Event Overview
Thursday, April 27, 2023; 6:00–9:00 p.m. ET
Fairmont Copley Plaza
138 St. James Avenue
Boston, MA 02116
Black tie optional.
Featuring Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III in Conversation with David M. Rubenstein
Hosted by D. Brenton Simons and Ryan J. Woods
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
Lonnie G. Bunch III is the 14th Secretary of the Smithsonian, an American educator and historian. As Secretary, he oversees 21 libraries and 21 museums including two new museums under development representing American Latino and Women’s History. He was founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. He has authored and co-authored numerous articles and books, including The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden; Call the Lost Dream Back: Essays on History, Race & Museums; and Slave Culture: A Documentary Collection of the Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers Project. In 2019, Secretary Bunch was awarded the Freedom Medal from the Roosevelt Institute, the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal from the Hutchins Center at Harvard University; and the National Equal Justice Award from the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund. In 2021, he received France’s highest award, The Legion of Honor.
In Conversation With
David M. Rubenstein is co-founder and co-chairman of the Carlyle Group, an author, and philanthropist. He is chairman of the boards of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Gallery of Art, Council on Foreign Relations, Economic Club of Washington, and University of Chicago; and a former chair of the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents. He has authored two books focused on America’s unique history: The American Experiment: Dialogues on a Dream and The American Story: Conversations with Master Historian. He most recent work is How to Invest. Mr. Rubenstein was the special guest and recipient of our Preservation and History Award at our virtual Winter Family History Benefit in January 2022.
Hosted By
D. Brenton Simons is President & CEO of American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society. The recipient of the John Adams Medal (Sons of the Revolution) and the Bradford Award (Pilgrim Hall Museum) for excellence in nonprofit leadership, he is President of the International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences, which will convene in Boston in 2024.
Ryan J. Woods is Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society and is an appointed member of the Special Commission for the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Parking and Directions
Parking
The Fairmont Copley Plaza offer valet parking services at the rate of $40 for an evening function, and $65 for overnight parking. For more information, visit https://www.fairmont.com/copley-plaza-boston/.
Self-parking is also available nearby at the following locations (subject to change):
- 500 Boylston Street: $43 (input 113 St. James Avenue, Boston, MA 02116 in your GPS)
- 100 Huntington Avenue: $42 (overnight)
- 126 Dartmouth Street: $42 (overnight)
Walking Directions
From the MBTA Green Line:
- Exit Copley Green Line Station at the corner of Dartmouth and Boylston Streets
- Walk one block south on Dartmouth Street across Copley Square
- Fairmont Copley Plaza is on the corner of Dartmouth Street and St. James Avenue, at 138 St. James Avenue.
From Back Bay Station / MBTA Orange Line and Amtrak:
- Exit Back Bay Train Station on the Dartmouth Street side
- Turn right onto Dartmouth Street
- At the second set of lights turn right onto St. James Ave, the entrance to Fairmont Copley Plaza is on your right.
For more information, please visit: https://www.fairmont.com/copley-plaza-boston/
Contact
Questions? Please contact Education and Programming Manager, Kathleen Mackenzie, at kathleen.mackenzie@nehgs.org or 617-226-1226.