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October 21, 1999
Contact: Guy Lamolinara (202) 707-9217

George Washington's Legacy To Be Discussed at the Library on November 19-20

A conference marking the 200th anniversary of the death of George Washington will be held at the Library of Congress on Nov. 19 and 20. Co-sponsored by the Center for the Book and the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, the event will held Friday, Nov. 19, and Saturday, Nov. 20. It will take place in the Mumford Room on the sixth floor of the James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E. The program is open to the public, but registration is required. For information and an agenda, contact the office of the director of Mount Vernon at (703) 799-8652.

The conference will focus on Washington's influence on American life and culture. On Nov. 19 at 4 p.m., David Abshire, chairman of the Center for the Study of the Presidency, will present the keynote address: "The Character of Washington." Other presentations will focus on new ways of educating people about the nation's first president. Library of Congress curators will introduce participants to the Library's extensive Washington and Washington-related collections, including books, manuscripts, maps, and surveys. There will be a presentation about the Library's digitization of Washington's papers and maps (www.loc.gov), a program about "Washington on Film," and a tour of the new exhibition, "John Bull and Uncle Sam: Four Centuries of British-American Relations."

The Center for the Book was established in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books, reading and libraries. For information about its forthcoming programs and current projects, visit its Web site at www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook.

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PR 99-161
10/21/99
ISSN 0731-3527