White House Millennium Council

The White House Millennium Council was an American organization established by Executive Order 13072 in 1998 by President Bill Clinton as part of the then-upcoming celebrations of the start of the year 2000.[1] The council's theme was "Honor the Past – Imagine the Future."

White House Millennium Council logo

Council activities

The council was headed by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton,[2] and during a two-year period it engaged in numerous activities surrounding the millennium; for example, a time capsule was created,[3] which included various recordings, a state flag, a photo of Rosa Parks, a piece of the Berlin Wall, a film of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon and other items. The capsule is designed to be opened in 2100, and is stored by the National Archives and Records Administration.[4] Students were challenged to imagine traveling to and living on Mars by 2030.[5] The President and the First Lady hosted Millennium Evenings, a series of lectures and cultural showcases designed to highlight contributions of Americans in arts, sciences and other areas.[6]

White House Millennium Celebration

The White House Millennium Celebration on December 31, 1999 included several events, and was televised internationally. Nathan D. Baxter, then-Dean of Washington National Cathedral, was selected to deliver the prayer for the nation;[7] Terry McAuliffe, a friend of the Clintons, chaired a dinner celebration at the White House.[8]

See also

References
  1. Executive Order 13072 —- White House Millennium Council, February 2, 1998
  2. CNN, December 31, 1999
  3. Millennium Council website, time capsule
  4. Millennium Council website, time capsule preservation
  5. Millennium Council website, Mars
  6. "Millennium Evenings". White House Millennium Council. Archived from the original on 2008-05-13. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  7. Amherst College news release, January 14, 2003
  8. Statement of William J. Clinton, December 31, 1999
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