Presidential Speaker Series

2026 Presidential Speaker Series

made possible by the Mary Tucker Jasper Endowment Fund

Thursday, November 12, 2026 | 6:00 – 9:00 PM | Indiana Roof Ballroom

Join the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site for dinner and a conversation with Anita McBride, co-author of Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women. Drawing on fascinating stories from more than two centuries of American history as well as her own experience serving in three presidential administrations, McBride will illuminate how First Ladies have shaped the presidency, influenced public life, championed important causes, and etched indelible marks on our nation. This lively conversation will invite us to look beyond familiar portraits and traditions to discover the personalities, partnerships, challenges, and accomplishments that reveal the First Ladies as the consequential figures they are in our American story.

Made possible through the Mary Tucker Jasper Endowment Fund, the Speaker Series proceeds support the Presidential Site to share innovative civic education and outreach programs with more than 30,000 children and adults each year. In observance of Veteran’s Day, we will carry on our tradition of also honoring men and women in the United States military, who—like President Harrison, himself a veteran—sacrificed so much in their service to our country, with special tributes throughout the evening.