White House Millennium Council
Encyclopedia
The White House Millennium Council was an American
organization established by Executive Order 13072 in 1998 by President Bill Clinton
to commemorate the millennium
. The council's theme was "Honor the Past -- Imagine the Future."
, and during a two-year period it engaged in numerous activities surrounding the millennium; for example, a time capsule
was created, 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
. Students were challenged to imagine traveling to and living on Mars by 2030. 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.
, was selected to deliver the prayer for the nation; Terry McAuliffe
, a friend of the Clintons, chaired a dinner celebration at the White House.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
organization established by Executive Order 13072 in 1998 by President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
to commemorate the millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
. The council's theme was "Honor the Past -- Imagine the Future."
Council activities
The council was headed by then-First Lady Hillary ClintonHillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
, and during a two-year period it engaged in numerous activities surrounding the millennium; for example, a time capsule
Time capsule
A time capsule is an historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a method of communication with future people and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians...
was created, which included various recordings, a state flag, a photo of Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was an African-American civil rights activist, whom the U.S. Congress called "the first lady of civil rights", and "the mother of the freedom movement"....
, a piece of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
, a film of Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
'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
National Archives and Records Administration
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent agency of the United States government charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records and with increasing public access to those documents, which comprise the National Archives...
. Students were challenged to imagine traveling to and living on Mars by 2030. 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.
White House Millennium Celebration
The White House Millennium Celebration included several events, and was televised internationally. Nathan Baxter, then-Dean of Washington National CathedralWashington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
, was selected to deliver the prayer for the nation; Terry McAuliffe
Terry McAuliffe
Terence Richard "Terry" McAuliffe is a longtime leader and political advisor for the United States Democratic Party. He served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2001 to 2005. He served as Co-Chairman of President William Jefferson Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign and also...
, a friend of the Clintons, chaired a dinner celebration at the White House.