Newseum to Host Memorial Service Celebrating the Life of James S. Brady

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On Friday, Oct. 10, at 10 a.m., the Newseum will host a memorial service for James S. Brady, former White House press secretary for President Ronald Reagan. Vice President Joe Biden will be joined by former presidential press secretaries and members of the press corps as speakers at the ceremony celebrating Brady's life and legacy. The service will be held in the Newseum's Annenberg Theater. Visitors to the Newseum will be able to view the event on the large high-definition media screen in the Newseum's New York Times Great Hall of News, and the service will be webcast on newseum.org.

Brady, who died Aug. 4, was severely injured and partially disabled in a 1981 assassination attempt on President Reagan at the Washington Hilton Hotel. Brady continued his role as White House press secretary until 1989 and went on to become an effective advocate for people with disabilities and for stronger gun laws.

"The Brady family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support we have received in the months since we lost our Bear. It reminds us every day of the difference he made in so many lives, and it inspires us to continue the work," said Sarah Brady. "We can think of no more fitting place to celebrate the life of Jim Brady than a place dedicated to the nation's freedom of speech. Jim would have given it a 'thumbs up.'"

In addition to Vice President Biden, speakers will include:

Joe Lockhart, former press secretary to President Bill Clinton
Mark Weinberg, former assistant press secretary to President Ronald Reagan
Sheila Tate, former press secretary to first lady Nancy Reagan
Mike McCurry, former press secretary to President Bill Clinton
Andrea Mitchell, chief foreign affairs correspondent, NBC News, and anchor, MSNBC
Bill Plante, senior White House correspondent, CBS News
Judy Woodruff, co-anchor, PBS NewsHour
Albert R. Hunt, columnist, Bloomberg View
Dan Gross, president, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Gail Hoffman, former legislative director for Handgun Control, Inc., during the Brady Bill campaign

In 1996, Brady received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and later, President Bill Clinton named the briefing room at the White House the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. In December 2000, the boards of trustees for Handgun Control, Inc., and the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence voted to honor James and Sarah Brady's hard work and commitment to preventing gun violence by renaming the two organizations The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. James Brady served as an honorary member of the board of trustees of both the Brady Campaign and Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

About the Newseum
The mission of the Newseum is to champion the five freedoms of the First Amendment through education, information and entertainment. One of the top attractions in Washington, D.C., the Newseum's 250,000-square-foot news museum offers visitors a state-of-the-art experience that blends news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. The Newseum Institute serves as a forum for First Amendment study, exploration and education. The Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded by generous individuals, corporations and foundations, including the Freedom Forum. For more information, visit newseum.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Newseum

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