Royalty visits TCC for JFK exhibit opening
by Shannon Harrison, ne news editor

     Royalty descended on South Campus last week to support the John F. Kennedy Museum Foundation.
     Prince Albert Alexandre Louis Pierre Grimaldi, heir to the throne of Monaco, came to Fort Worth for the exhibition of Kennedy: The Man, The President, The 1960s.
     “I became interested in President Kennedy’s life for several reasons,” Prince Albert said.
     “I was puzzled by his untimely death, and with my passion for history I agreed with Ferris [Rookstool] that the best way to honor him would be through documents and artifacts for everybody to see and to serve as an educational purpose, especially where Kennedy gave his last speech,” he said.
     The royal day began with a luncheon at the Fort Worth City Club with entertainment provided by the TCC SE Campus madrigal singers. Special remarks were given by Kenneth Barr, mayor of Fort Worth; Dr. Leonardo de la Garza, TCC chancellor; Jim Wright, former Speaker of the House; Lynne Steed, co-chair of the advisory committee of the Kennedy exhibit; Ferris Rookstool, executive director of the John F. Kennedy Museum Foundation, and Prince Albert.
     The prince received various gifts to remember his visit to North Texas. Barr presented Prince Albert with the key to the city of Fort Worth; Steed gave him a pair of cowboy boots, a hat and a taste-of-Texas basket.
     Dr. De la Garza presented him an honorary degree for professor of International Studies.
     After the luncheon, everyone was invited to the Carillon Gallery on South Campus for a brief presentation and the cutting of the ribbon to the exhibition.
     During the presentation, Dr. Ernest Thomas, South Campus president, gave Prince Albert an engraved portrait of the prince to hang at the campus to remind TCC of his visit to the school.
     “When I visited Dealey Plaza, it really made me want to make me do something for the memory of President Kennedy,” Prince Albert commented.
     “It is important to honor a man with such a tremendous legacy, and we are in close discussions with city leaders to find a site for a permanent museum,” he said.
     The exhibit ribbon-cutting was officiated by Prince Albert, Rookstool, Dr. De la Garza and Mayor Barr.
     “Prince Albert’s presence brings focus to the community,” Rookstool said.
     “President Kennedy was everyone’s president and to have a prince come to Fort Worth should make people realize how JFK touched people around the world,” he said.
     The exhibit of historical artifacts and photos at South Campus will be available for viewing from Nov. 1-April 25.
     A portion of the John F. Kennedy Museum Foundation’s multimillion dollar collection will be displayed as a tribute to President Kennedy until the placement and dedication of a heroic size bronze of the late President in John F. Kennedy Plaza in Fort Worth.
     This permanent memorial to President Kennedy will be dedicated in spring 2001. It will replace the recently demolished John F. Kennedy Theater, which served as the city’s only tribute to President Kennedy’s visit to Fort Worth in 1963.
     This is the first-ever exhibition of these national treasures, which includes such items as the rocking chair used by President Kennedy in the Oval Office, a piece of the Berlin Wall, an FBI wanted poster with the true identity of James Earl Ray (Martin Luther King’s assassin), Mrs. Kennedy’s sympathy acknowledgements, a business card found on Jack Ruby when he shot Lee Harvey Oswald and the theater seat Oswald was sitting in when he was arrested for the assassination of President Kennedy.
     “I admire President Ken-nedy’s leadership and determination to move society forward,” Prince Albert said. “I really want to stress how important this is for education and for people to learn about a man with a great legacy.”
     “This is a great opportunity for everyone to see rare art that the general public has never seen, to honor the legacy and life of President Kennedy,” he said.
     “This collection is about a time of history,” Rookstool said. President Kennedy left us with visions of the future. Life happens in moments. And as we go through this exhibit, remember how blessed we really are to get to view such timeless art,” he said.