President (1974-1977 : Ford). Office of the First Lady. 1974-1977
American Revolution Bicentennial, 1776-1976
Arts
thumbnailUrl
largeImageUrl
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
1069188
coverageEndDate
logicalDate
1976-01-31
month
1
year
1976
coverageStartDate
logicalDate
1975-11-01
month
11
year
1975
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
mediaId
e3d9885b05963b82
ocrText
The original documents are located in Box 3, folder "Nevelson Sculpture Unveiling,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 13, 1976" of the Frances K. Pullen Papers at the
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 3 of the Frances K. Pullen Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
REMARKS BY MRS. BETTY FORD
AT THE
2
UNVEILING OF LOUISE NEVELSON SCULPTURE
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
pullen
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1976
It is time for Americans to celebrate the greatness of our ideals, to take pride in
the achievements of the past two hundred years and to reflect with promise on our
future.
Sometimes we are so close to our troubles we fail to see our triumphs. I hope the
Bicentennial will help us reflect on how good and strong our country is.
Many nations have made plans to honor this special anniversary, because they see
how hard America works to put ideals into action.
Rejoice is an old-fashioned word, but it captures the spirit I hope America feels
this year. We should rejoice in our individual freedoms, in our free enterprise
system and in our representative government.
Philadelphia is the right place to begin this celebration of the heart, because here
ideals were translated into action.
We are still striving to achieve those ideals, and our ability to change and grow is
also a cause for cèlebration. The past two hundred years prove a government of
free people can prevail over conflicts.
This magnificent creation by Louise Nevelson symbolizes both the past and the
future. "Bicentennial Dawn" celebrates what we have done and what we have yet to do.
If our hearts are moved by our successes and challenged by our failures, future
Americans will look back to 1976 with pride just as we now look back to 1776.
We can know no more of the future than those Philadelphia dreamers, but our
history gives us even greater faith in our ideals, our institutions and our people.
It is 1976. Our Nation is two hundred years young, and the ideal of freedom and
equality for every American remains a fresh challenge.
I light this artistic creation tonight with this thought: "Let us rejoice in liberty. 11
UNVEILING OF LOUISE NEVELSON SCULPTURE
"BICENTENNIAL DAWN"
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1976
- 1 -
IT IS TIME FOR AMERICANS
TO CELEBRATE THE GREATNESS OF OUR IDEALS,
TO TAKE PRIDE IN THE ACHIEVEMENTS
OF THE PAST TWO HUNDRED YEARS,
AND TO REFLECT WITH PROMISE
ON OUR FUTURE.
- 2 -
SOMETIMES WE ARE SO CLOSE TO OUR TROUBLES
WE FAIL TO SEE OUR TRIUMPHS
I HOPE THE BICENTENNIAL
WILL HELP US REFLECT
ON HOW GOOD AND STRONG OUR COUNTRY IS
- 3 -
MANY NATIONS HAVE MADE PLANS
TO HONOR THIS SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY
BECAUSE THEY SEE HOW HARD AMERICA WORKS
TO PUT IDEALS INTO ACTION
- 4 -
REJOICE IS AN OLD-FASHIONED WORD
BUT IT CAPTURES THE SPIRIT
I HOPE AMERICA FEELS THIS YEAR
WE SHOULD REJOICE
IN OUR INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS
IN OUR FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM
AND IN OUR REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
- 5 -
PHILADELPHIA IS THE RIGHT PLACE
TO BEGIN THIS CELEBRATION OF THE HEART,
BECAUSE HERE
IDEALS WERE TRANSLATED INTO ACTION
- 6 -
WE ARE STILL STRIVING
TO ACHIEVE THOSE IDEALS
AND OUR ABILITY TO CHANGE AND GROW
IS ALSO A CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION
THE PAST TWO HUNDRED YEARS
PROVE A GOVERNMENT OF FREE PEOPLE
CAN PREVAIL OVER CONFLICTS
- 7 -
THIS MAGNIFICENT CREATION
BY LOUISE NEVELSON
SYMBOLIZES BOTH THE PAST AND THE FUTURE
"BICENTENNIAL DAWN"
CELEBRATES WHAT WE HAVE DONE
AND WHAT WE HAVE YET TO DO
- 8 -
IF OUR HEARTS
ARE MOVED BY OUR SUCCESSES
AND CHALLENGED BY OUR FAILURES
FUTURE AMERICANS
WILL LOOK BACK TO 1976 WITH PRIDE
JUST AS WE NOW LOOK BACK TO 1776
- 9 -
WE CAN KNOW NO MORE OF THE FUTURE
THAN THOSE PHILADELPHIA DREAMERS
BUT OUR HISTORY GIVES US
EVEN GREATER FAITH IN OUR IDEALS,
OUR INSTITUTIONS AND OUR PEOPLE
- 10 -
IT IS 1976
OUR NATION IS TWO HUNDRED YEARS YOUNG,
AND THE IDEAL
OF FREEDOM AND EQUALITY
FOR EVERY ANERICAN
REMAINS A FRESH CHALLENGE.
- 11 -
I LIGHT THIS ARTISTIC CREATION TONIGHT
WITH THIS THOUGHT:
"LET US REJOICE IN LIBERTY."
Louise, will you please join me,
# # #