Author: Johnson, Lady Bird.
Title: This Is Our Country, November 22-25, 1968": A Rare Tongue-in-Cheek Broadside Given by Lady Bird Johnson to Her Companions on the "This Is Our Country" Tour. This Copy Was Created for Her Friend, Ny City Center Producer Jean Dalrymple.
Description: 1968. 1968. - An original 18 by 13-1/4 inch high broadside printed in red & blue on stiff creamy white paper. Boldly titled in red along the top next to a vignette of a space launch, with the text further illustrated with a vignette of California redwoods at lower right and a vignette of an American flag with the staff waving farewell in front of the White House. "Lady Bird Johnson's" facsimile signature is printed in blue at the bottom with Jean Dalrymple's name penned in red in a handsome calligraphic hand within the first line of the text. There is a tiny ink line at the top left of the broadside. Near fine.

A wonderful tongue-in-cheek broadside given by First Lady "Lady Bird" Johnson to her companions: "Whereas, Jean Dalrymple accompanied the First Lady and her retinue on a journey of 6,071 miles in the span of 96 harried hours, covering all the territory between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, between the bayous and the Rockies-- and whereas, We never succumbed to the persistent temptation to give the whole thing back to the Indians-- and Whereas, we escaped unsullied from the French Quarter in New Orleans-- and Whereas, we gave the First Lady a boost to the moon, never once complaining about her insistence on planting holly trees inside Crater Copernicus-- .. Now, Therefore, the Adios Award, for meritorious service in, out, above, below, and in spite of, the line of duty, is hereby, presented with gratitude and affection".

This 1968 trip was filmed to commemorate Lady Bird Johnson's last national tour as First Lady. Beginning with the First Lady and her retinue attending a naturalization ceremony, the group visited New Orleans, Denver, and Eureka in California. They visited NASA's Launch Complex 39, visited with members of the Teacher Corps at Xavier University and took in Redwood National Park, all part of the Johnson administration's latest achievements.

The recipient, Jean Dalrymple (1902-1998), was the dynamic producer and director of theater and light-opera at Manhattan's City Center. Dalrymple began her career in Vaudeville, appearing with James Cagney and Cary Grant in the early 1930s. She was a founding member of the American Theatre Wing, the theatre service organization. She worked over the years as a personal manager for the likes of Leopold Stokowski, Mary Martin, Jose Iturbi, Andre Kostalanetz, Nathan Milstein, and Lily Pons. She began her work at City Center with its founding in 1943, serving as a board member, producer, and publicist. Her productions there from the 1940s through the 1960s were a revitalizing influence on the whole New York theatre scene. In 1951, Jean Dalrymple married Major-General Philip deWitt Ginder, commander of the Thunderbirds in Korea. She was a friend to Presidents and entertainment personalities throughout the world. Very good .

Keywords: AMERICANA; FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; THIS IS OUR COUNTRY; TOINGUE-IN-CHEEK; HUMOR; BROADSIDE; JEAN DALRYMPLE; LADY BIRD JOHNSON; TRIP; RETINUE; COMPANIONS; NATIONAL TOUR; VISITING; TWENTIETH CENTURY; 20TH CENTURY.

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