Longview Celebrates 50th Anniversary

In the December 2016 Issue:

 

Dear Friends of Longview,

Fifty years ago, Lyndon Johnson was president of the United States, Mao Zedong enacted the policies that became the Cultural Revolution in China, and implementation of the Civil Rights Act was underway. Against this historical backdrop, another event occurred – William Breese, in the fall of 1966, incorporated the Longview Foundation for Education in World Affairs and International Understanding. A long and unusually descriptive title for a foundation, it wasn’t Mr. Breese’s style to tell people who he was. Rather, in the Longview name, he told the world exactly what he wanted to accomplish. We are all fortunate to be the beneficiaries of his vision and to take the charge of continuing this work in perpetuity.

Fifty years later, family, friends, and trustees are gathering over the course of the next year to celebrate Mr. Breese’s amazing legacy. It is my honor, as chair of the Longview Board of Trustees, to welcome each and every one of you to participate in this celebration. While we have been great stewards of the foundation and have accomplished amazing work, we have only to turn to the news and social media to see that there is much still for us to accomplish before there is peace and understanding within our borders and beyond.

Our smallest grant award was just $200 to the University of Indiana way back in the 1970s; today our grants average $18,000. With so many grants come so many memories, but, at the same time, the future looms before us. As we look to both our past and our future to guide our way, we invite you to share your thoughts about future direction. Please tell us your suggestions as to what funding priorities we should consider. Thank you for your partnership and your unique contributions to the field. We look forward to successful collaborations in the future.

Sincerely,

Lois Adams-Rodgers

Chair, Board of Trustees

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