In the early morning hours of May 9, 1970, Richard Nixon reached across the political divide in an unprecedented way by making a surprise visit to student protestors occupying the National Mall. If it were a leader other than Nixon, this event could very well be cast as one of the most inspiring moments of a 20th century president.

Awake in the Lincoln Sitting Room at about 4 a.m., Nixon was listening to a composition by Rachmaninoff. As he took advantage of the majestic view the White House affords of the Lincoln Memorial, he observed small clusters of students beginning to gather. Nixon was inspired to visit the contingent. This was hostile territory as the protest movement was in full force with activists having descended on Washington to protest the death of four students at Kent State just five days prior, as well as the recent escalation of the Vietnam War into Cambodia.