SARASOTA, Fla. — New College of Florida and the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the International Churchill Society will cohost “Churchill 150,” a celebration of 150 years since the birth of Sir Winston Churchill. The first event, “A Churchill 150 Forum: Churchill, FDR, and the Waging of World War II” will be held January 23, 2024, 2-4 p.m. in College Hall, 351 College Drive, Sarasota, Florida. The public is welcome to attend and participate in discussion of a selection from “Debating Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Foreign Policies, 1933-1945.” The chapter being discussed was written by New College Professor Emeritus Justus Doenecke, who co-authored the book with Mark Stoler.
The event represents the second Socratic Stage event, an initiative to bring people of varying perspectives together in civil discourse and the free exchange of ideas. Jeri Sedlar, communications chair for the Churchill Society, will moderate the discussion to guide key themes and foster a robust dialogue. Interested participants can register online: https://form.jotform.com/communicationsassist/Churchill150
The selected text is available on the RSVP webpage as well as the New College Office of Public Policy Events webpage.
“Winston Churchill is one of the historical figures I most admire,” said New College President Richard Corcoran. “This forum will invite a vigorous discussion on the waging and winning of World War II under the leadership of Churchill and Roosevelt.”
“Churchill is considered to be the most important man of the 20th Century and his messages and style still resonate today,” said Dr. Gene Kopelson, President of Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the International Churchill Society.
Doenecke has written on various topics, including the presidencies of James Garfield and Chester Arthur. He is the recipient of the prestigious Arthur S. Link Prize from the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations for his documentary history of the America First Committee of 1940-1941. His 2000 book, “Storm on the Horizon: the Challenge to American Intervention, 1939-1941” received the Herbert Hoover Book Award from the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum.
Seating for the event is limited. The deadline to RSVP is Thursday, January 18.