For Immediate Release
- Press Contact:
- Bren Landon
- [email protected]
- (202) 572-0563
WASHINGTON, DC - The Inaugural Committee has once again requested the use of the Daughters of the American Revolution bronze eagle lectern for the nationally televised Inaugural Luncheon, which will follow President-Elect Barack Obama’s oath of office ceremony on January 20, 2009.
President George W. Bush gave his luncheon remarks from the eagle lectern at the 2005 Inaugural Luncheon. The historic lectern is original to the Society's headquarters building, Memorial Continental Hall, and was frequently used at early prestigious DAR ceremonies. It was presented to the Fourteenth Continental Congress in 1905 by the now-disbanded Flintlock and Powder Horn Chapter of Rhode Island as a pledge of “loyalty to the organization, and in the interest of purity, patriotism and peace.” Now residing in the President General's Assembly Room, the eagle lectern has a beautiful patriotic design which the Inaugural Committee saw as perfect for this momentous occasion.
The DAR is honored to receive this second request from the Inaugural Committee and to serve the Inauguration ceremonies in this way.
Millions of people are expected to be in Washington, DC for the Inauguration festivities. To join in the celebration, DAR Headquarters will place a banner reading "American Spirit Lives Here" on its Memorial Continental Hall building facing the National Mall.
President George W. Bush delivers his remarks behind the DAR lectern
at the 2005 Inaugural Luncheon. (Reuters)
President Woodrow Wilson (far right) addresses
the 25th DAR Continental Congress in Memorial Continental Hall.
The eagle lectern is at the far left.
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