Clinton Presidential Center celebrates 20th anniversary

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Shining like a beacon on the banks of the Arkansas River, the Clinton Presidential Center has stood now for two decades in Little Rock's East Village.

On Nov. 18, 2004, the Clinton family welcomed guests to the Clinton Presidential Center for the very first time, marking the location as a public space open to all.

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As one of just fifteen presidential libraries, it's much more than just one building. The complete records and documents of the Clinton presidency, a museum dedicated to Clinton's two terms in office, the Little Rock headquarters of the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton School of Public Service are all on one campus.

Now, twenty years later, the center continues to educate and inspire visitors from across the globe, and that inspiration stretches to those behind the scenes, too.

Ann Kamps has been with the center since that first year in 2004, helping lead what keeps the presidential library and museum running like a well-oiled machine, a force nearly 150 strong: all volunteers.

"What happened 30 years ago is still affecting us today," Kamps explained. "We're the bridge builders and it's our honor to be here."

Through the years, she's seen firsthand the impact the center has made on volunteers like Patrick Jacob, who joined the team in 2019.

"I went to the website and I was just reading about it," Jacob said. "and I saw a link that said 'volunteer.'"

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Volunteer of the Year and active duty with the Arkansas National Guard, Jacob is the very personification of what the center stands for: education, community, and service.

"You have people who have been here, volunteers who have been here, since the doors opened," Jacob said reflecting on the anniversary. "That's really inspiring."

The Clinton Center, he explained, is not just a home to documents and artifacts, but the story of a Natural State native, a hometown hero who became so much more.

"For this center to be here, that's a reminder of opportunities for all Arkansans," Jacob said.

A reminder also felt by Kamps, who on this special anniversary, isn't reflecting on what came before, but instead, looking to tomorrow.

"A lot of people think that a library is about the past," Kamps said. "I think it's about the future that we're building with our own bridge to the 21st century."

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The center will have events to celebrate 20 years before the end of the year and encourages everyone who hasn't visited to come check it out.