For Immediate Release: January 11, 2012
Further information: Rachel Flor (617) 514-1662, Rachel.Flor@JFKLFoundation.org
Boston —The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Foundation today announced that it is partnering with the global law firm Bingham McCutchen in presenting JFK50: Justice For All, a 50th anniversary commemoration and celebration of the Kennedy presidency that will examine the core ideals that propelled the civil rights movement of the 1960s and continue to be of vital importance today.
The first event, Leading with Diversity in a Global Economy, will be held at 4:30 pm on Jan. 18, 2012 at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center in New York City. Caroline Kennedy, President of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Foundation, will host the event along with Bingham chairman Jay Zimmerman.
A panel of distinguished leaders, moderated by Tom Brokaw will examine why diversity is a key to increased productivity and competitiveness and how diversity strategies are critical for developing and retaining a workforce in a competitive global marketplace.
The panelists will include:
• Jill Abramson, executive editor of the New York Times
• Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman and CEO, Merck
• Thurgood Marshall Jr., partner, Bingham McCutchen LLP; principal, Bingham Consulting
• Susan Rice, United States permanent representative to the United Nations
• Hilda L. Solis, United States Secretary of Labor
• Ronald Williams, retired chairman and CEO, Aetna; director, The Boeing Company, American Express Company and Johnson & Johnson
“Fifty years ago, the struggle for civil rights defined my father's presidency. Today it remains the unfinished business of our society,” said Caroline Kennedy. “This national program will help new generations focus on the continuing challenges we face to keep America true to its ideals.”
“It’s our responsibility as business leaders to continually push the envelope and move forward as conditions change in our society,” said Bingham chairman Zimmerman. “These events are an opportunity to come together and find ways to grow and improve ourselves, as well as to enhance our diversity.”
In 1963, John F. Kennedy spoke to his fellow Americans in a nationally televised address about equality for all Americans.
“We are confronted primarily with a moral issue,” he said. “It is as old as the scriptures and it is as clear as the American Constitution. The heart of the question is whether all Americans are afforded equal rights and equal opportunities, whether we are going to treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated . . .This nation, for all its hopes and all its boasts, will not be fully free until all of its citizens are free.”
JFK50: Justice for All will feature a series of events held at the Kennedy Library and across the country, bringing together diverse leaders from business, law, journalism and government to discuss the legacy of the civil rights movement, the importance of continued engagement in diversity initiatives and how those initiatives are reflected in today’s companies, classrooms and communities.
Civic, government and business leaders see the value of diversity through different but equally important lenses. The program’s goal, through panel discussions across the country, is to address the challenges and obstacles of creating a more diverse workplace and society and to present the best practices and strategies for achieving greater success in a more interconnected world.
To mark the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy administration, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation have embarked on a three year initiative aimed at educating new generations about the timeless values that President Kennedy championed and their relevance today. Through on-going conferences, public forums and the use of cutting-edge technology, including the launch of the nation’s largest online digitized presidential archive and an award-winning interactive youth website (www.JFK50.org), the Kennedy Library is bringing to life the challenges, achievements and impact of President John F. Kennedy’s thousand days in office for people around the world.
The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation provides financial support, staffing, and creative resources for the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, a presidential library administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. Follow the Kennedy Library’s historical Twitter feed @JFK1962 for a day-by-day account of John F. Kennedy’s presidency.
As a global law firm with offices on three continents, Bingham has a deep understanding of the critical role diversity plays in business success. Bingham’s commitment to diversity has contributed to the firm’s recognition on FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list every year since 2005. In 2011, Bingham was awarded General Electric’s National Law Firm Diversity Award for its strong performance in gender diversity.
Bingham offers a broad range of market-leading practices focused on global financial services firms and Fortune 100 companies. The firm has more than 1,000 lawyers in 14 locations in the United States, Europe and Asia. Follow the firm on Twitter @Binghamlaw.