Smith County Celebrates hosted their second annual Nobel Peace Prize Dinner at the Smith County Ag Center on the evening of Saturday, August 18, 2018.
This event honors the two Nobel Peace Prize recipients from Smith County: Cordell Hull and Al Gore, Jr. Hull was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945, and Gore received the same award in 2007.
Al Gore surprised attendees of the celebration with his presence at the dinner. His daughter Karenna was also in attendance.
Smith County Celebrates is a local non-profit, non-partisan organization established to celebrate the history and heritage of Smith County and its residents, past and present. Their mission is to encourage Smith County residents to “pursue their place in history.”
The organization focuses particularly on increasing knowledge about the two Nobel Peace Prize winners who called Smith County home. Smith County is the only community in the state or in the world that can claim it was home to two Nobel Peace Prize recipients.
At the dinner on Saturday night, Smith County Celebrates awarded four $500 scholarships to two students from Gordonsville High School and two students from Smith County High School.
A mobile educational exhibit about Cordell Hull and Al Gore, which was curated by Smith County Celebrates, was also displayed around the Ag Center for guests to admire. This exhibit will be available at no cost for local businesses, schools, and organizations to display upon request.
Dinner was served at 6:00 p.m., followed by presentations by Mr. Walter Glenn Birdwell and Mr. Jack McCall. The two men shared humorous stories and compelling history about the two honorees of the night.
After the presentation was complete, Al Gore mingled with other event attendees, pausing for pictures and personally congratulating the local scholarship recipients.
To learn more about Smith County Celebrates and its mission, please visit smithcountycelebrates.org or call (615)270-5565.
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