Public | Apr, 26 2016 11:00AM - Apr, 28 2016 6:00PM
When the LBJ Presidential Library was dedicated in May 1971, President Johnson proclaimed to the assembled crowd, It's all here, the story of our time--with the bark off. There is no record of a mistake, or an unpleasantness or a criticism, that is not included in the files here. Accordingly, he wanted his presidential library to reflect not only the triumphs of his administration, but the failures, too--and he wanted us to learn from them to build a better future for our country.
In 2014, the LBJ Library hosted the historic Civil Rights Summit to mark the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which Johnson championed and signed into law. Four U.S. presidents attended the conference--President Obama and former Presidents George W. Bush, Clinton, and Carter--along with many heroes of the Civil Rights Movement.
But just as we celebrated the feat of civil rights, it is altogether fitting that we, in keeping with President Johnson's vision for his library, take a substantive, unvarnished look at the most controversial facet of his legacy: The Vietnam War.
On April 26-28, 2016, the LBJ Library and The University of Texas at Austin will host The Vietnam War Summit. Our goal is to shed a definitive light on the war, and its lessons and legacy. It is also our intent to invite, include, and recognize the men and women who courageously served in Vietnam. Below are details on our programming, including sessions, participants, exhibits, and more. We invite you to visit VietnamWarSummit.org
KEYNOTE ADDRESSES
U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry
OTHER MAJOR PARTICIPANTS
Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of State and former National Security Advisor Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States Pham Quang Vinh
Ken Burns, Award-winning Documentarian
Dr. Grace Liem Galloway, former Medic at Third Field Hospital and Cu Chi
Tom Hayden, Anti-war Activist and Politician
Bob Kerrey, former U.S. Senator and Medal of Honor recipient
William McRaven, University of Texas System Chancellor and former Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command
Journalists Peter Arnett, Dan Rather, David Maraniss, and Joe Klein
Nick Ut and David Hume Kennerly, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers
Sessions
Commanders-in-Chief
Historians and presidential aides discuss the roles our presidents played in the war and how their leadership affected its outcome
The Battle of Ia Drang
Veterans recall the first major campaign of the war--and its bloodiest
The Afterwar
Experts explore the physical and psychological trauma our veterans faced after the war--and continue to experience today--and the bitter, sometimes hostile reaction they received from fellow Americans
The War at Home
Historians and a social and political activist examine how the war divided the nation and shaped American culture
The War and the Fourth Estate
Two renowned journalists explore the crucial role the media played in shaping perceptions of the war
The Power of a Picture
Two Pulitzer Prize-winning photographers discuss how powerful and poignant photography helped turn the tide of public sentiment toward the war
The Troops: A View from the Front Lines
Veterans discuss the daily reality of the war
One, Two, Three: What Are We Fighting For?
Musical artists discuss how the music of the times helped to offer comfort to our troops in Vietnam while fueling the anti-war movement at home
America and Vietnam in the 21st Century: A New Beginning
Remarks by Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States Pham Quang Vinh
Lessons Learned
The war's effect on America's foreign and military policy and role on the world stage
Other Related Events
Along with three days of programming, there will be historical museum exhibits, daily veteran recognition ceremonies, book signings, and educator sessions.
The Wall That Heals, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, will also be on display April 22-28 on the plaza outside the LBJ Presidential Library. It will be open to the general public, 24 hours a day. A summit ticket is not required to visit The Wall.
Tickets
On Tuesday, April 12 at 9 a.m. CDT, tickets were made available to the general public and sold out within minutes. We apologize if you were unable to secure a ticket. Tickets were limited and we had a high level of interest.
We do not have a wait list for tickets, however, we will have a standby line for each session. Any empty seats in our auditorium will be filled by the standby line before and during programming.
Vietnam Veterans: Tickets for Vietnam veterans are being allocated through the following eight national veteran service organizations. Each organization will be sharing information about ticket distribution with their members. If you're a veteran and have any ticketing questions, please feel free to contact us at info@vietnamwarsummit.org. See the full list of VSOs we are working with.
Live Stream: If you are unable attend, we will be live streaming each summit session at vietnamwarsummit.org/live.
Tickets are not required to visit The Wall That Heals or attend the veteran recognition ceremonies. The Wall and ceremonies are open to the general public.
