Abilene, Kan. - The Eisenhower Presidential Library will host the Lunch & Learn program, "Alaska, Hawaii, and the Politics of Statehood," on March 26, 2026, at 12 p.m. CDT. The hybrid program will take place in the Library building indoor courtyard and will be available online via YouTube Livestream. Guests attending in person should arrive by 11:45 a.m. The library will provide a light box-lunch on a first-come, first-served basis.
Dr. C. Lawrence Evans, the Newton Family Professor of Government at William & Mary, will join the program virtually to discuss the political debate surrounding the admission of Alaska and Hawaii as states.
"The granting of statehood to Alaska and Hawaii constituted one of the definitive political disputes of the immediate post World War II era," Evans notes. The presentation will clarify why admission took nearly 15 years after strong public support emerged and will highlight President Eisenhower's pivotal role. Evans will also examine the implications for current statehood discussions regarding the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.