Dr. Lonnie R. Johnson, former Executive Director of the binational Fulbright Commission in Austria, spoke on the history of the education exchange known as the Fulbright Scholars Program, named after its founder Senator J. William Fulbright from Arkansas. This presentation was October’s First Monday Forum, IPDGC’s collaborative event with the Public Diplomacy Council of America.
Fulbright’s commitment to global peace came followed the horrific experiences of World War 2; he would become an outspoken opponent of US involvement in Vietnam. However, as a Southern man of the time, he was also consistently opposed legislation that would protect the civil rights of Black Americans during the 50s. This has resulted in the struggle within the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to rebrand the program.
Johnson disagrees with this move and has written about the need to recognize the need for a truthful telling of this history and questions efforts to exclude references to Fulbright and his foundational vision. “U.S. public diplomacy should be fact-based… the Fulbright program without J. William Fulbright doesn’t make sense,” Johnson said.
He added that the erasure of Fulbright and his contributions from his namesake program runs counter to its commitment to a free and honest exchange of ideas, and threatens to damage public perception of the program at home and abroad. In April this year, he posted his views in an open letter to the global Fulbright community. Johnson is currently writing a book on the history and contributions of Sen. J. William Fulbright to foreign policy and international education programs.
Joel Fischmann, PDCA President in closing the forum commented, “We need the reminder that these bigger-than-life historical figures have flaws”.
Johnson traveled from Vienna, Austria to speak at the event held at the GW Elliott School of International Affairs.
Recording of the October First Monday Forum: Remembering Fulbright