Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner
| Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner | |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) |
Waldorf Astoria New York, New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Organized by | Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation |
| Website | |
| www |
|
The Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, commonly known as the Al Smith Dinner, is an annual white tie fundraiser in the United States for Catholic charities supporting "the neediest children of the Archdiocese of New York, regardless of race, creed, or color." Held at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on the third Thursday of October, it is organized by the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation in honor of Al Smith who grew up in poverty and later became the Governor of New York four times and the first Roman Catholic nominated as the Democratic candidate for the 1928 United States presidential election. The dinner is hosted by the Archbishop of New York.
Cardinal Francis Spellman founded and hosted the first dinner in 1945 after Smith's death the previous year. It is generally the last event at which the two U.S. presidential candidates share a stage before the election. Apart from presidential candidates, keynote speakers have included Tony Blair,Tom Brokaw, Bob Hope, Henry Kissinger, Clare Boothe Luce, and many other prominent civic, business, and church leaders.
Since 1960, when John F. Kennedy (he would become first Roman Catholic president) and Richard Nixon were speakers, it has been a stop for the two main presidential candidates during several U.S. election years. In 1976, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford spoke; in 1980, Carter and Ronald Reagan; in 1988, George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis; in 2000, Al Gore and George W. Bush; in 2008, Barack Obama and John McCain; in 2012, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney and in 2016, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Since 1945, only two presidents have not spoken at the dinner: Harry Truman and Bill Clinton. Candidates have traditionally given humorous speeches poking fun at themselves and their opponents, making the event similar to a roast. The 2008 dinner raised $3.9 million. The 2016 dinner raised $6 million.
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