Dallas Historical Society Presents Special Exhibit -- Texas Heroes: Courage, Honor and Dignity; Public Invited to Opening Event May 27 at Hall of State to Celebrate Texas Heroes from the Republic to the Present.

DALLAS -- The Dallas Historical Society will open a special exhibit, "Texas Heroes: Courage, Honor and Dignity," with a celebration on May 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Hall of State in Fair Park. The event is free and open to the public. The exhibit examines the way we think about heroes -- what qualities set them apart, and how the definition of a hero reflects the life and culture of an era -- by exploring the lives of Texas Heroes from the Republic of Texas to the present day. Texas Heroes is made possible through a generous grant by the Hillcrest Foundation of Dallas.

"Texas Heroes: Courage, Honor and Dignity" is designed to ask as many questions as it answers, challenging us to think about the difference between a hero and a celebrity, and to understand how the characteristics of a hero are influenced by the qualities that are admired at that point in time," said Michael Duty, executive director of the Dallas Historical Society. "By exploring the lives of heroes in each of the epochs of Texas history, we can ask ourselves how we define a hero, what qualities we value and why we need heroes in our lives."

The celebration on May 27 includes the exhibit opening, food from Fair Park's Old Mill Inn available at the Hall of State from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., and a special lecture from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., focused on "Texas Heroes in World War II: One Man's Story." Colonel Cole C. Kingseed, U.S. Army, Ret., a noted military historian and author, will speak on his recent book, "From Omaha Beach to Dawson's Ridge: The War Journals of Captain Joe Dawson." Texan Joe Dawson (d. 1998) was the commanding officer of G Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army's First Division, who had served in the North African and Sicilian campaigns before the invasion of France. Dawson is credited as being the first man to break open a path off Omaha Beach on D-Day, for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross from General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Later in 1944, Dawson's company was sent with another company to defend a vital ridge overlooking the city of Aachen, Germany. According to newspaper reports in October 1944, and later commemorated in Stephen Ambrose's "Citizen Soldiers," Dawson's leadership so inspired the men that, for 39 brutal days pitted against large forces of the enemy, the two companies held the ridge against all assaults, and were later awarded the Presidential Citation. To this day, that place is called "Dawson's Ridge." Throughout the war, Dawson wrote letters home that Col. Kingseed has woven into a narration of the campaigns and events to produce a singular study of courage, honor and dignity through one man's story.

The exhibit will allow visitors to learn the stories of the Texas Heroes representing each era of the State's history. A special feature of the exhibit is a series of audio recordings of famous Texans and people on the street, who speak about who their heroes are, and why. A book signing will feature Col. Cole Kingseed, author of "From Omaha Beach to Dawson's Ridge," "Old Glory Stories: American Combat Leadership in World War II" and "Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters."

The Texas Heroes featured in the exhibit were selected through a statewide poll of museum curators and staff, historians and key leaders, and reflect the rich diversity and culture of Texas. In addition to the original six heroes commemorated in the Hall of State -- James Fannin, Stephen F. Austin, Mirabeau B. Lamar, Sam Houston, Thomas Rusk and William Travis -- the exhibit will feature:

Barbara Jordan -- (1936 -- 1996) Educator, politician, voter rights proponent and powerful public speaker who became the first African American woman from a Southern state to serve in Congress.

Lawrence Sullivan (Sul) Ross -- (1838 -- 1898) Texas Ranger, statesman, soldier, college president and co-author of the Texas Constitution.

Francita Alavez -- The "Angel of Goliad," heroine of the Texas Revolution because of her compassion towards captured Texas soldiers.

Erastus "Deaf" Smith -- (1787 -- 1837) Soldier, spy and scout in the Texas Revolution.

Juanita Craft -- (1902 -- 1985) Politician and civil rights leader in Texas, who devoted her life to breaking racial barriers.

Henry Percy Brewster -- (1816 -- 1884) Sam Houston's personal Secretary, who fought at San Jacinto and later served the Republic and State until his death.

Chester Nimitz -- (1885 -- 1966) Naval officer in WWI, who coordinated the Pacific campaign that proved crucial to the defense of western North America and final Allied victory.

Juan Seguin -- (1806 -- 1890) Soldier in the Texas Revolution and a politician in the Republic of Texas.

Matthew Gaines -- (1840 -- 1900) Baptist preacher and early civil rights activist, who became one of the first African American senators in Texas.

Annie Webb Blanton -- (1870 -- 1945) Suffragist who became the first woman to hold a statewide office and who worked to improve education in Texas, including the free textbook system.

Henry B. Gonzalez -- (1916 -- 2000) Politician first elected to the House in 1961, and rising to national prominence for his populist stands and legislation that favored consumers and the underprivileged.

Audie Murphy -- (1924 -- 1971) Soldier in World War II, whose 33 awards, citations and decorations included the Medal of Honor, and advocate for the needs of veterans.

Benjamin Henry Grierson -- (1826 -- 1911) Army officer who commanded the Ninth and Tenth United States Cavalry -- the Buffalo Soldiers -- at Fort Davis, Texas.

Quanah Parker -- (ca. 1845 -- 1911) The last chief of the Quahadi Comanche Indians, who worked to promote Native American self-sufficiency and self-reliance.

Minnie Fisher Cunningham -- (1882 -- 1964) Women's suffrage leader, one of the first women in Texas to receive a degree in pharmacy, and organizer of the National League of Women Voters.

Lyndon Baines Johnson -- (1908 -- 1973) Politician, statesman and leader, who served as Senate Majority Leader and then President of the United States. He was instrumental in the passage of the first civil-rights acts in more than 80 years, in 1957 and 1960, and during his presidency, he affirmed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson -- (1912 --) Brought beautification and the importance of nature to the forefront as First Lady, first in Washington, DC, and then throughout the nation; active in her husband's War on Poverty, especially in Head Start; and founder of the National Wildflower Research Center.

Jane Herbert Wilkinson Long -- (1798 -- 1880) Known as the "Mother of Texas," through her child's birth on Bolivar Peninsula in December 1821; widowed, she bought land, raised cattle and cotton.

Sarah Horton Cockrell -- (1819 -1892) Businesswoman and entrepreneur, who took over the family's enterprises after her husband's death in 1858, and by 1892, owned one-fourth of downtown Dallas.

Texas Servicemen and Women -- A tribute to all Texans who have served or are currently in military service, with focus on Dorie Miller, Katherine Stinson O'Torro, Mary Louise Roberts, Joe Dawson.

Medal of Honor Recipients -- Honoring 70 Texans who have received America's highest award for combat valor, with a special focus on Dallasite Samuel David Dealey.

Carnegie Foundation Heroes -- A tribute to the 479 civilians in Texas who have received this award by risking their own lives to save the life of another person.

NASA -- Honoring the scientists, engineers and astronauts from the establishment of the Johnson Space Center in 1961 to today, with focus on Texas-rooted astronauts Jeffrey S. Ashby, John E. Blaha, Kenneth D. Cockrell, Bernard A. Harris, Rick Douglas Husband, Paul S. Lockhart.

Beginning May 27 and continuing through September 6, visitors to the exhibit and to the Dallas Historical Society's Web site (www.dallashistory.org) may nominate the person they believe is the best example of a Texas Hero. These nominations will be compiled and the Top 10 "People's Choice" Texas Heroes will be announced at the conclusion of the exhibit, September 6, 2006.

The Dallas Historical Society gratefully acknowledges the Hillcrest Foundation of Dallas, for its generous grant in support of this exhibit, Sterling Bank and the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs for additional support, and dawson/duncan for its donation of graphic design and promotional support.

About Col. Cole Kingseed

Colonel Cole C. Kingseed, USA (Ret.) is a 30-year Army veteran who commanded at the platoon, company, and battalion level. A graduate of the University of Dayton (OH) in 1971, he served in the Infantry in a variety of military assignments, culminating in his tenure as full professor of history and chief of military history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Colonel Kingseed holds a Ph.D. from Ohio State University (1983) and a MA in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College (1992). The author of "Eisenhower and the Suez Crisis of 1956" (LSU Press, 1995), "The American Civil War" (Greenwood Press, 2004), "From Omaha Beach to Dawson's Ridge" (Naval Institute Press, 2005), "Old Glory Stories" (TBP by Naval Institute Press, 2006), "Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters" (TBP by Berkley, 2006), 37 articles on leadership, and 205 book reviews, Kingseed now serves as a private leadership consultant and president of the Brecourt Leadership Experience, Inc. His clients have included General Electric, FreddieMac, Heller Financial, The Conference Board, International Paper, Merrill Lynch, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Progressive Insurance, Target Corporation, National Association of Independent Schools, The Hershey Company, and PHH-Avral.

About the Dallas Historical Society

The purpose of the Dallas Historical Society is to institute and encourage historical inquiry; to collect, preserve, and exhibit the material of history; and to spread historical information, especially concerning the city and county of Dallas and North Texas. The Dallas Historical Society was organized on March 31, 1922, by 101 citizens who wished to encourage historical inquiry. In 1938, the Society assumed the management of the magnificent Hall of State at the request of the City of Dallas. The Hall of State is one of the finest examples of art deco architecture in the country and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a part of Fair Park. In 1986, the building was restored at a cost of approximately $1.5 million, and the G.B. Dealey Library was opened. The Historical Society is the only historical organization in Dallas County that is committed to preserving the area's entire history. The Historical Society operates with a full-time staff of 10 and an annual operating budget of approximately $1,000,000.