The Portraits of Patriots project was started in 1998 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of George Washington.  As I sat in our daughter's classroom at a back to school night, I couldn't help but notice that many things had changed since I was in a classroom.  The most conspicuous by its absence was the portrait of our founding father, George Washington.  As I began talking to other parents they wondered what had happened to those portraits that we all remembered.

As schools started to renovate, and as new schools were being built, the old portraits came down and were never replaced.  Many people are unaware that the unfinished portrait that hung in the schools back in my time were put there by a Congressional Mandate in 1932 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of George Washington. George Washington's anniversaries have come and gone and it is highly unlikely that Congress will fund a campaign of this magnitude again. It is up to you and I as civic-minded citizens to take this project forward on a grass roots level.

We have printed from the original "signed artist proof" the steel engraved presidential portrait of George Washington by William E. Marshall in 1862. This 22x28" portrait is printed on acid free archival stock with a 3" embossed border like the original matted and framed in stately mahogany.

In my talks to groups around the country and legislators this project started to take on a life of it's own.  Sean Hannity, national radio host, refers to me in his radio shows as "the guy from New Jersey trying to get Washington's portrait back in the schools." 

I have appeared on four Fox News Channel shows as well as nine national radio shows.

Dave Elswick of KARN radio in Little Rock, Arkansas started a project to raise funds to put a George Washington portrait in all of the 80 schools in the Little Rock School District.  This effort is on going, and to date, 10 high schools have a portrait of George Washington hanging proudly.

On January 2, 2002, USA TODAY wrote an article about this project "The Very Picture of Patriotism."  Subsequently, National Review Online wrote an article, entitled "George Not Welcome Here," on January 9, 2002, addressing the disappearance of George Washington's portrait from our schools.

Presentations of this magnificent portrait have been made throughout the country and in England at Sulgrave Manor, the ancestral home of George Washington. Sir Phillip Goodhart was "very grateful" to have this portrait hanging at Sulgrave Manor.

Michael C. Quinn, Deputy Director for Programs at Mount Vernon, writes, "Your reproduction of this engraving is magnificent and truly lives up to the beauty and artistry of the Marshall's 1862 original."       

Our portrait graces the walls of many State Houses including New Jersey, Alabama. Maryland and Virginia.  George Allen, former Governor of Virginia, now US Senator from Virginia, has supported this project by writing, "please continue your important work on behalf of our heritage and positive solutions facing the people of our nation."

Many organizations like Eagle Forum, Rotary, and Chambers of Commerce as well as individual corporations have taken a strong leadership role in getting these portraits restored to our schools. 

"I have no other hero's except George Washington and my mother and I think you have a tremendous and essential project in trying to get Washington in all classrooms. Our young people need heroes so much."  Phyllis Schlafly, President of Eagle Forum.       

US Secretary of Education, Rod Paige was presented a Washington portrait in Atlanta in 2001. A portrait was also presented and placed on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. George Washington. 

Along with the missing portraits in our schools maybe you have noticed that George Washington's birthday is no longer celebrated on the day of his birthday and instead is now celebrated as President's Day.  I have initiated the following proclamation and it is currently being circulated among local towns and the fifty states.  Please feel free to print the proclamation and have your legislators read into the public record and sign this proclamation honoring George Washington on February 22. 

Click here to view copy of proclamation.

You will need Adobe® Acrobat Reader® to view link, please visit Adobe.com for a free version.

Article from National Review Online: click here.

Article from USA Today: click here.