Through the establishment of The American Assembly, Eisenhower helped create a rigorous framework that could marshal intellectual power across a range of public and private sectors. Though he is most often remembered as a preeminent military strategist and political leader, Eisenhower’s passionate advocacy to create The American Assembly reveals a broader commitment to key issues of democracy and the important role of educational institutions in protecting the democratic process.

 

He claimed: “The basic values of democracy have been won only through sacrifice, and it is essential to explore, thoroughly, all the facts and factors involved in the problems of democracy.”

During his final public speech as 34th President of the United States, Eisenhower emphasized a theme that would become one of the central tenants of The American Assembly: the need for an engaged and knowledgeable citizenry in a democratic society.

 

He once famously said: "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwanted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."

Eisenhower proposed a plan for “America’s First Conference Center” and imagined bringing together citizens who represented a spectrum of views from business, labor, politics, finance, higher education—among others—to cooperate for the greater good.

 

In 1951, Arden House was given to Columbia University by W. Averell Harriman. At the dedication ceremony, he said, "It is a matter of pride that at the very time when people in some other countries are being jailed or executed for deviating from proscribed ways of thinking, we, in in this country, have established this meeting place where differences of opinion can be explored in complete freedom.”

For more than 60 years, The American Assembly has held over 100 convenings on topics ranging from prison reform to health care to nuclear disarmament, and continues to foster non-partisan public policy discussions through convening, research, and publication.

"I come from the very heart of America," General Eisenhower remarked in the London Guildhall on Jun 12, 1945, upon becoming an honorary Londoner for his role as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces that just weeks earlier had achieved Victory in Europe over Nazi tyranny. As Eisenhower accepted the accolades of a grateful free world on a whirlwind victory tour, his Abilene roots attracted notice. In 1944, artist Albert Reid wrote to Abilene Reflector-Chronicle owner and editor Charles Harger suggesting the construction of a memorial or "shrine" to the general. Harger began promoting the idea and found that most people wanted to include space for items from veterans and the General himself. When Ike returned for a victory parade in 1945, he agreed to the plan and the Eisenhower Foundation was established the same day. The organization sought to erect a war memorial in Abilene to recognize General Eisenhower and honor the American soldiers of World War II.

Founded on July 22, 1945, the Eisenhower Foundation began to plan for a memorial and museum. Despite the laudable goal, the nationwide fundraising campaign stumbled when an overzealous promoter boasted that he would pressure potential donors. Eisenhower denounced the idea, and on September 4, 1946, ordered the Foundation to quit raising money in his name. The “crisis,” as the historian of the Eisenhower Foundation described it, nearly killed the organization before it could begin its work. Only the death of the General’s mother shortly afterward, and the need to do something with the now-empty Eisenhower family home, saved the Foundation.

The death of General Eisenhower's mother, Ida, in 1946, left the family home empty. The Eisenhower brothers and the Foundation reached an agreement: the foundation would restrict its fundraising campaign to Kansas, and in return it could have the family home. They shook hands over the “gentlemen’s agreement,” and the deed was signed over on December 2, 1946. As the Eisenhower home was opened to the public on June 22, 1947, seven radio stations broadcast the event. More than 500 Kansans toured the home that day; millions have followed them over the last seventy years. The Eisenhower Boyhood Home is the cornerstone of the twenty-two acre site.

Eisenhower laid the cornerstone of the museum building when he came to Abilene to announce his presidential candidacy in June 1952. Construction of the museum took two-and-a half years. Eisenhower returned as President to open the Museum on November 11, 1954, the first official Veterans Day, which he had renamed from Armistice Day via Proclamation. The building was later expanded, and now has 30,000 square feet of gallery space featuring permanent and temporary exhibits.

Soon after the opening of the Museum, Eisenhower decided that he would donate his papers to the Eisenhower Foundation if a suitable building could be built in Abilene. The State of Kansas formed an Eisenhower Presidential Library Commission to raise money for the building. The Library Commission remained in business until 1966 in order to construct the Place of Meditation, a chapel which would become the final resting place of Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower and their firstborn Doud Dwight "Icky" Eisenhower.

Eisenhower returned to Abilene to break ground for the Library on October 13, 1959. He formally dedicated the building on May 1, 1962, in a ceremony attended by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson.

In 1966, the completed Library was donated to the United States and became part of the National Archives system. It is a federal facility built by private funds that is now owned and operated by the Federal government. The Eisenhower Presidential Library collects and preserves archival materials and makes them available to visitors and researchers. Annually, the site receives visitors from every state in the union and dozens of foreign countries. Around 13,000 researchers have visited the Library to date.

Dwight D. Eisenhower died on March 28, 1969, at Walter Reed Army Hospital. After a solemn funeral in Washington, D.C., his body was brought to Abilene by train for burial in the Place of Meditation on April 2, 1969. A crowd of national dignitaries and locals gathered together to witness the interment ceremony. Several years earlier, the body of Dwight and Mamie's first-born son, Doud Dwight, had been interred there. After Mamie's death in 1979, she was buried alongside her husband.

Researchers from around the world visit the Library to delve into its original holdings. More than 26 million manuscript pages, 350,000 photographs, supplemented by audio recordings and film footage, are kept here. Records spanning Dwight D. Eisenhower’s life form the core, including iconic treasures such as Eisenhower’s never-delivered “In Case of Failure” message and the reading copy of his famous Farewell Address warning of the “military-industrial complex.” Over 500 collections donated by his associates and over 500 oral histories add breadth and depth. Some items have been placed online, but most exist only in their original format.

Various indoor and outdoor attractions beckon visitors. The Museum's permanent galleries explore Dwight D. Eisenhower's careers as a military officer and as president through a wealth of artifacts and displays that bring World War II and the 1950s to life. The table at which the Normandy invasion was planned, Mamie Eisenhower's wedding dress, Eisenhower's World War II staff car, and many other extraordinary items await visitors. On the grounds, Robert L. Dean's imposing bronze scupture of Dwight D. Eisenhower and a series of majestic pylons add grandeur to the walking paths around the attractive 22-acre campus.

Whether your interest lies in lectures, book talks, civic discussion forums, concerts, or classic movies, you are likely to find an event that interests you. Many activities are available for students, including learning experiences centered on museum exploration and research in archival records.

In 1898, seven-year old Dwight Eisenhower moved into a two-story clapboard house with his parents and brothers. He grew up there, sharing a bedroom and learning to cook in the small kitchen, until he left for West Point in 1915. Dwight's parents, David and Ida, continued to live in the home until their deaths. By agreement, the home has been preserved as it was upon the death of Ida in 1946. Visitors may tour the home with knowledgeable guides, seeing artifacts such the radio on which Ida listened to war news, and rugs woven by Dwight's grandfather.

Purchase museum tickets, learn about coming events, and find locally-themed and vintage style souvenirs, gifts, and a selection of books on World War II, Eisenhower, the presidency, and other topics in the Visitor Center. An informational film on Eisenhower's life is shown on a daily schedule.

Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower are buried in the chapel-like Place of Meditation, along with their first-born son, Doud Dwight, who was re-interred there in 1966. The travertine marble walls and walnut woodwork echo the design of the Library building. As Eisenhower's wished, he was buried in an $80 government issue casket. Visitors are encouraged to take time to reflect, as Eisenhower hoped, on the ideals upon which the nation was founded.

After Office, President Eisenhower engaged his good friend, J.C. Hall, the founder of Hallmark Cards, Inc., to bring People to People International into the private sector. Hall agreed and helped to incorporate the organization as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) in the State of Missouri on October 31, 1961. The offices moved from Washington, D.C., to Kansas City, with President Eisenhower as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and recognized as the founder of the not-for-profit organization.

 

Today, the Hallmark Foundation continues to demonstrate the ideals of People to People International through community engagement and inclusion. Learn more about their outreach efforts here.

Following World War II, Disney contributed to Eisenhower’s 1952 presidential campaign in an unprecedented way, creating the well-known “I Like Ike” campaign slogan. Eisenhower became the first presidential candidate to use television campaign commercials, and was the only one for whom Disney offered its services. Throughout Eisenhower's presidency, Disney promoted many of the administration's policy goals by leveraging Walt's unrivaled cultural presence in the American home.

 

In 1956, Disney attended the White House Conference at which People to People was introduced, becoming an early leader of the organization.

Sister Cities International was created at President Eisenhower’s 1956 White House Conference on citizen diplomacy.  Eisenhower envisioned an organization that could be the hub of peace and prosperity by creating bonds between people from different cities around the world.  By forming these relationships, President Eisenhower reasoned that people of different cultures could celebrate and appreciate their differences and build partnerships that would lessen the chance of new conflicts. Both Sister Cities and People to People International are closely aligned in their missions and work towards creating a more inclusive, peaceful world.

After becoming President, Eisenhower's dedication to peace and prosperity continued to grow during the unstable and turbulent Cold War. With nations on the break of another war, President Eisenhower decided to take the bold step of founding People to People on September 11th, 1956 under the U.S. Information Agency as a “Personal Diplomacy” Program.

President Eisenhower envisioned the execution and implementation of People to People International to come from the country's citizens, not their government. He understood that a cross-cultural network of engaged and knowledgeable everyday citizen leaders would be an active force in creating and sustaining a more peaceful world. With help from prominent leaders, businessmen and citizens from all walks of American life, Eisenhower brought the People to People program into the private sector in 1961. The organization was deemed not-for-profit and dedicated itself to the sharing of ideas across cultures.

From its founding, People to People International strove to enhance international understanding and friendship through educational, cultural, and humanitarian activities. The organization's mission involves the exchange of ideas and experiences directly among peoples of different countries and diverse backgrounds.
 

People to People International provides multiple opportunities to engage with the organization. Worldwide chapters connect members from every corner of the globe, various progams encourage education and collaboration in all ages, and travel innitiatives increase knowledge on culture.

The organization provides programs for peacemakers at all stages of life. Through the School and Classroom Program and the Global Youth Forum, students are encouraged to share ideas and and develop leadership skills. The Cultural Exchange Program allows adults and students alike to travel with purpose and experience other communities. By participating in one or more programs, members are given the opportunity to engage with likeminded individuals across the world.

 

Learn more about People to People International programs here.

People to People International has thousands of members around the world, and each has a story to tell. From the youngest to oldest members and from the most poverty stricken corners of the world to the their own backyard, the organization strives to change lives and break down barriers to peace and understanding.

The Institute has offices on both the historic Gettysburg campus, in what was once the home of Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower, and in the heart of the nation’s capital, just blocks from the White House. This unique historical relationship and legacy of the Eisenhower Institute, combined with the premier education offered by one of the top liberal arts colleges in the United States, provides undergraduates with unparalleled opportunities for learning.  Learn more. 

 

Gettysburg is a significant historical location, serving as the site of the most important battle—the Battle of Gettysburg—in the American Civil War.

 

During World War I, as a captain in the U.S. Army, Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, lived in Gettysburg while he was stationed at Camp Colt, MD. And in 1950 the Eisenhowers returned to make Gettysburg their permanent home.

Gettysburg College was originally founded in 1832 by anti-slavery theologian Samuel Simon Schmucker. When the Civil War erupted, the College stood in its midst. Elements of two great armies swept through campus on July 1, 1863, the first day of the decisive Battle of Gettysburg. Pennsylvania Hall, the College's first building, served during and after the Civil War battle as a hospital for the wounded, treating more than 700 Union and Confederate soldiers.

 

On November 19, 1863, Gettysburg College students walked from Pennsylvania Hall into the historic town to hear President Abraham Lincoln deliver his legendary Gettysburg Address. Today, the annual First-Year Walk honors this important moment in history. 

 

Learn more about Gettysburg College.

After World War II, General Eisenhower returned to Gettysburg to accept an honorary doctorate from Gettysburg College. Following his presidency, Eisenhower served on Gettysburg College’s Board of Trustees and wrote his memoirs in the College’s Admissions Office -- known today as “Eisenhower House."

Ike and Mamie bought their farm in Gettysburg in 1950. During Eisenhower’s presidency, they used the house to entertain and host many heads of state and wartime comrades. Among those to visit were Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, French President Charles de Gaulle, the first postwar German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, and the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru. In fact, in 1955 while Eisenhower recovered from a heart attack at the farm, it became known as the “Temporary White House.” At the end of his presidency in 1961, Eisenhower retired to the farm, where he lived out his remaining days. Always reverent of his proximity to the battlefield and as a military commander himself who had shouldered the burden of sending young men into war, in 1963 he accepted an invitation to deliver the commemorative speech of the 100th anniversary of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which he delivered from the National Cemetery.

The Eisenhower World Affairs Institute was founded in 1983 by colleagues and confidants of President Eisenhower. Susan Eisenhower, the granddaughter of the late President, was a founding director and later the first president of the Institute. In 1991, she founded the Center for Political and Strategic Studies (CPSS), which merged with the Eisenhower World Affairs Institute in 2000 to create the Eisenhower Institute. In 2007, a new leadership team was appointed to integrate the Institute with Gettysburg College. 

 

The Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College, as it is known today, has continued to transform and grow, expanding its programming to meet the distinct demands of a world that is more globally interconnected and technologically advanced than ever before.

The Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College prepares undergraduates to address the critical issues facing our nation and the world. Grounded in President Eisenhower’s visionary leadership and commitment to service, the Institute's programs promote nonpartisan discourse and foster critical analysis of important issues. With locations in both Gettysburg and Washington, D.C., the Institute is a window to the world, facilitating students’ immersion into national and global affairs. 

A distinctive feature of the Institute is a series of programs led by experts in a variety of fields and on dynamic topics—from the challenges facing the Middle East, to environmental policy, presidential leadership, women in leadership, and everything in between. Students have access to mentoring and networking opportunities, global learning including international travel, and practical leadership experiences that complement classroom learning. These programs enhance the academic experience of students by providing them with practical connections to a variety of topics of study.

 

Learn more about the Institute’s programs. 

The Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College recognizes the value of engaging students, faculty, and local community members in healthy public discourse. In an effort to facilitate an ongoing conversation about civil discourse and promote the critical analysis of issues of long-term importance, the Institute hosts a variety of initiatives throughout the year, including lectures, discussions, and symposia in Gettysburg and Washington, D.C.

The Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College provides a variety of national scholarships and fellowships for recipients to engage in dialogue with noted public servants and to pursue a study of public policy. Since the founding of the Institute, it has provided more than $3 million to deserving students seeking to further their educational and professional experiences.

Eisenhower Fellowships identifies, empowers and connects innovative leaders through a transformative fellowship experience and lifelong engagement in a global network of dynamic change agents committed to creating a world more peaceful, prosperous and just.

Rising from the ashes of World War II, created as the Korean War was winding down and the Cold War was heating up, EF’s primary mission has long reflected the vision of its namesake, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, to bring together leaders from all nations to help create a world more peaceful, prosperous and just. That mission remains much the same today as it was in 1953, as does its central component: a world-class, transformational fellowship experience in which outstanding mid-career leaders from all fields expand their professional horizons and join a global network of like-minded leaders seeking to better their societies.

On October 13, 1953, the eve of President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s first birthday in the White House, the rural town of Hershey, Pennsylvania hosted an historic event. The festivities included a crowd of 14,000 celebrants who feasted on fried chicken, cake, and ice cream. There was singing and dancing and a giant birthday cake. But the crowning jewel of this momentous occasion – actually a political fundraiser at $100 a plate – was a lasting gesture by a group of Pennsylvania businessmen who sought to honor President Eisenhower’s devotion to world peace. Led by Thomas B. McCabe, then-CEO of Scott Paper and former Federal Reserve Chairman, they created and funded a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization, dedicated to fostering international
understanding.

Early in 1953, a group of businessmen concluded, after discussing their plan to give President Eisenhower a meaningful gift on his first birthday in the White House, that something symbolic of his deep and abiding interesting in world understanding would be more to Ike’s liking than anything of a tangible nature.

 

They studied the entire field of internationals relations with an eye to what might be done on a people-to-people basis. As a result, they founded Eisenhower Fellowships.

 

This support continues today with a board of trustees that includes a broad range of leaders reflecting the breadth and depth of the Eisenhower Fellowships global network.

Since 1953, Eisenhower Fellowships has identified more than 2,200 men and women well on their way to positions of regional or national leadership and provided them with opportunities for professional, intellectual and personal growth. Fellows hail from every professional sector,and their mission is to work together to better societies through their concrete actions.

When Eisenhower Fellowships was founded in 1953, American women were under tremendous pressure to aspire to a husband, not to a degree and the job it could deliver. This cultural norm was reflected in the low level of women’s participation at all levels within our organization and fellowship
programs. Until 2015, only 21 percent of our Fellows were women.

 

To address this underrepresentation, EF hosted two Women’s Leadership Programs, in 2010 and 2015. This served both to create gender parity in the fellowship network, and to empower the next generation of women leaders around the world to solve problems.

As many African countries undergo seismic transitions, with unprecedented population growth bringing new demands for sustainable economic development, Eisenhower Fellowships hosted the first program dedicated exclusively to Sub-Saharan Africa in its long history.

 

Since its founding, EF has hosted a total of 182 African Fellows. The first class of Eisenhower Fellows, which graduated in 1954, included Ghanaian diplomat Frederick Arkhurst.

As leaders who better the world around them, Eisenhower Fellows use the transformative power of their fellowship experience to translate their enhanced personal capabilities into action. 

Commencing in 2014, the fellowship expanded from a journey of individual growth and leadership development to include a project component, or initiative to be tested and refined while on fellowship travel, and implemented upon Fellows return home. 

Lifelong connections and collaborations for Fellows, by Fellows and with Fellows. Eisenhower Fellows reside in over 100 countries globally. Their collective strength is through expansion and transfer of knowledge during and after their fellowships. Active leaders regularly convene to inform and encourage each other in active pursuit of key national projects.

On the Eisenhower Journey, Fellows undertake an intensive travel itinerary to engage with highly informed and influential interlocutors. The aim: to evolve, refine, pivot – reach for higher ground and improve our societies.

Annually, a group of exceptional U.S. citizens are selected to participate in the Fellowship program. In the program they are given the chance to travel abroad, meeting with leaders in their fields, as well as Eisenhower Fellows in the region. Fellows hail from all professional fields, and represent the private, public and nonprofit sectors.

 

Learn more about the impact of Eisenhower Fellowship Programs here.

Two international programs annually bring a total of 25 Fellows to the U.S. for an intensive seven-week program each spring and fall.

Each Fellow travels to 8-10 cities, following an individualized itinerary of 40-50 individual meetings with leaders on relevant subjects of relevance to them. While travelling, Fellows explore and hone their research in order to refine and prepare to undertake a project that will have significant, positive impact in their region.

 

Learn more about Eisenhower Fellows Programs.