Public | Jul, 23 2026 6:30PM - 8:30PM
We invite you to join us on Thursday, July 23, for a conversation with two-time James Beard Award-winning culinary author and certified barbecue judge Adrian Miller. Texas Monthly Barbecue Editor Daniel Vaughn will moderate the conversation. As part of the evening, we will honor the legacy of the late Walter Jetton, President Johnson’s pitmaster of choice and 2025 inductee into the American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame.
This evening is hosted as part of the LBJ Presidential Library’s series celebrating the new exhibit The American Experiment.
6:00-6:30 p.m. Arrivals + The American Experiment exhibit access
6:30-7:45 p.m. Conversation with Adrian Miller, moderated by Daniel Vaughn, & Presentation of Award to the Jetton Family
7:45-8:45 p.m. Reception + The American Experiment exhibit access
About the speakers
Adrian Miller is a two-time James Beard Award-winning culinary author, certified barbecue judge, and recovering attorney. As a Certified Speaking Professional, the highest earned designation from the National Speakers Association, he is recognized for sustained excellence, professionalism, and impact on the speaking stage. A graduate of Stanford University and Georgetown University Law Center, Adrian began his career in public service. From 1999 to 2001, he served as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton with the Initiative for One America – the first free-standing office in the White House to address issues of racial, religious and ethnic reconciliation. He later worked as a senior policy analyst for Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Jr.
Adrian has authored four acclaimed books examining soul food, barbecue history, and the stories of chefs who shaped presidential cuisine. His work has earned two James Beard Awards and numerous national honors. His most recent book, Cooking to the President’s Taste, published by the White House Historical Association in 2025, expands his scholarship into Asian heritage chefs in White House history.
Daniel Vaughn is the author of The Prophets of Smoked Meat: A Journey Through Texas Barbecue, the coauthor of Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel of Carolina Barbecue, and the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly. He has traveled the world sampling smoked meats at over 1,800 barbecue joints, most of which are in Texas.
About The American Experiment exhibit
Through an exceptional partnership with the National Archives and Records Administration and the Briscoe Center for American History, the LBJ Presidential Library will showcase extraordinary original documents that have shaped the course of American history. Across four rotating exhibitions on display May 30 through January 10, visitors will encounter defining moments—from the Brown v. Board of Education decision and the Fourteenth Amendment to the Louisiana Purchase and the Wright Brothers’ Flying Machine Patent.
Documents on display on the evening of July 23rd will include the Bill of Rights (Senate Amendments) from September 14, 1789; the Dred Scott v. Sandford Judgement; Voting Rights Act of 1965; and the original design for the Great Seal of the United States, 1782; among others.
The American Experiment initiative pairs these iconic artifacts with dynamic public programs featuring leading historians, authors, and thought leaders. Together, we hope to explore how the American story has unfolded over 250 years—and where it may go next.
Location and parking
The conversation will be hosted in the 10th floor Atrium of the LBJ Presidential Library. Free parking will be available at the LBJ Library visitors’ lot located at 2313 Red River Street.
Registration
Advance registration is requested as space is limited. Please register below:
