SMU Center for Presidential History

10/16/2026

Which U.S. foreign policy decisions were the best, and which were the worst?
Join CPH on October 29, from 6:00–7:30 p.m., at McCord Auditorium to hear from James M. Lindsay and Christopher Nichols as they explore how historians evaluate pivotal foreign policy decisions and examine why some choices are remembered as successes while others remain controversial.

More info and registration here: https://blog.smu.edu/cph/event/best-and-worst-decisions-in-u-s-foreign-policy/

10/15/2026

TONIGHT! Join us on Zoom for our 2026 CPH Book Prize Lecture. Oscar Winberg presents "Archie Bunker for President"
Register here: https://smu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ARYEHlzCR_uk16Un-Gx8PA

10/15/2026

What happens when longtime allies disagree on the best path forward?
Check out “Cross Currents,” season one of our podcast “Firsthand History,” hosted by CPH fellow LaiYee Leong. Through firsthand accounts from U.S. and Norwegian officials, discover how two longtime allies navigated competing diplomatic and security goals.
https://www.smu.edu/dedman/research/institutes-and-centers/center-for-presidential-history/podcasts/firsthand-history/season-1---cross-currents---navigating-us-norway-relations-after-9-11

10/14/2026

THURSDAY 10/15 - Join our Zoom Video Webinar as we welcome Oscar Winberg, winner of the 2026 CPH Book Prize for his book "Archie Bunker for President: How One Television Show Remade American Politics."
Zoom Registration here: https://smu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ARYEHlzCR_uk16Un-Gx8PA

10/13/2026

The Center for Presidential History extends its appreciation to speaker Amy S. Greenberg, the George W. Bush Presidential Library, and everyone who attended Party at the Springs: Political Organizing at Mineral Spring Resorts in the Nineteenth Century. We are honored to host presentations such as these that celebrate America 250 and highlight how history depends on primary sources.

Missed the presentation? Watch the event recording here: https://youtu.be/75rkC_kdZSw?si=f838wKJJaYnFe_IX

10/08/2026

Join the CPH via Zoom in one week for a conversation with Oscar Winberg about his book, Archie Bunker for President: How One Television Show Remade American Politics! Winner of the 2026 CPH Book Prize, the book examines how All in the Family transformed the relationship between television, media, and American politics.

More info and registration here: https://blog.smu.edu/cph/event/cphbookprize2026/

10/07/2026

Accepting submissions now for the 2027 CPH Book Prize! Due Nov. 15.
Awarded annually for a distinguished first book published in English, in any aspect of U.S. presidential history, broadly defined.
You can find instructions, past winners & more at www.smu.edu/cph/bookprize

10/04/2026

Join CPH via Zoom on 10/15 at 6:00pm as Oscar Winberg, Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Turku, discusses his book, Archie Bunker for President: How One Television Show Remade American Politics, winner of the 2026 CPH Book Prize! Discover how a sitcom shaped American political culture and how entertainment television continues to influence political strategies and personality politics today.
All info & registration here: https://blog.smu.edu/cph/event/cphbookprize2026/

09/30/2026

TONIGHT at SMU! Join us as we welcome Amy Greenberg (Penn State) for "Party at the Springs: Political Organizing at Mineral Spring Resorts in the Nineteenth Century."
Co-sponsored with the George W. Bush Presidential Library.
All info & registration here:

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding, the Center for Presidential History, in conjunction with the George W. Bush Presidential Library, is hosting a talk by Amy S. Greenberg from Penn State University.

09/29/2026

Congratulations to our SMU colleague Ariel Ron who has just been named a 2026 MacArthur Foundation Fellow! Commonly called the "Genius" grant, the MacArthur identifies "extraordinarily creative individuals with a track record of excellence in a field of scholarship or area of practice, who demonstrate the ability to impact society in significant and beneficial ways through their pioneering work or the rigor of their contributions."
Read all about it here! https://www.macfound.org/programs/awards/fellows/