Fraternity-Testvériség, 1999 (77. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1999-04-01 / 1. szám
FRATERNITY Page 9 THE AMERICAN HUNGARIAN FOUNDATION CELEBRATES 45™ ANNIVERSARY AND FOUNDERS’ DAYS MAY 21-23, 1999 During 1999, the American Hungarian Foundation celebrates dual anniversary years: the 45th year of its establishment and the tenth year of the opening of the Museum, Library and Archives facility in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The building was designed by László Papp. You, and all the friends and donors of the Foundation, are invited to share in all the anniversary celebrations, especially the Gala Founders’ Days programs on May 21- 23, 1999, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Events and anniversary programs are planned for other cities also. The three days of events in New Brunswick include receptions and a preview of the new Museum exhibition for major donors and academic guests of the Foundation on Friday and Saturday, May 21 and 22. On the evening of Saturday, May 22, the Gala Anniversary Ball will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The ball will host numerous celebrities and notable national and international guests. “The Hungarian Spark in America,” the new exhibition in the Museum, opens formally on May 23, 1999. It will be the 35th exhibition since the Museum of the American Hungarian Foundation opened in 1989. The exhibition will present and highlight the extraordinary contributions in the arts, sciences, humanities, commerce, religious and civic life that Hungarians and their descendants have made to our American life since 1776. Over 75,000 visitors have come to the Museum and Heritage Center of the American Hungarian Foundation, which includes a Library of 40,000 volumes and major Archival collections. The Archives seek to document the history and contributions of Hungarians and their institutions to American life. In 1998, the Bethlen Archives, a major archival collection about American Hungarians, their churches and organizations including the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, was deposited with the Foundation. The trustees of the Bethlen Museum & Archives, Inc. have made a $120,000 four year grant to the Foundation to support the cataloging of the Bethlen collection. The William Penn Association has deposited its archives with the American Hungarian Foundation. The Association has awarded major grant support totaling $196,000 to the Foundation to house and initiate the process of cataloging the William Penn Archives. As part of the anniversary year celebrations, the Foundation is launching its Phase 2 Funding Challenge, which has a $10 million goal. Phase 1 raised $3 million in capital funds to building the Heritage Center. Gifts and pledges included major bequests and trusts, securities, insurance and real estate and cash donations. Now donors have another opportunity to honor their families in Phase 2 by providing program, endowment and capital funds for the $10 million goal of Phase 2. Dr. Lajos Schmidt, a member of the Board of the American Hungarian Foundation for 40 years, recently has established a $400,000 trust to support and benefit the program of the Foundation. In 1999, a bequest of $150,000 from the Estate of Frances Miller also will benefit the Phase 2 Funding Challenge of the Foundation. Major corporate gifts and other foundation grants, including funding by fraternal organizations, the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America and the William Penn Association, have benefited the Foundation. The names of major donors and new donors to the Foundation are listed on the Wall of Honor in the Library of the Heritage Center. Thus a family is also able to honor parents and grandparents. Recent Museum exhibitions by the Foundation have included the art and works of Joseph Dómján, Victor Vasarely, “László Ispanky, The Living Master” and Suzanne Szász, Her Life and Photographs.” Founded in December 28, 1954, the Foundation holds as its primary goal nurturing the understanding and appreciation of the Hungarian cultural and historical heritage in the United States of America. It also seeks to serve as a bridge between the Hungarian and American cultural traditions, and it is committed to enhance a better understanding of the contributions of each. During the past four decades, the Foundation has awarded scholarships and research fellowships, promoted publications and educational programs. It was instrumental in establishing several academic programs focusing on Hungarian studies, such as the Institute of Hungarian Studies at Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey. Beginning in 1959, the Foundation first funded and helped establish the Rutgers Hungarian studies program. The research Library of the Foundation is an Affiliate Library of the Rutgers University Library. Through its Library and Archives, the Foundation also provides assistance to those who are researching their family history. The Museum offers gift shop services to visitors as well as opportunities to purchase items by telephone or mail order. The American Hungarian Foundation, a non-profit tax- exempt, publicly supported organization, is headquartered in the Museum Library and Archives at 300 Somerset Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903. Telephone: 732-846-5777, Fax: 732-249-7033, e-mail: ahfoundation@juno.com. Inquiries may be addressed to August L. Molnár, President of the Foundation.
