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Black Tie
International:
Churchill: The Power
of Words |
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Winston Churchill, 1941
© Estate of Yousuf Karsh
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NEW EXHIBITION AT THE MORGAN EXPLORES
THE BRILLIANCE OF WINSTON CHURCHILL'S
WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
SHOW INCLUDES LETTERS, CORRESPONDENCE, EDITED TYPESCRIPTS
OF CHURCHILL'S FAMOUS SPEECHES, ARTIFACTS, PHOTOGRAPHS,
ANDORIGINAL SOUND RECORDINGS AND BROADCASTS
Churchill: The Power of Words
June 8 – September 23, 2012 |
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New York, NY, March 27, 2012—Sir Winston Churchill
(1874–1965) is considered by many historians to be among
the finest orators and writers of the twentieth century.
His speeches galvanized Great Britain at its darkest
hour during World War II, and his letters to President
Franklin D. Roosevelt were instrumental in building
support for the war effort from the United States, the
country of Churchill's mother's birth. Awarded the Nobel
Prize for Literature in 1953 for his contribution to the
written and spoken word, Churchill became an icon of the
post-war age, an internationally recognized leader
admired throughout the free world.
Churchill: The Power of Words, on view from June 8
through September 23, 2012 at The Morgan Library &
Museum, brings to life the man behind the words through
some sixty-five documents, artifacts, and recordings,
ranging from edited typescripts of his speeches to his
Nobel Medal and Citation to excerpts from his broadcasts
made during the London blitz. Items in the exhibition
are on loan from the Churchill Archives Centre at
Churchill College, University of Cambridge, as well as
from Churchill's house at Chartwell in Kent, which is
administered by Britain's National Trust.
The exhibition is designed with a contemporary audience
in mind, and includes a compelling audio-visual space
where visitors may listen to Churchill's major speeches,
as well as an interactive timeline with touch screens
that explores the context of Churchill's broadcasts and
writings with related images.
"Few modern statesmen have approached Sir Winston
Churchill's skill with the written and spoken word,"
said William M. Griswold, director of The Morgan Library
& Museum. "He made his name as a writer, he funded his
political career with his pen, and he carefully crafted
his words to serve as tools for international diplomacy
and as patriotic symbols for a nation at war. This
exhibition shows why words matter, and how they can make
a difference for the better, and it is therefore
particularly appropriate that the Morgan, with its
extraordinary literary collections, should host this
exhibition."
Allen Packwood, director of the Churchill Archives
Centre, said: "The incredible collections of The Morgan
Library & Museum represent the literary, artistic and
cultural tradition that informed the writings of Winston
Churchill, and the world he fought to preserve. There
can be no better venue for this exhibition."
The Power of Words
"In the dark days and darker nights when Britain stood
alone—and most men save Englishmen despaired of
England's life—he mobilized the English language and
sent it into battle." —John F. Kennedy, April 9, 1963
The physical and intellectual heart of the exhibition is
Churchill's own voice, as recorded in some of the
broadcasts that were received in the United States, and
as set out on the page in his own annotated speaking
notes. The exhibition highlights a number of the
speeches that he made between October 1938, when Hitler
began to dismember Czechoslovakia, and December 1941,
when Pearl Harbor brought the United States fully into
World War II.
Churchill's broadcast to the United States on October
16, 1938 was made from the political wilderness, as he
no longer held high political office in Britain, but is
a powerful articulation of the need for the United
States to become more engaged in Europe and to play a
role in containing Hitler. It is also a clear statement
of the power of words and ideas: "They [the dictators]
are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad,
thoughts stirring at home—all the more powerful because
forbidden—terrify them. A little mouse of thought
appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates
are thrown into panic."
Churchill became Prime Minister on May 10, 1940, the
very day that Hitler launched his blitzkrieg offensive
against France and the Low Countries. Within weeks,
France had fallen, and Britain was facing the
possibility of invasion. Churchill's speeches during the
aerial Battle of Britain and the German bombing campaign
known as the 'blitz,' were composed and delivered at a
time of extreme national emergency. Yet Churchill's
words were carefully chosen to deliver several messages
simultaneously: maintaining British morale, while also
sending a message of hope to occupied Europe, a message
of defiance to the enemy, and an appeal for help to
President Roosevelt and the people of the United States.
Churchill's speech of September 11, 1940, is a dramatic
example, and reaches across the years to another, more
recent September 11. His response to the blitz bombing
of London, which had begun two days earlier, was to
invoke British history in order to send a personal
message of defiance to Hitler, stating, "It ranks with
the days when the Spanish Armada was approaching the
Channel" and, "He [Hitler] hopes by killing large
numbers of civilians, and women and children, that he
will terrorize and cow the people of this mighty
Imperial city, and make them a burden and anxiety to the
Government, and thus distract our attention unduly from
the ferocious onslaught he is preparing. Little does he
know the spirit of the British Nation."
The documents on view provide a unique insight into the
development of these great speeches, from the first
heavily annotated typescripts to the final speaking
notes, set out in a blank verse format that enabled
Churchill to achieve the memorable rhythm, emphasis, and
phrasing of his speeches and broadcasts. Churchill's
typed speeches served as a prompt-copy for his
performance, and in these documents one can see vividly
his mind at work.
The Making of the Man
How did Churchill's power with words develop? His school
records show that he was far from a model pupil. But the
early death of his father, and the sudden need to make a
name and an income, led him to pick up his pen while
serving as an officer in the British army.
The exhibition features some of Churchill's early
letters and writings. In 1897 he managed to get himself
attached to the Malakand Field Force fighting against
the Pathan people in what is now Afghanistan. A letter
to his mother, written after his return, reveals his
yearning for a mention in military dispatches: "I am
more ambitious for a reputation for personal courage
than of anything else in the world. A young man should
worship a young man's ideals."
One of the few handwritten pages that survive from
Churchill's draft of his first book, The Malakand Field
Force, is on view. Written one hundred and fifteen years
ago, and published in 1898, his remarks about the
challenges of fighting in the hills of Afghanistan
resonate to this day.
Progressing through the exhibition, the visitor is able
to see Churchill's writing grow in breadth and
confidence. Churchill not only made history, he wrote
history, and in 1953 he was rewarded with the Nobel
Prize in Literature. The Nobel Medal and Citation, on
loan from the National Trust, Chartwell, are a fitting
centerpiece to the exhibition and serve as definitive
recognition that this man of action was also always a
man of words.
The Man behind the Myth
Churchill's public writings and speeches are powerfully
juxtaposed with some of his personal and official
correspondence. While resolute in public, his telegram
to Roosevelt's key adviser Harry Hopkins, written in
August 1941, sees him voicing his fears over lack of
greater American involvement in the war: "...there has
been a wave of depression through Cabinet and other
informed circles here about President's many assurances
about no commitments and no closer to war etc."
Churchill's immediate response to Pearl Harbor was to
fire off a telegram to Irish Prime Minister Eamon de
Valera, offering, "Now is your chance. Now or Never. 'A
Nation once again'."
By opening up the Churchill dispatch box we gain some
insights into the personalities behind the politics;
Roosevelt's telegram to Churchill on D-Day, or King
George VI's handwritten message to Churchill about
Roosevelt's death, serve to remind us that these were
real people wrestling with enormous, unprecedented
challenges.
On a lighter note, Churchill's letter to the Duke of
Devonshire upon receiving the gift of a living lion in
1943, reveals his mischievous side, showing that, even
at times of great stress, words and wit could be used to
enliven events.
A New York Homecoming
Half American by birth—his mother, Jennie Jerome, who
became Lady Randolph Churchill, was born in Brooklyn,
New York—Churchill became an Honorary United States
Citizen just before his death. He was a lifelong
observer of American affairs, and New York was both the
first (1895) and last (1961) American city he visited.
Churchill's first experience of Manhattan came in
November 1895, just short of his twenty-first birthday,
and en route to observe military action in Cuba. He was
well looked after by his mother's friends and relatives
and in a letter, featured in the exhibition, wrote:
"What an extraordinary people the Americans are! Their
hospitality is a revelation to me and they make you feel
at home and at ease in a way that I have never before
experienced. On the other hand their press and their
currency impress me very unfavourably."
While New York was often a place to relax, there were
incidents. In December 1931 he made the very British
mistake of looking the wrong way while crossing Fifth
Avenue and was hit by an automobile. The collision
occurred at Fifth Avenue and 76th Street, at a time when
traffic was still two-way on Fifth. For Churchill the
accident meant a hospital stay, a lecture tour
postponed, and a long recovery. Yet he turned it to his
advantage, writing some newspaper articles on what it
was like to be run down, and securing a doctor's
prescription, on view in the exhibition, for alcohol—for
medicinal purposes—at the height of prohibition!
In March 1946, Churchill came to New York fresh from
having delivered his famous "Iron Curtain" speech at
Fulton, Missouri. It is now largely forgotten just how
controversial that speech was, criticizing the Soviet
Union, with whom the United States and Britain were
still allied, so soon after the end of the Second World
War. Churchill was forced to defend his remarks in the
address he gave at the Waldorf Astoria, and found
himself on the receiving end of both a ticker tape
parade and some protest demonstrations.
Ultimately, however, Churchill was deeply revered in New
York and in the United States, and remains so to this
day. He was only the second person to be accorded
Honorary US Citizenship (ironically, the first was
Lafayette, for fighting the British). The exhibition
features the grant of Citizenship, signed by President
Kennedy in April 1963, and the accompanying passport,
which Churchill was not able to use before his death in
January 1965.
THE EXHIBITION
Churchill: The Power of Words includes the following
primary components:
A display of approximately sixty-five key documents and
artifacts, with particular focus on his own writings and
the ways in which he used the power of words in his
political, literary, and personal life to underpin his
career, to engage with the United States, and to
mobilize international opinion against fascism in the
1930s and 1940s, and communism in the 1940s and 1950s.
An audio-visual space at the center of the gallery,
allowing visitors to listen to a number of Churchill's
famous broadcasts, drawn from the important period of
1938-46, and to hear audio tie-ins to some of the
original speech drafts and notes on display. The sound
will be complemented by images from the period, and with
the text of notable passages flashed onto the screens to
reinforce the audio message.
An interactive timeline, which will run on two touch
screens, and feature all the documents appearing in the
gallery reproduced in full, along with related images
and extra contextual information. This element of the
exhibition will allow visitors to explore the show's
written content in a much deeper and more detailed
manner.
PUBLIC PROGRAMS
LECTURE
We Shall Not Fail: The Inspiring Leadership of Winston
Churchill
With Celia Sandys
Friday, June 8, 6:30 p.m.
Celia Sandys, internationally acclaimed author,
television presenter, and granddaughter of Sir Winston
Churchill, will provide insight into Churchill's
extraordinary leadership skills and his fascinating
political and personal life. This lecture, part of the
The Tina Santi Flaherty - Winston Churchill Literary
Series, is presented in partnership with Hunter
College/The Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute and
The Writing Center, and The Churchill Archives Centre.
Free; Advanced reservations: 212.685.0008, ext 560, or
tickets@themorgan.org.
CHURCHILL ON FILM
To coincide with the exhibition, the Morgan will screen
two dramas and one documentary that explore both
Churchill's public and private life.
The Gathering Storm
Friday, June 15, 7 p.m.
(2002, 96 minutes)
Director: Richard Loncraine
Based on Churchill's memoirs about his life leading up
to World War II, this biographical drama won two Golden
Globes and stars a stellar cast. Albert Finney plays
Winston Churchill, who struggles to establish his
political presence in the House of Commons. With Vanessa
Redgrave as his wife Clementine, and also featuring
Derek Jacobi, Jim Broadbent, and Ronnie Barker.
Free
Winston Churchill: Walking with Destiny
Friday, July 6, 7 p.m.
(2011, 101 min)
Director: Richard Tank
This compelling documentary film highlights Churchill's
earlier political years, focusing on the period just
prior to his ascent to prime minister, through the end
of 1941 when America entered World War II. It examines
why Winston Churchill's legacy continues to be relevant
in the twenty-first Century and explores why his
leadership remains inspirational to current day
political leaders and diplomats. Narrated by Sir Ben
Kingsley and with commentary by historian John Lukacs,
and Churchill's official biographer Sir Martin Gilbert,
among others.
Free
Young Winston
Friday, July 27, 7 p.m.
(1972, 157 minutes)
Director: Richard Attenborough
This historical drama is an account of the early life of
Winston Churchill (Simon Ward), including his childhood
years, his time as a war correspondent in Africa, and
culminating with his election to Parliament at the age
of twenty-six. Based on Churchill's book My Early Life:
A Roving Commission, it also stars Robert Shaw (Lord
Randolph Churchill), John Mills (Lord Kitchener),
Anthony Hopkins (David Lloyd George), and Anne Bancroft
(Churchill's mother).
Free
GALLERY TALK
Churchill: The Power of Words
Friday, June 22, 7 p.m.
Declan Kiely, Robert H. Taylor curator and head of the
Department of Literary and Historical Manuscripts, will
lead an informal tour of the exhibition.
Free
RELATED PROGRAMMING
Bloomsbury.com will make available a selection of
important Churchill documents free of charge as part of
its launch of the comprehensive online collection of
Churchill Papers.
Hunter College will sponsor a three-part Churchill
Lecture Series, the first of which will be held at the
Morgan on Friday, June 8, to coincide with the opening
of the exhibition. The Hon. Celia Sandys, granddaughter
of Churchill, will discuss his leadership style in a
talk entitled, "We shall not fail."
The Roosevelt Library at Hyde Park, New York, will host
a one-day seminar/symposium on the topic of the close
and complex relationship between Churchill and President
Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In conjunction with the exhibition opening, author Sir
Martin Gilbert will publish an edition of Churchill's
writings titled Churchill: The Power of Words (Da Capo
Press).
ORGANIZATION AND SPONSORSHIP
The exhibition is organized by the Churchill Archives
Centre at Churchill College, University of Cambridge, in
conjunction with Chartwell, Churchill's house in Kent,
which is administered by Britain's National Trust.
The exhibition is curated by Allen Packwood, director of
the Churchill Archives Centre, and by Declan Kiely,
Robert H. Taylor curator and head of the Department of
Literary and Historical Manuscripts at The Morgan
Library & Museum.
The programs of The Morgan Library & Museum are made
possible with public funds from the New York City
Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the
City Council, and from the New York State Council on the
Arts, a state agency.
The Morgan Library & Museum
The Morgan Library & Museum began as the private library
of financier Pierpont Morgan, one of the preeminent
collectors and cultural benefactors in the United
States. Today, more than a century after its founding in
1906, the Morgan serves as a museum, independent
research library, musical venue, architectural landmark,
and historic site. In October 2010, the Morgan completed
the first-ever restoration of its original McKim
building, Pierpont Morgan’s private library, and the
core of the institution. In tandem with the 2006
expansion project by architect Renzo Piano, the Morgan
now provides visitors unprecedented access to its
world-renowned collections of drawings, literary and
historical manuscripts, musical scores, medieval and
Renaissance manuscripts, printed books, and ancient Near
Eastern seals and tablets.
General Information
The Morgan Library & Museum
225 Madison Avenue, at 36th Street, New York, NY
10016-3405
212.685.0008
www.themorgan.org
Just a short walk from Grand Central and Penn Station
Hours
Tuesday–Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; extended Friday
hours, 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6
p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed Mondays,
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. The
Morgan closes at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year's
Eve.
Admission
$15 for adults; $10 for students, seniors (65 and over),
and children (under 16); free to Members and children 12
and under accompanied by an adult. Admission is free on
Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m. Admission is not required to
visit the Morgan Shop.
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