Former First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush will be the keynote speaker May 17 at the Andrew Jackson Foundation’s 117th annual Spring Outing, a Nashville tradition that began in the early days of the Ladies’ Hermitage Association as a picnic on the lawn of the mansion.
Mrs. Bush will be the first former White House resident to headline the program at Spring Outing. Her arrival highlights a yearlong celebration of Andrew Jackson’s 250th birthday and marks the Foundation’s shift toward a more national profile.
“We are honored by Mrs. Bush’s visit, and her timing couldn’t be better,” Foundation President and CEO Howard Kittell said. “Modern times have underscored the importance of the Andrew Jackson story and his impact on American history. Mrs. Bush’s arrival is certainly a milestone for us as we re-introduce Andrew Jackson and his legacy to the country.”
Mrs. Bush is a leading voice for human rights across the globe, and an advocate for women’s issues and global health care innovations. Today she serves as the chairwoman for the Bush Institute’s Women’s Initiative. She also serves on the National Advisory Board for The Salvation Army, the Council for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the board of trustees for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She is the author of the bestselling memoir “Spoken from the Heart.”
As First Lady, Mrs. Bush served as Honorary Chair of the Save America’s Treasures grant program established by President Bill Clinton in 1998. The Andrew Jackson Foundation, then the Ladies’ Hermitage Association, received funding from the program in 2000 to restore two cabins comprising the first Hermitage of Jackson’s early political and military years. Today these historic structures are available as a valuable part of the interpretation of Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage.
This will be her second visit to The Hermitage, after touring President Jackson’s home in 2009.
“She said that she wanted to come back, and she meant what she said,” Kittell said. “This is a tremendous honor for us and certainly something special for our guests.”
The 117th Spring Outing, co-chaired by Laurel Buntin and Missy Eason, is part of the Foundation’s commemoration of Jackson’s 250th birthday, beginning March 15. There will be additional programming and events hosted in honor of Jackson throughout 2017 to elevate national awareness of Jackson and The Hermitage.
Spring Outing will be Wednesday, May 17, at 11:30 a.m. More than 500 guests are expected to attend. All proceeds benefit the many projects and programs of the Andrew Jackson Foundation. Previous keynote speakers include Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, NPR’s Mara Liasson, Tennessee First Lady Crissy Haslam and Beth Harwell, speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives.
This is an invitation-only event. To receive an invitation, please call Jennifer Harris at
615-889-2941, ext. 203.
About The Hermitage
Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage: Home of the People’s President is one of the largest, most well-preserved and most visited presidential homes in the United States. Opened to the public in 1889, The Hermitage is one of America’s first presidential museums. Today, The Hermitage is a 1,120-acre National Historic Landmark with 27 historic buildings, including Jackson’s mansion and tomb, restored slave cabins, a church, and gardens. In recent years, new interpretive initiatives and educational programs such as archaeology and the history of slavery, as well as Andrew Jackson: Born for a Storm, a new state-of-the-art exhibit that delves into the life of Andrew Jackson, including his military and presidential careers have enriched the site experience for 180,000 visitors annually. The Foundation anticipates an increased attendance of more than 200,000 guests for the current fiscal year. For more information, visit www.thehermitage.com.
