Presidential descendants discuss ancestors in Key West over Presidents Day weekend
KEY WEST - A forum featuring descendants of five former United States presidents, including grandsons of Jimmy Carter and Harry Truman, highlighted Presidents Day weekend at the Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West.
James Earl Carter IV, Clifton Truman Daniel and other descendants discussed the influence of the presidency during the forum at the Little White House, now Florida's only presidential museum. The sprawling residence was Truman's refuge for 11 working vacations during his 1945-53 administration - and later welcomed Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter and their family.
For Carter, the Saturday afternoon forum provided an opportunity to discuss his grandfather's legacy - both as a president and as a man he described as "just a great person."
"I think my grandfather's greatest legacy is that he injected the idea of human rights into the foreign policy of the United States, where that hadn't been a focus before," Carter said. "And I think that that's the way he wants to be remembered, as well as a humanitarian - as a person who cared about everyone across the entire world."
President Carter entered hospice care in Plains, Ga., one year ago Sunday after choosing not to continue life-prolonging treatment.
In addition to Carter IV and Daniel, the forum also featured Mary Jean Eisenhower, granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower; Patricia Taft, great-granddaughter of William Howard Taft; and Massee McKinley, great-great-grandson of Grover Cleveland.
Presented in part by the not-for-profit Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation, Presidential Families Weekend events continue through Monday with two performances of the one-man play "Give 'Em Hell, Harry," starring Daniel as his grandfather.
