James A. Garfield subject of talk at Lake Erie College

National historian Dr. Thomas Balcerski will be speaker

The James A. Garfield National Historic Site has announced a partnership with the James A. Garfield Alliance and Lake Erie College to host a public program by presidential historian and CNN contributor Dr. Thomas Balcerski.

The event will take place Sept. 23 with the public program at 7 p.m. in the Helen Rockwell Morley Memorial Music Building on the college campus in Painesville. It is free and open to the public.

The presentation is titled “James A. Garfield and the Seven Presidents of Long Branch, New Jersey.” Balcerski, a New Jersey native, will discuss the many U.S. presidents who vacationed or spent significant time in the resort town of Long Branch and will give special emphasis to Garfield who was born and raised in Northeast Ohio, according to a news release.

Balcerski is an associate professor of history at Eastern Connecticut

State University, and his research interests include U.S. presidents, first ladies, and American political history. He has appeared on CNN, C-SPAN and NBC Connecticut to discuss presidential history, and his written work has appeared in numerous history journals, on CNN. com and in the Washington Post.

“We’re excited to help bring Dr. Balcerski to northeast Ohio,” Todd Arrington, site manager of James A. Garfield National Historic Site, said in the release. “We’ve gotten to know him through interactions on social media and in reading his work in various places, and we’re glad to note that he’s a fan of President Garfield.

“We’re especially excited to work with our non-profit partner, the James A. Garfield Alliance, and Lake Erie College to make this fascinating program free to the public.”

The James A. Garfield Alliance preserves Garfield’s legacy by supporting the national historic site through philanthropy and inspiring communities into action, the release stated. It advocates for the site by supporting educational and community programs and other needs that enhance the public use and enjoyment of the historic site.

Lake Erie College’s main entrance is at 475 Mentor Ave. in Painesville. Enter the campus at this address and turn immediately to the right, then take the first left into the parking lot. The Morley Memorial Music Building is #4 on the college’s Main Campus map.

Balcerski