National Press Club history snippet: Members of Indian political dynasty appear at Club

1979 National Press Club President Art Wiese was one of the Club's greatest leaders and most ardent supporters. He was responsible for planning much of the reconstruction of the Club during the building renovation in the early 1980s. For years, he was a watchdog to assure that the Club maintained its tradition as a safe harbor for journalists and communicators.

In his later years, he put together a series of snippets on the Club's history. In honor of his passing this year, The Wire will run one of them each week:

"Indian trio: India's tragedy-haunted Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty were no strangers to the National Press Club. The founding father, Jawaharlal Nehru, his nation's first prime minister after achieving nationhood, addressed the Club in 1956 and in 1961. His daughter, Indira Gandhi, who served four terms before being assassinated, spoke in 1966 and 1971. And her son, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, spoke in 1985. Later he also was assassinated. They all appeared at the National Press Club---where news is made in the nation's capital."