Press Release
4700 Westerm Heritage Way • Los Angeles, California 90027-1462
T 323.667.2000 • F 323.660.5721 • www.AutryNationalCenter.org
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Cowboys and Presidents
Cowboy Culture and Presidential Politics Intersect
at the Autry National Center
April 12, 2008, through September 7, 2008
Los Angeles (January 7, 2008) — From Theodore Roosevelt to George W. Bush, United
States presidents have used the powerful iconographic symbol of the heroic American
cowboy to define themselves and their administrations to the nation and the world. In this
election year, the Autry National Center explores the fascinating and ongoing intersection
of cowboy culture and presidential politics in Cowboys and Presidents, which opens on
April 12, 2008.
This timely exhibition includes many historically important images and artifacts that are
associated with a host of American presidents, such as Benjamin Harrison’s longhorn chair;
Theodore Roosevelt’s personal photo album of his ranch; Calvin Coolidge’s electric exercise
horse and cowboy outfit; Lyndon B. Johnson’s famous Stetson hat; Ronald Reagan’s cowboy
boots adorned with a map of Texas; Bill Clinton’s childhood drawings based on the film
High Noon; and the Saddle of Independence, given to George W. Bush in memory of the
9/11 attacks. Motion pictures, television, radio, and music enhance the exhibition and
visitors are invited to cast their votes on thought-provoking issues in interactive voting
booths. Presidential connections to California and the West can be found throughout the
exhibition, including highlights on Ronald Reagan, Hollywood, and Western trips by many
of the featured presidents.
The presidency became intertwined with the cowboy image at the turn of the twentieth
century and was used by the press, foreign governments, and domestic political opponents
to praise or criticize presidential policy and leadership. Cowboys and Presidents reveals the
media’s impact on the cowboy imagery in both domestic and international contexts through
photographs, political cartoo