These guys are money, as many of you know. We are so fortunate and privileged to be associated with them. Tonight, we welcome our two guests. Westra,lls, and kayla of the Minnesota West Community and technical college, the coauthors of great wartime escapes and rescues. Ill start by saying they had me in grade school. I was a fourthgrader when hollywood released the great escape, starring Steve Mcqueen and james garner, richard. And borough, and charles bronson, among others. It quickly became a tv staple all of the guys in my class fell in martinsburg, missouri fell in love with it. We played it out in recess. All of us wanted to be mcqueen. I think i ended up with the attenborough role. Get executed at the end of the movie. Of course, mcqueen survives. What we didnt realize then and what we probably didnt care about was that the movie was based on a true story, the escape of 76 allied soldiers and in 1944. From germany the film pretty much gave us the reallife tragic ending to that s
His numerous books include the return of George Washington, a New York Times bestseller, to the edges of the earth, winner of the 2019 National Outdoor book award. And some are for the gods, the scopes trial and the american the continued debate oversight of religion for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for history. He was an inaugural library fallow at National Library for the study of George Washington located on the grounds ofra mout vernon. He lives in malibu, california. Please give a warm savannah welcome to edward larson. [applause] thank you very much. Youre welcome. Thank you very much, thank you for having me back to savannah. In the spring when the essay deals are out. Thats always my favorite time. And as note i i taught for 20 years at university of georgia. Thats what i started as a young professor, and eventually was chair of the History Department and those are some of my happiest days. And and i want to give a shout t today two of my oldest friends in the world, or
Times, is the part of our Irene Schwartz Speaker Series and is always i like to thank mr. Schwartz for his great generosity which is enabled us to bring so many fine speakers to this stage. [applause]. I would like to recognize the chair of our executive committee id like to thank you rick, for all of the very many things you do. On behalf of this great institution. Thank you. [applause]. And want to thank all of the chairman counselor to who are with us this evening as well for their great support of New York Historical. Tonight news program is about is lasting about an hour there will be a questionandanswer session. You should have received no card with a pencil on your way into the auditorium this evening and if not, my colleagues are going up and down the aisles with no cards and pencils. No cards with your questions will be collected later on in the program. The program there will be a book signing tonight. This will be in our ny history start and copies of ambassadors who are the
Expanded to black History Month. We would like to thank our sponsors. They include the prince georges truth branch. Usa today. And the law and policy group. We would also like to thank all of those people who make black history happen all year round. The year of 2019 is special for many reasons. We will explore those reasons in two parts. Part i, well talk about the theme for black History Month this year, and that is black migrations. Our press event also includes a panel of scholars who will enlighten this occasion with their expertise on the 400 years of africanamerican perseverance and resilience triggered from that arrival of 20 africans in 1619. But first, if we have her here, were looking for the president of the National Press club, alison fitzgeraldcojak. If youll go get her. Who will come to give welcome in a few minutes. We are also honored to have the presence of dr. Loni g. Bunch iii. The founding director of the National Museum of africanAmerican History and culture, and
Here for black History Month. Now the association for the study of africanAmerican Life and history was founded by dr. Carter god win woodson i started as negro history week and now of course has been expanded to black History Month. We would like to thank our sponsors. They include the prince georges truth branch of u. S. A. Today and the law and policy group. We would also like to thank you all of those people who make black history happen all year round. The year 2019 is special for many reasons. We will explore those reasons in two parts. Part one will talk about the theme for black History Month this year, and that is black my grayings. Our press event also includes a panel of migrations, our press also includes includes scholars who will share their expertise on the 400 years of perseverance triggered by that migration. First, if we have her here, Allison Fitzgerald kojak. You will get her, she will come to give welcome in a few minutes. We are also honored to have the presence o