10th Anniversary of Ford's Theatre Remarks at a White House Reception.

It's a great honor for me as President of the United States to welcome all of you here.

First of all, I would like to thank you for your own interest in Ford Theatre and for your generosity in keeping it a live tribute to the past and an opportunity for the future.

Many of you are performers or composers or writers, and I want to thank you also for keeping this wonderful spirit alive.

It's a great honor to have the chairperson of this year's event with us, Millie O'Neill. And I'd like for us to recognize her now.

I think all of you know that 10 years ago this month—I think the 30th of January, 1968—Ford Theatre was opened again, after more than a hundred years of being closed, as a tribute to President Lincoln, who was killed there in April of 1965 [1865]. As a result of that tragedy for our country, there was a shock that went through the consciousness .of our Nation. That was the same month that the war ended. And people from the North and South began to rebuild what had been rent apart.

But it wasn't the character of Lincoln to have a source of entertainment, tragedy, and humor kept closed and isolated from the people of our Nation. And so a unique occurrence has been recognized tonight that happened 10 years ago, when a national historical site was opened, not as a museum, a closed or a dead thing just to be looked at and admired, but an open and a live thing which is the source of both entertainment and inspiration for us all.

I think that you know that Frankie Hewitt has been an integral part of that evolution. And I know from studying the history of the theatre that it could have gone the other way. Not only has it been innovative but its quality has not been that of the first showing of entertainment that later died, just to say that we had a temporary accomplishment. It's been the birthplace of quality entertainment, which has gone on to thrill the whole Nation. And there's been a reaching out and an offering of new opportunities for those who provide this delightful experience for all Americans.

So, as a southerner, as a President, I would like to say that I'm very proud of all of you for helping to unite the consciousness of our Nation to remember the past, but also to prepare for the future with confidence and also with pleasure. That's the way President Lincoln would have liked it. And you've honored him in performing as you have in keeping Ford Theatre alive.

Thank you very much.