Adlai E Stevenson 2 Case 5

Remembering an Icon

Bowtie

Figurine

Plate

While Adlai Stevenson might not be a household name today, Adlai II was a celebrity in the post-WWII world. He was the leader of the Democratic Party through both of his presidential bids and popular at home and abroad. When visiting South Korea as part of his 1953 world tour, Stevenson was so taken aback by the crowd that greeted him he sarcastically remarked, “Oh God. Don’t they know I lost the election?” This plastic Stevenson figurine, bowtie, and campaign plate are symbols of Stevenson’s popularity.

Eulogy Book

Adlai II passed away after a sudden heart attack on the streets of London in July 1965. By this time, he had become U. S. ambassador to the United Nations and played an important role in the U.S. response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Governor Otto Kerner eulogized Stevenson, welcoming him home to rest in Illinois. The Euology is bound here and signed by dignitaries who attended the funeral, including President Lyndon Johnson and First Lady “Lady Bird” Johnson.

Background Image: Adlai Stevenson II addressing the United Nations. After the Soviet Union placed nuclear warheads in Cuba in 1962, Stevenson famously confronted the Soviet ambassador who refused to answer direct questions about the existence of the weapons, telling him that “I am prepared to wait for my answer until hell freezes over.” Stevenson then displayed evidence of nuclear weapons in Cuba.

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