Cokie Roberts will join Laura Bush for an onstage discussion as part of the National Archives Foundation Records of Achievement Award ceremony held at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday October 10, 2018. Journalist, political commentator, best-selling author and member of the National Archives Foundation board of directors, Cokie Roberts will interview the honoree and former First Lady about her literacy and civic engagement contributions.
“Mrs. Laura Bush’s commitment to education and literacy has helped to foster the next generation of leaders, educators and civic participants, a legacy that will continue to live on for years to come,” Cokie Roberts said. “I’m looking forward to asking the former First Lady about her wealth of experiences and initiatives during her time in the White House and beyond.”
The onstage discussion will be followed by the award ceremony where Laura Bush will receive the 2018 Records of Achievement Award. This award is the highest honor given by the National Archives Foundation to an individual whose contributions have fostered a broader national awareness of the history and heritage of the United States as exemplified in National Archives’ records.
“As an esteemed journalist who has herself covered the many educational contributions of Mrs. Bush, Cokie Roberts was a natural choice to interview and honor the former First Lady this year,” Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero said. “We’re all anticipating a dynamic discussion between two passionate champions for education and civic engagement.”
The discussion and ceremony will be held in the William G. McGowan Theater at the National Archives Museum. The program will be followed by a seated dinner and celebration in former First Lady Laura Bush’s honor. Tickets are available at: archivesfoundation.org/2018-gala.
The 2018 Records of Achievement Award Ceremony and Gala is made possible in part by AT&T, Governor Jim and Janet Blanchard, and Edgeworth Economics.
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About the National Archives Foundation
The National Archives Foundation is an independent nonprofit that increases public awareness of the National Archives, inspires a deeper appreciation of our country’s heritage and encourages citizen engagement in our democracy. The Foundation generates financial and creative support for National Archives exhibitions, public programs and educational initiatives, introducing America’s records to people around the U.S. and the world. Learn more at: archivesfoundation.org.
About the National Archives
The National Archives is an independent federal agency that serves American democracy by safeguarding and preserving the records of our Government, so people can discover, use and learn from this documentary heritage. The National Archives ensures continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions of their government. From the Declaration of Independence to accounts of ordinary Americans, the holdings of the National Archives directly touch the lives of millions of people. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries and on the Internet at: archives.gov.
About Cokie Roberts
Cokie Roberts is an American journalist and best-selling author. She has been a member of the National Archives Foundation Board since 2002 and currently serves as its Vice Chair.
Mrs. Roberts is a contributing senior analyst for NPR (specifically Morning Edition). From 1981-1984 she co-hosted The Lawmakers, a weekly public television program on Congress and prior to joining ABC in 1988, she was a contributor for the evening television news program The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour on PBS. From 1996 to 2002, Mrs. Roberts was a co-anchor for This Week with Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts, while also serving as the chief congressional analyst. While at ABC, she covered politics, Congress and public policy, reporting for World News Tonight and other ABC News broadcasts. Mrs. Roberts holds more than twenty honorary degrees. Along with her husband Steven, Mrs. Roberts writes weekly columns syndicated in newspapers around the country by United Media. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts are also contributing editors to USA Weekend Magazine. Their book From this Day Forward, went onto The New York Times bestsellers list immediately after it was released.
About Laura Bush
Laura Bush, former First Lady of the United States, is champion for literacy, education, and women’s rights. As First Lady, Mrs. Bush advocated the importance of literacy and education to advance opportunity for America’s young people and to foster healthy families and communities. Mrs. Bush worked with the Library of Congress to create the National Book Festival in 2001. The National Book Festival continues to this day and annually attracts more than 120,000 Americans. At the Bush Institute in Dallas, President and Mrs. Bush’s Education Reform initiative works to improve student achievement through effective school leadership, middle school transformation, and the use of accountability.
Mrs. Bush is the author of the bestselling memoir, Spoken from the Heart, and bestselling children’s book, Our Great Big Backyard. She serves on many boards, including the SMU Board of Trustees, 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.
