The museum held its inaugural American Portrait Gala on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, raising more than $1.74 million, which directly benefited the museum’s exhibition programming. The event honored Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Henry “Hank” Aaron, U.S. Marine and Medal of Honor recipient Cpl. Kyle Carpenter, singer and musician Aretha Franklin, fashion designer Carolina Herrera and designer and artist Maya Lin, all of whose portraits are in the museum’s collection. The honorees were awarded the Portrait of a Nation Prize for their exemplary accomplishments in the arts, business, entertainment, military service, sports and their commitments to service.
The evening began with a cocktail hour and dinner in the museum’s Kogod Courtyard. During dinner, guests enjoyed the presentation of the “Portrait of a Nation” Prize: actor/filmmaker Lee Daniels presented to Herrera, Gen. Joseph Dunford to Carpenter, Congressman John Lewis to Aaron, former Attorney General Eric Holder to Franklin and architect David Adjaye to Lin. The evening culminated with dessert and a musical performance by Franklin, who performed several hits, including “RESPECT,” “Freedom” and “Chain of Fools.”
