HENRY CLAY

THE RALEIGH LETTER

Henry Clay (1777-1852) was a statesman who was born in Virginia, but made his home in Kentucky. He first served in the United States House of Representatives in 1811, where he was elected as Speaker of the House on his first day in office, the first and only person to do so. He later served as a United States Senator and Secretary of State. Known by many as the "Great Compromiser," he worked to keep the Union together during turbulent times. When he died in 1852 he was the first person to be given the honor of lying in state at the Capitol.

Henry Clay Day is an invitation only celebration of history where history took place. We will meet on April 15th, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. in front of the Hawkins Hartness House at the corner of North and North Blount Streets in Raleigh, which is across the street from the former location of the Henry Clay Oak. It was under this oak tree on April 17, 1844 that Henry Clay penned the "Raleigh Letter" detailing his opposition to the annexation of Texas. Many historians believe this letter caused his defeat in the 1844 Presidential Election. We will talk history while enjoying Cheerwine, Moon Pies, and Henry Clay Cigars.

Near the corner of North and North Blount Streets in Raleigh, North Carolina, once stood the Henry Clay Oak. Under this tree, Clay wrote, "Annexation and war with Mexico are identical. Now, for one, I certainly am not willing to involve this country in a foreign war for the object of acquiring Texas. I know there are those who regard such a war with indifference and as a trifling affair. . .. But I do not look upon it thus lightly. I regard all wars as great calamities, to be avoided, if possible, and honorable peace as the wisest and truest policy of this country."

2014 Inductee - Jim Gardner

Jim Gardner served in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1967 to January 3, 1969. Always remaining active in North Carolina politics, he was later elected in 1988 to serve as North Carolina's Lieutenant Governor. In 2013, he was selected by Governor Pat McCrory to head the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control agency. He was inducted into the Order of the Henry Clay Oak at the first annual Henry Clay Day.

2015 Inductee - J. Melville Broughton

Joseph Melville Broughton attended law school at Harvard University and became involved in politics, serving on the school board and as city attorney of Raleigh before being elected to the state senate in 1926 and serving 2 terms. In November of 1940 he was elected as the sixtieth governor of North Carolina, an office he would hold from 1941-1945. The State’s Mental Hospital in Morganton is names after governor Broughton. Governor Broughton was elected to the United States Senate in 1948 where he would only serve a few months before his death on March 6, 1949. He was inducted into the Order of the Henry Clay Oak during the second annual Henry Clay Day and his award was accepted on his behalf by his grandson, Mel Broughton.

2016 Inductee - Rufus Edmisten

Rufus Edmisten earned an undergraduate degree in political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a J.D. with honors from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. After 10-years of service on North Carolina Senator Sam Ervin's staff that culminated with a position Deputy Chief Counsel to the Watergate Committee, Rufus was elected the state's Attorney General in 1974. In 1988 he was elected to the office of Secretary of State, where he served until 1996. Rufus was inducted into the Order of the Henry Clay Oak at the third annual Henry Clay Day.

2017 Inductee - Tom Campbell

North Carolina Hall of Fame broadcaster Tom Campbell is the creator, executive producer, and moderator of NC SPIN. Tom comes from a rich family tradition of public involvement in North Carolina. His family founded Campbell University as well as WNCT-TV, the first television station in eastern North Carolina. Prior to starting NC SPIN Campbell was the Assistant Treasurer for the State of North Carolina, licensee of WRAZ-TV “FOX50″ in the Raleigh-Durham market, and co-founder of The Family Business Institute, a consulting firm for family and closely held companies. His  My SPIN editorials have appeared in newspapers across the state and he is often a guest of talk radio stations. Tom was inducted into the Order of the Henry Clay Oak at the fourth annual Henry Clay Day.

2018 Inductee - Dr. Robert J. Brown

Robert J. "Bob" Brown was born in High Point and later served as a highly regarded federal agent focusing on federal narcotics cases. In 1960, Brown left the Bureau to return to High Point and open B&C Associates, a public relations company. Brown advised, traveled with, and raised money for the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and was a close friend and confidant to the Nelson Mandela and his family.  Early in his PR career Brown was contracted by many large corporations to handle communications and race relations during pivotal moments of the civil rights movement. In 1964, Brown assisted in the election of Robert F. Kennedy into the United States Senate and also assisted in his presidential bid. In 1968, he took a leave of absence from B&C Associates to serve as Special Assistant to President Richard Nixon. While in that position, his responsibilities included community relations, civil rights, emergency preparedness, small towns, and day care. In 1980, Brown founded B&C International (BCI), Inc. Proclaimed by The Washington Post as a “World Class Power Broker”, Brown has a long legacy of service & counsel to corporate, educational, and civic organizations.

2019 Inductee - Sarah Parker

Sarah Parker served as a Judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals from 1984 to 1993. She then served as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of North Carolina from 1993 until 2006, when she became Chief Justice of that court and served until her retirement in 2014.  Those who are familiar with Chief Justice Parker’s work on the court know that she was an eminent jurist. She upheld the values of a fair and impartial judiciary. She did what we ask of all judges--she applied the law of the land to the facts of the case. She served with honor, distinction, and with integrity on the Court. She was inducted into the order of the Henry Clay Oak at the 6th annual Henry Clay Day.