Celebration of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Birth
Make plans to join Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park and Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site in celebrating the 109th anniversary of President Johnson’s birth.
At 10:00 am on August 27 the National Park Service will host the annual wreathlaying ceremony at President Johnson’s gravesite on the anniversary of his birth. The ceremony continues a tradition that Lady Bird Johnson began in 1973. Brigadier General Heather L. Pringle, USAF, will help present the wreath and provide remarks. Pringle is the Commander of the 502nd Air Base Wing and Joint Base San Antonio. Robert Schenkkan, author of All the Way (both the play and movie screenplay), will be a featured speaker. Vocalist Megan (Schmidt) Miller will conclude with the singing of “America the Beautiful.”
Robert Schenkkan is an accomplished writer of plays, screenplays, and television miniseries. He has earned Tony and Writer’s Guild of America awards, a Pulitzer Prize, and three Emmy nominations. His many writing credits include 17 plays, such as Building the Wall and The Great Society, and four episodes of the HBO miniseries The Pacific. He served as the 2013 Harry Middleton Lecturer at the LBJ Presidential Library. Western National Parks Association (WNPA) is sponsoring Robert Schenkkan’s visit to the park.
Throughout the day the LBJ State Park will feature old-time games of marbles, tops, jacks, and stick horse races at the Sauer-Beckmann living history farm. Birthday cake will be served at 1:00 pm at the state park’s visitor center.
Access to the LBJ Ranch’s full driving tour will begin after the ceremony. In honor of President Johnson’s birthday, tours of the Texas White House will be free. Tours of the house will begin at 11:30 am. To view the ceremony, visitors should stop first at the LBJ State Park to pick up a free vehicle permit and map. For more information on the state park, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-park/lyndon-b-johnson. WNPA will offer 15% discounts in the park’s sales outlets on August 26 and 27. WNPA will be selling DVDs of All the Way during the weekend. To learn more about WNPA visit www.wnpa.org.
