25 Apr White House Press Secretaries Committee Forms in Support of Fallen Journalists Memorial
April 25 2024 – Washington, D.C. – The Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation today announced the formation of a White House Press Secretaries Committee in support of the Fallen Journalists Memorial. The committee, which is co-chaired by former White House Press Secretaries Dee Dee Myers (President Bill Clinton) and Dana Perino (President George W. Bush) includes former White House Press Secretaries dating from the Johnson to Biden administrations.
The committee serves as a bipartisan voice in support of a permanent public memorial dedicated to press freedom as it honors journalists and photojournalists who have lost their lives while in pursuit of truth. The memorial will be built at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and is in the early design stages.
In addition to the Co-Chairs, members of the White House Press Secretaries Committee includes: Bill Moyers (President Lyndon B. Johnson), Ron Nessen (President Gerald R. Ford), Marlin Fitzwater (President George H.W. Bush), Mike McCurry, Joe Lockhart, and Jake Siewert (President Bill Clinton), Ari Fleischer and Scott McClellan (President George W. Bush), Robert Gibbs, Jay Carney, and Josh Earnest (President Barack Obama), Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Stephanie Grisham, and Kayleigh McEnany (President Donald Trump), and Jen Psaki (President Joe Biden).
“Thanks to Dee Dee and Dana for uniting this impressive lineup in support of the memorial” said David Dreier, Chairman of the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation. “As the White House Correspondents Association comes together this weekend, it is very powerful to have these dedicated public servants join this effort. Their combined voices underscore the necessity of a free and independent press. We thank them and look forward to working together as the process moves forward.”
Committee Co-Chair Dee Dee Myers said, “As White House press secretaries from both parties, we worked closely with reporters every day. Striking a balance between access and accountability was never easy, but it was essential. We saw firsthand that a free press is foundational to a free and democratic nation. This memorial will be a deeply meaningful addition to our National Mall, not only as a place for reflection but as one that will help educate and inspire Americans and visitors from around the world.”
Committee Co-Chair Dana Perino said, “I am deeply honored to join the fraternity of press secretaries to support the Fallen Journalists Memorial. Our collective experiences working for the Presidents of the United States give us a great appreciation for the courage, conviction, and sacrifice that many journalists make in their quest to bring critically important stories to the world. For those who have died doing the jobs they loved so that we could be more informed, may their memories be a blessing, and may this memorial be a permanent reminder of their lives.”
“White House Press Secretaries are in a unique position as the top spokespersons for the Executive branch of government who meet with the press every day,” said Foundation President Barbara Cochran. “In their roles, they supported the principle of a free press on a daily basis, so to have their backing for the only public memorial in Washington that commemorates America’s commitment to a free press by honoring the sacrifices of journalists is truly significant and appreciated.”
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION
The Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation was authorized by Congress in December 2020 to build a memorial on federal land in Washington, D.C. to commemorate America’s commitment to a free press by honoring journalists who have sacrificed their lives in service to that cause. The foundation is led by the past Chairman of the Tribune Publishing Company and former U.S. Representative David Dreier, as well as former news executive and journalism professor Barbara Cochran. With seed funding from the Annenberg and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundations, the foundation is supported by numerous leaders from all segments of the journalism community who serve on its Board of Advisors, including editors and publishers, news anchors, and photojournalists. Learn more about the Fallen Journalists Memorial and how to support this work at www.fallenjournalists.org and follow us at @FJMemorial.
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