Events will mark 50th anniversary of Hollybush Summit in Glassboro

GLASSBORO - The town had only 16 hours to prepare before the President of the United States and his Russian counterpart arrived, but what they did helped diffuse the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union during the height of the Cold War.

The Hollybush Summit, which brought together President Lyndon Johnson and Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin to the then-Glassboro State College campus, is considered a meeting which proved there was a cordial way for world leaders to communicate in times of near conflict. From June 23 to June 25, 1967, Johnson and Kosygin quelled the growing friction between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective dealings in the Six-Day War in the Middle East.

The summit came to be after Kosygin contacted the White House, asking for a meeting with president Johnson before he planned to address his concerns for taking military action in Israel to the United Nations headquarters in New York. Before Kosygin reached New York, Johnson agreed to meet with the Soviet Premier midway between Washington D.C. and the UN, in the town of Glassboro.

Quickly, word was sent to the town a space was needed for the two leaders to meet, so Glassboro and the college worked together to prepare for their arrival. In as little as 16 hours, the Hollybush Mansion  -- which was the home of Glassboro State College's president, Thomas Robinson, at the time --was made ready to host the two leaders as they worked to resolve the conflict looming over the world.

Now, almost 50 years later, Glassboro and Rowan University are celebrating the event that made the town the center of worldwide attention in 1967. This time, however, they have more than 16 hours to prepare.

On June 24, Rowan University will hold its 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Hollybush Summit, which will feature a host of events in Glassboro including performances, local tours, and a special evening dinner and award ceremony called, "the Spirit of Hollybush."

"It's a challenge telling the story and getting people to appreciate that it happened," said Rowan University Vice President of public relations, Joe Cardona. "To [prepare] an event like this you're really appealing to people who love history."

Cardona explained how the legacy of the Summit is preserved by Glassboro and the lengths the community went to make sure the town was ready for the meeting.

"Really, it's the borough that made the event successful," Cardona said.

While the borough may have made the summit happen, the events of what transpired at the mansion still have agency in the world, according to Rowan Professor of Russian History, James Heinzen.

"In the long term, the most lasting impact of the Hollybush Summit, was the pattern whereby the leaders of these countries would meet regularly so the conflict between these countries wouldn't boil over," said Heinzen.

"[In 1976 and today] there are still tensions in the Middle East and there are still tensions with Russia." Heinzen said. "Our relationship with Russia was important then and it's important now."

The events on June 24 start at noon and conclude at 4 pm. with the exception of the final dinner event, "the Spirit of Hollybush." The events include:

  • Tours inside the Hollybush Mansion, '60s era music, a vintage '60s car show, face painting and balloon artists at a festival outside of the house.
  • An interactive theatrical performance of "the negotiation process" where audience members will be able to participate in the discussion.
  • Tours of the Hollybush Mansion, the Historic West Jersey Depot Museum, Heritage Glass Museum in Downtown Glassboro and the City Summit Farm and Winery.
  • The Edelman Planetarium will be showing, "10 Minutes to War" a film about a solar flare which almost caused nuclear war a week before the summit.
  • A special dinner event at 6 pm, "The Spirit of Hollybush Dinner and Awards," where five Glassboro residents will be recognized for their achievements in the community. Seating for the event is limited and tickets can be purchased at https://www.glassboro.org/summit-celebration.

Justin Decker may be reached at jdecker@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Justin Decker on Twitter @Justin_A_Decker. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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