FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
May 26, 2022

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Carly Colombo
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The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans Announces Returning Sponsorship of PBS’ 33^rd Annual National Memorial Day Concert 

Concert to honor our American heroes with all-star performances and tributes on  Sunday, May 29 at 8:00 p.m. EST on PBS

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 26, 2022) – Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of remarkable individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, is pleased to announce its role as lead sponsor of the 33^rd National Memorial Day Concert on PBS for the second year in a row, thanks to Association leadership. For over three decades, this multi-award-winning televised American tradition has honored the military service of men and women in uniform, veterans, their families, and those who have given their lives while serving our nation.

The Horatio Alger Association was established in 1947 to dispel the mounting belief among our nation’s youth that the American Dream was no longer attainable – a Dream that remains today because of the service and sacrifice of our military members. The achievements of Horatio Alger Members and the promise and drive shown by Horatio Alger Scholars and Alumni are possible because America’s freedoms are protected by service men and women.

“We are proud to return and support the 33^rd National Memorial Day Concert thanks to a select group of Members whose generosity made this possible,” said James F. Dicke II, chairman, Horatio Alger Association and 2015 Horatio Alger Award recipient. “This concert, and the men and women it honors, display the values our organization holds dear – bravery, compassion, dedication – the very ideals that symbolize what it means to be an American. The Association is honored to help recognize and pay homage to them through this longstanding tradition.”

More than 200 Members and hundreds more Alumni Scholars are veterans of the U.S. military, including David A. Thompson (’22), Robert A. McDonald (’22), Vance L. Cryer (’19), Tommy Ray Franks (’10), James H. Doolittle (’72), Sherian Grace Cadoria (’03), Robert J. Dole (’88), R. James Nicholson (’00), and Colin L. Powell (’91).

“It is a privilege to have welcomed so many veterans as Members over the last 75 years, and we look forward to inducting more each year,” said Terrence J. Giroux, executive director of the Association. “Supporting this concert is another way we can pay our respects to these brave men and women and show our gratitude for their selflessness that has provided our Members and Scholars the freedoms to pursue their dreams.”

Michael Colbert, Capital Concerts Executive Producer , said, “We are pleased to welcome back the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans as underwriter for the National Memorial Day Concert. This year’s concert will demonstrate the real meaning of the holiday through personal stories interwoven with musical performances to honor our nation’s heroes and recognize the ultimate sacrifice so many have made. We admire the Association’s mission to help develop future leaders through supporting deserving students who have showcased tremendous strength and perseverance in the face of adversity.”

Tony Award-winner Joe Mantegna and Emmy Award-winner Gary Sinise return as hosts of the National Memorial Day Concert, featuring live performances and tributes saluting American heroes from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The 2022 concert –one of PBS’ highest-rated programs – will feature the following special tributes:

• General Colin Powell Remembrance – Featuring acclaimed actor Dennis Haysbert (24, MAJOR LEAGUE). The concert will honor the memory and legacy of General Colin L. Powell, USA (Ret.). For over a quarter of a century, General Powell, a Horatio Alger Member, was an important part of the National Memorial Day Concert, speaking to the nation about the sacred meaning of Memorial Day, reminding us of the debt owed to all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our liberty and freedom, and calling on the nation to help and support those who served and their families.
• Generations of Service – Portrayed by award-winning actor Gil Birmingham(YELLOWSTONE, WIND RIVER). In tribute to the over 58,000 American lives lost in the Vietnam War and those who served during the Vietnam era, the concert will share the story of combat medic Francis Whitebird, a young warrior from a Lakota family with generations of military service. Whitebird’s uncle fought in World War I, his father was a Lakota Code Talker during World War II, and both his sons served in the Iraq War. During two tours in Vietnam, Whitebird endured combat losses and saved lives, received a Purple heart, and forged bonds of friendship that have lasted a lifetime. Francis Whitebird will be honored for his service to his fellow soldiers and to our country.
• Honoring Gold Star Families – With multi-Emmy Award-winning actress Jean Smart (HACKS, MARE OF EASTTOWN) and Joe Mantegna. Each year, the concert remembers the fallen and their grieving families. In 2022, we share the story of General Mark Graham, USA (Ret.) and his wife Carol, who in under eight months suffered the loss of their two sons. 2LT Jeff Graham was killed in Iraq by an IED blast and Senior ROTC Cadet Kevin Graham lost his battle with depression. Their sons died fighting different battles, but both dedicated their lives to serving the nation. The Grahams’ story shares their journey through grief, healing, and their decision to spend their lives helping others receive mental health and other critical support.
• Women in WWII Tribute – Featuring Tony Award-nominated star of stage and screenMary McCormack (HEELS, WEST WING). The concert will honor and remember the women who served the nation in uniform and on the home front in World War II in a tribute to these unsung heroes of the Greatest Generation, with several of these trailblazing women taking part in the segment.
• Medal of Honor Tribute – Featuring Gary Sinise. A tribute to the heroism, sacrifice and dedication of our Medal of Honor recipients – the nation’s highest award for valor in combat – will feature the participation of living recipients.
• Lincoln Memorial 100th anniversary – Featuring Gary Sinise. The concert will mark the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, built in tribute to President Lincoln. His Gettysburg Address spoken in honor of those who gave their last full measure of devotion, was foundational to the nation’s commemoration of Memorial Day.

The special tributes will be interwoven with guest speakers and musical performances by multiple award-winning actress and singer Lea Salonga; Emmy, Grammy, Tony and SAG Award-nominated actor Norm Lewis; and chart-topping country music singer songwriter and U.S. Army veteran Craig Morgan. The night will also include performances by Grammy Award-winning singer Rhiannon Giddens, Tony Award-winning Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell, acclaimed singer and American Idol alum Pia Toscano, and the National Symphony Orchestra led by top pops conductor Jack Everly. A special Salute to Services with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, debuted in 2021, will also return.`

The National Memorial Day Concert will broadcast live on PBS stations on Sunday, May 29, 2022, from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. EDT. It will be broadcasted to U.S. troops around the world on the American Forces Network. The concert will also stream on Facebook, YouTube, and at http://www.pbs.org/national-memorial-day-concert and will be available as Video on Demand, May 29 to June 12, 2022.

The Association honors all of our country’s courageous veterans and service men and women, including the following Horatio Alger Association Members:

Robert H. Abplanalp

Buzz Aldrin

Joe L. Allbritton

Wally Amos

Lee R. Anderson, Sr.

Walter Anderson

James R. Andrews, M.D.

Al Annexstad

George L. Argyros, Sr.

Roy L. Ash

Gene Autry

William E. Bailey

Karl D. Bays

Sandy Beaver

Howard O. Beaver, Jr.

J. Robert Beyster

John R. Block

Michael Bongiovanni

John Bowles

Walter Brennan

Jack H. Brown

Art Buchwald

Dean L. Buntrock

Harold Burson

Sherian Grace Cadoria

James R. Caldwell

Wesley E. Cantrell

Lester W. Carter

Johnny Cash

S. Truett Cathy

R. Carl Chandler

Marvin Chandler

Arthur A. Ciocca

James H. Clark

William P. Clements, Jr.

James A. Collins

John W. Colloton

John B. Connally

William Alfred Cook

Delos M. Cosgrove

Thomas G. Cousins

Robert L. Crandall

John C. Crean

Trammell Crow

Henry Crown

Vance L. Cryer

Emmett J. Culligan

Raymond L. Danner

John H. Dasburg

Peter M. Dawkins

William E.C. Dearden

Michael E. DeBakey

Robert H. Dedman

John Paul DeJoria

Jerry E. Dempsey

Richard M. DeVos

Robert J. Dole

William J. Donlon

James H. Doolittle

Adron Doran

Michael E. Dougherty

Archie W. Dunham

Percy J. Ebbot

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Leonard L. Farber

Robert E. Farrell

Clarence C. Finley

Lee F. Flaherty

Sam M. Fleming

Robert S. Fogarty, Jr.

Hiram L. Fong

Gerald R. Ford

Sam Fox

Tommy Ray Franks

Alwin F. Franz

Foster Stephen Friess

Robert P. Gerholz

Terry M. Giles

Robert Blyth Goergen

Stedman Graham

Harry J. Gray

William E. Greehey

Jenard M. Gross

Peter M. Guida

Chuck Hagel

Edmund A. Hajim

George S. Halas

Michel T. Halbouty

Bruce T. Halle

Alexander G. Hardy

Thomas L. Harken

Leon W. Harman

Paul Harvey

James A. Haslam II

Robert Wayne Hawkinson

Walter J. Hickel

Clayton Paul Hilliard

Richard D. Holland

Dennis Franklin Holt

Clifford F. Hood

Edward A. Horrigan, Jr.

John A. Howard

H. Wayne Huizenga

Jon M. Huntsman

Arthur E. Imperatore, Sr.

Daniel K. Inouye

Russell L. Isaacs

Arthur G. James

Dean W. Jeffers

James Earl Jones

Earle M. Jorgensen

Ewing Marion Kauffman

Dee J. Kelly

Patrick C. Kelly

Donald R. Keough

Jeong H. Kim

James V. Kimsey

Henry A. Kissinger

Richard L. Knowlton

Alexander Kroll

Thomas W. Landry

Kenneth G. Langone

Harold F. Lenfest

Alfred Lerner

Richard L. Lesher

Gilbert E. LeVasseur, Jr.

Samuel H. Levinson

James J. Ling

Bernie Little, Sr.

Allen Ludden

John D. MacArthur

Walter S. Mack

James J. Maguire, Sr.

Frederic V. Malek

Vincent G. Marotta

Abraham Lincoln Marovitz

Harvey L. Massey

Warren E. McCain

John H. McConnell

Robert A. McDonald

Charles A. McKee

Rod McKuen

Ed McMahon

Frank A. McPherson

Harry A. Merlo

Howard M. Meyers

Alan B. Miller

Thomas E. Millsop

George P. Mitchell

George J. Mitchell

Joseph R. Moderow

James R. Moffett

Thomas S. Monaghan

Thomas W. Moore

Jim Moran

John A. Moran

Michael G. Morris

Charles Stewart Mott

Frank C. Nicholas

R. James Nicholson

John J. O’Connor

James A. Patterson

John Pappajohn

Allen E. Paulson

William T. Payne

H. Ross Perot, Sr.

Ann Person

Lewis H. Phillips

Charles J. Pilliod, Jr.

Carl R. Pohlad

Harold A. Poling

Colin L. Powell

Gwilym A. Price

James H. Pugh, Jr.

Ronald Reagan

Steven S Reinemund

D.B. Reinhart

Frank E. Resnik

Harold J. Richards

Edward V. Rickenbacker

Carl H. Ricker, Jr.

Harry S. Rinker

Joseph Robbie

Josue Robles, Jr.

David M. Roderick

Juan Antonio Rodríguez

Richard M. Rosenberg

Darrell Royal

Howard A. Rusk

William G. Salatich

T. Denny Sanford

Harold G. Scheie

Stephen C. Schott

Peter G. Scotese

Ray W. Scott, Jr.

Walter Scott, Jr.

John H. Scully

Tom Selleck

James M. Seneff, Jr.

Beurt R. SerVaas

Mark Shepherd, Jr.

Delford M. Smith

George V. Smith

Alex G. Spanos

Jack D. Sparks

William H. Spoor

About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans: 

Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity in pursuit of their dreams through higher education. Through the generosity of its Members and friends, in 2022, the Association is expected to award more than $17 million in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships to over 1,700 students across the United States and Canada, and provide college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $235 million in undergraduate, graduate, military veteran and career and technical education scholarships to more than 35,000 deserving students. For more information, please visit  www.horatioalger.org.

About Capital Concerts:

Capital Concerts is the nation’s leading producer of live patriotic television shows, including PBS’s highest-rated performance specials: the NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT and A CAPITOL FOURTH, the premier celebrations of America’s most important holidays broadcast from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. For over 40 years, these two award-winning productions have become national traditions, bringing us together as one family of Americans to celebrate our freedom and democratic ideals and to pay tribute to those who defend them. The holiday specials have been honored with over 80 awards including the New York Film Festival Award, the Golden Cine Award, and the Writer’s Guild of America Award.

The program is a co-production of Michael Colbert of Capital Concerts and WETA, Washington, D.C. Executive producer Michael Colbert has assembled an award-winning production team that features the top Hollywood talent behind some of television’s most prestigious entertainment awards shows including the ACADEMY AWARDS, GRAMMY AWARDS, COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, TONY AWARDS, and more.