Presented on April 28, 2006

Robert Eisinger, Associate Professor and Chair of Political Science Dept., Lewis & Clark College; William G. Robbins, Emeritus Distinguished Professor of History, Oregon State University; David Sarasohn, Associate Editor, The Oregonian and history author; Christy George, host of OPB's Oregon Territory, moderator

"In his civil rights manifesto, “The Fire Next Time”, James Baldwin contends ""history does not refer merely or even principally to the past. On the contrary, the great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways and that history is literally present in all that we do.""
The history of the American presidency certainly typifies the powerful force that Baldwin describes. Those who have held the office of president helped shape the United States and influenced international events. This Friday Forum, which coincides with the opening of Oregon Historical Society's new exhibit, will explore the office, the men who occupied it and their dynamic relationships with the public—with a specific look at those presidents who helped define and shape Oregon."