Join us for another installment of the Museum's popular Conversations series. This time we'll explore Capital of the World: The Race to the Host the United Nations, the newly published book, written by Charlene Mires, Associate Professor of History at Rutgers-Camden, and a co-recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in Journalism.

Visitors are invited to view the Museum's exhibitions from 5:00-6:00 p.m. The program begins promptly at 6:00 p.m., with a reception, including music from the 1940's and book signing.

Books will be available for purchase. Reception made possible by the NYU Press.

The program is presented in conjunction with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia. Mires will delve into the fascinating account of Philadelphia's involvement in the national competition to house the U.N. headquarters.

With a sweeping view of the United States’ place in the world at the end of World War II, the book tells the dramatic, surprising, and at times comic story of hometown promoters in pursuit of an extraordinary prize and the diplomats who struggled with the balance of power at a pivotal moment in history.

 “Philadelphians were convinced they were going to win” said Mires. “The New York Times carried headlines saying the U.N. was about to anoint Philadelphia as the Capital of the World. What was not known was that in the final days, behind the scenes, the call had gone out to Nelson Rockefeller to help solve the problem and bring the prize home to New York.”

Read more about Philadelphia's involvement in the race here!

Click the button below to register for the event.