August 2017 – The Center for Presidential History

The theme for this year is “America’s Place in the World.” Featuring presentations from historians and scholars from all over the United States, we will explore how America has interacted with foreign nations in the past and how it has affected our international policy and positions today. Many of our events will be presented in partnership with other institutions, including the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, the William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies, and the Division of Music in the SMU Meadows School of the Arts.

Highlights include:

Twenty-Six Seconds: A Personal History of the Zapruder Film (October 26, 2017)
- The moving, untold family story behind Abraham Zapruder’s film footage of the Kennedy assassination, presented by Alexandra Zapruder, Abraham’s granddaughter.
When the World Seemed New: George H.W. Bush and the End of the Cold War (November 14, 2017)
- Based on unprecedented access to previously classified documents and dozens of interviews with key policymakers, here is the untold story of how George H. W. Bush faced a critical turning point of history—the end of the Cold War. Includes a book sale and signing with our own Jeffrey Engel.
How Van Cliburn Got to Moscow (February 20, 2018)
- In partnership with SMU’s Meadows School of Music, Danielle Fosler-Lussier of Ohio State University explores the life of famed pianist Van Cliburn, and how musicians like him got to Moscow during the height of the Cold War.
Southern Belles, Washington Balls, and Dixie’s Reach: How Southern First Ladies Changed America’s Compass (March 28, 2018)
- A day long panel conference featuring various speakers on the impact of Southern First Ladies.

FOR A FULL LIST OF OUR EVENTS, CLICK HERE.

Our events are free and open to the public.
Registration for each event opens about three weeks before the event date.

To receive email updates on events, sign up for our mailing list here.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest information.