Press release: Lecture from looks at the parallels between 2024 and Nixon’s 1968 election

15 October 2024
Days before the US elects its next president, lecture from Gresham College looks at the parallels with Richard Nixon’s 1968 election
Professor Luke Nichter, to give lecture based on previously unexplored archives on Thursday, 31 October, online and in central London
On Tuesday, November 5, the American people will be asked to decide between electing Kamala Harris or Donald Trump as their next president.
It’s been a hard-fought race, with claims and counter claims made by the candidates and their supporters as they bid to move into the White House and control one of the largest democracies in the world.
There are fears that, like 2020, there could be similar claims of voter irregularities and stolen elections as the results come in.
But there are parallels too with 1968: the year that Richard Nixon became the 37th president of the United States. It was a three-way contest between Democrat Hubert Humphrey, Republican Richard Nixon, and independent George Wallace.
Luke Nichter, professor of history and James H. Cavanaugh Endowed Chair in Presidential Studies at Chapman University, is flying to London’s Gresham College to reveal previously unexplored archives and offer fresh insights into one of the most divisive elections in modern US history.
“History doesn’t exactly repeat itself, but 1968 has been a surprisingly good guide to 2024 in terms of American politics – a surprise presidential withdrawal from the race, an unpopular war motivating young people, and political violence,” he said.
“I’m thrilled to be able to share this story at Gresham College.”
Professor Nichter is a noted expert on the secret White House recordings made from Franklin D Roosevelt’s presidency through to Richard Nixon, writing an authoritative history of their taping systems.
He has also filed more than 2,000 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for the purpose of opening historically important records to public access — work that has been officially endorsed by the American Historical Association, helping us understand more fully the true story of America’s first citizen.
The lecture will be given at Gresham College’s base in Barnard’s Inn Hall, Holborn, London.
Starting at 1pm on Thursday, 31 October, entry is free, and it is also broadcast live online. It will last an hour.
In-person places can be booked online via Gresham College’s website, https://www.gresham.ac.uk/whats-on/election-1968-2024
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Notes to Editors
Pictures available on request
For more information about this story or to arrange an interview with a Gresham Professor please contact: Phil Creighton press@gresham.ac.uk
About Gresham College
Gresham College has been providing free, educational lectures - at the university level - since 1597 when Sir Thomas Gresham founded the college to bring Renaissance Learning to Londoners. Our history includes some of the luminaries of the scientific revolution including Robert Hooke and Sir Christopher Wren and connects us to the founding of the Royal Society.
Today we carry on Sir Thomas's vision. The College aims to stimulate intellectual curiosity and to champion academic rigour, professional expertise and freedom of expression. www.gresham.ac.uk
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