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He has taken part in jam sessions with some of the world's legendary jazz greats. His golfing buddy was a Brother and he loved nothing more than a little soul food and a lot of Aretha Franklin music.

And on a cold and rainy day in Little Rock, AR, Bill Clinton--the man who endeared himself so much to African-Americans that he became known as 'America's first Black president"--was back in his element, surrounded by some 30,000 friends and well-wishers for the opening of the William Jefferson Clinton Library and Museum.

The library serves as Clinton's legacy and also an account of America at the end of the 20th century. The five-story, 152,000-square-foot library is supposed to symbolize "a bridge to the 21st century." The glass-and-steel building was designed by New York architect James Polshek.

At the dedication ceremony, there was a festive-like atmosphere on the grounds of the center as people gathered for more than three hours in rain-soaked conditions to honor the nation's 42nd president.

At a cost of $165 million (paid for through private donations) the center is the most expensive of the 11 presidential libraries. While the library is the centerpiece of the 30-acre site, there is also an arboretum, amphitheater, gardens and a children's play area on the grounds located on the bank of the Arkansas River.

The dedication capped off a week of private parties and receptions throughout the city, including a concert by Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul performed for a standing-room-only crowd at the local performing arts center, singing her old favorites as well as songs from her new CD.

Clinton also attended a reception held honoring his Black former staff members. More than 2,400 people paid tribute to "unsung heroes" of the Clinton administration. WGN-TV news anchor Allison Payne was the mistress of ceremony, with assistance from Lottie Shackelford, Clinton confidante and former mayor of Little Rock. Among the honorees was music executive Clarence Avant, who raised more than $1 million for Clinton's first presidential campaign.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson (whose daughter Santita Jackson sang earlier in the program), along with former Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater and several members of the Little Rock Nine, took the stage with Clinton, who told the crowd inside the local exhibition center that Blacks "gave me a chance to be governor, then I became president. We don't need diversity, we need unity. We share a piece of ground, a city and a nation."

Clinton employed a record number of Blacks in the White House during his tenure as president. Betty Currie, Clinton's personal secretary, attended the library opening, as did Alexis Herman (Labor Secretary) and Rita Dove, the first Black U.S. poet laureate, who delivered a poem at the beginning of the library dedication.

Many Black celebrities were spotted around town as well. Actresses Alfre Woodard and Holly Robinson Peete were there, as were actors Morgan Freeman and Chris Tucker, who called Clinton "the greatest president who ever lived." Atty. Vernon Jordan, baseball stars Willie Mays and Hank Aaron and Charlotte Bobcats owner Robert Johnson also were among the notables who attended the dedication.

In addition, a day before the grand opening, the Rev. Jesse Jackson visited historic Central High School in an effort to draw attention to the neglect of the school and the surrounding neighborhood. "Visitors will come to Little Rock to see two things," he said. "The Clinton Library and Central High School (the place where the Little Rock Nine's historic fight for desegregation unfolded in 1957) ... It's the unfinished business of our struggle."

Part of the dedication ceremony included performances by the African Drum Ballet and the Philander Smith Collegiate Choir. The Rev. Floyd Flake, former congressman and current pastor of Greater Allen Cathedral in New York, gave the invocation. There were also testimonials from everyday people who benefited from Clinton's policies.

It was the first time four presidents were on the same stage at the same time. Former presidents George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter, and President George H. Bush joined more than 100 members of Congress and numerous foreign dignitaries to honor Clinton, who chose Little Rock as the site of his library as a way "to give back to the city that gave me so much ... I thought I owed it to my native state, without which I would not have become president."

During his 20-minute speech, Clinton, still recovering from bypass heart surgery, told the cheering crowd what the library meant to him. "What it is to me is the symbol of not only what I tried to do, but what I wanted to do with the rest of my life," he said. "Building bridges from yesterday to tomorrow, building bridges across racial and religious and ethical and income and political divides."

President Bush and former presidents Carter and George H.W. Bush, who was beaten by Clinton in 1992, all praised Clinton for his time in office. "At the end of a very difficult political year, more difficult for some of us than others, it is valuable for the world to see two Democrats and two Republicans assembled together all honoring the great nation that has permitted us to serve," Carter told the crowd. "We are truly grateful to you."

Clinton was governor of Arkansas for nearly 12 years, and served two terms as president.

All of Clinton's historic accomplishments during his two terms are documented in the library, where there are some 80 million pages of documents, some open to public inspection, others under lock and key, not to be unsealed until at least 2006. Inside the facility are 80,000 artifacts (many gifts that Clinton received while president), 21 million emails and 2 million photographs.

The University of Arkansas already named its School of Public Service after Clinton. The school, housed in a redbrick historic railway station on the grounds of the presidential center, expects to enroll its initial class next school year.

Inside the entrance of the building is a black 1993 Cadillac limousine that was used by Clinton during his administration. The second floor features an 80-seat theater that will show films and a 220-seat great hall. There is also a full-scale replica of the White House Cabinet Room, complete with interactive media stations where visitors can listen to actual conversations held by the Clinton administration on such topics as Kosovo and Bosnia.

The second floor includes 16 thematic alcoves, highlighting various domestic and foreign policy efforts and achievements during the eight years Clinton was in office.

The centerpiece of the third floor is a full-scale replica of the White House Oval Office. Every detail of the president's office has been reproduced, even the photos that lined his desk during his presidency.

A section of the library also deals with the personal life of the president and his family. The exhibits follow Clinton's childhood in Arkansas, his experiences at college and his time as Arkansas governor. Displays include first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton's inaugural gown and a full table setting for a State Dinner. Among the interesting photos is a picture from Clinton's 1991 appearance on the "Arsenio Hall Show," where Clinton donned sunglasses and played the saxophone. There are also photos of Nelson Mandela, as well as photos of Clinton's visit to Africa. The top floor is a 2,000-square-foot executive residence where Clinton will live about a week out of each month, when he's not at his main New York residence.

It is estimated that more than 300,000 people a year will visit the center, including the gift shop and cafe, all of which will have an $8 to $17 million impact to the Arkansas economy.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

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