See You in Washington at the Convention

by Kenneth Jernigan
First Vice President
National Federation of the Blind

From the Editor: For a number of years we have been holding our conventions in Orlando, and with each passing year we received less and less information about the city. The thinking, of course, was that there was less to tell, and perhaps this was indeed the case. But here, just to show what advertisement we did for our conventions forty-four years ago, is a promotion for our 1965 national convention that appeared in the May issue for 1965. As you read it, consider the number of tourist attractions that are highlighted, and consider also how you would begin to work many of them into what many now consider our convention experience. Enjoy:

How many times have you thought of going to Washington? How many times have you said to yourself, "What a thrill it would be to visit the Capitol and see Congress in action; visit the White House and meet the President; visit the imposing marble structure where the Supreme Court meets and makes historic decisions, some of which have shaken our society to its very foundation! And then, there is Mount Vernon, birthplace of the father of our country; Ford Theatre, where the Great Emancipator was shot; and Arlington National Cemetery, place of the Kennedy gravesite and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Add to these the great Smithsonian, the Pentagon building, the National Cathedral, B'nai B'rith, Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial."

Well, make this dream a reality. Attend the Silver Anniversary Convention of the National Federation of the Blind to be held in the "Hotel of Presidents," Washington's aristocratic Mayflower, July 6-9, 1965.

There is so much to see in Washington, D.C. Every American, from childhood on, is imaginatively and emotionally attracted to see his nation's capitol. He knows he will feel at home, even before he gets there—for this wondrous, shining city belongs to all Americans.

Here, in Washington, are the national shrines, the stately public buildings, the foreign embassies and the historic tree-lined avenues where history is made; the city is alive with a cultural spirit all its own.

The late John F. Kennedy spoke of Washington as the Federal City, the hub of political activity. It houses, in addition to the imposing array of tourist attractions already mentioned, numerous other Federal Buildings such as: Veteran's Administration—servant to American inactive military men; Justice Department—home of the Attorney General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation; State Department—factory of our foreign policy; Department of Interior—guardian of our national resources; Treasury Department—holder of the nation's purse strings; Commerce Department—overseer of America's numerous business enterprises; Department of Defense—watchdog of the nation's military might; Labor Department—coordinator of employer-employee relationships; Post Office Department—distributor of America's mountains of mail; Department of Health, Education, and Welfare—headquarters for those who minister to the nation's needs.

In terms of history, the nation's capital pays homage to most of America's great, from quaint old Georgetown with its 18th century homes (now the residence of the city's elite society) to the C&O Canal that was once Washington's "seaport on the Potomac."

View the Iwo Jima Statue, the Jefferson Memorial, the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the statue in Lafayette Square, memorial to the men of the Titanic, Sheridan Circle, or the Nathan Hale Statue and the Ben Franklin memorial. Or, tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Custis-Lee Mansion, the Executive Office Building next door to the White House, the National Geographic Society, the Naval Gun Factory, the National Archives, and the Dumbarton Oaks estates.

Visit the Library of Congress, the Wax Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the Constitution Hall, the beautiful Botanical Gardens, the Freer Gallery of Arts, the Franciscan Monastery, the Islamic Center and Mosque, the famed Cosmos Club, the Lisner Auditorium for the Performing Arts, or see the changing of the guards at the National Memorial Amphitheatre.

Be a part of a new artistic sensation, attend Washington's famous Watergate Stage. Listen to a symphony under star-studded skies, and hear the rippling waters of the Potomac murmur a soft and restful background. Or, if you prefer the modern, there is the Carter Baron Amphitheatre where most of our modern artists appear; but if your taste tends toward the local, then go to the Sylvan Amphitheatre where local artists display their many talents.

To round things out, add to these the gourmet restaurants offering a variety of cuisine to tempt the most fastidious palates. There are the French and the German restaurants, the Italian and the Chinese, the small and intimate, the large and palatial, the downbeat and the offbeat, you name it, Washington has it.

So, we will see you in Washington at the Convention!

The [1965] convention will open at 10:00 Tuesday morning, July 6, and will adjourn at 5 p.m. Friday, July 9. Single rooms at the Mayflower Hotel are $7.00; twins, $11.00. The banquet will be held on Thursday, July 8, priced at $4.95 (including tip and tax). If you have not yet requested reservations, write immediately to: Reservations Manager, Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C.

For further details on Washington convention plans and program, see "NFB Pre-Convention Bulletin," the Braille Monitor, January 1965.