National Press Club history snippet #18

"Religion: Many prominent--and some controversial--religious leaders have addressed the National Press Club. Among the first, in 1936, was Eugenio Cardinal Pacelli, who later became Pope Pius Xll. Among the others have been evangelist Billy Graham, the Dalai Lama, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and National Of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, whose appearances always set off protests. The National Press Club--where news is made (and faithfully reported) in the nation's capital."

This snippet is one of many put together by the late Art Wiese, who served as Club president in 1979. He was responsible for planning much of the reconstruction of the Club during its renovation in the early 1980s. In his later years, he put together a series of snippets on the Club's history. In honor of his passing last year, the Wire is running one of them each week while they last.