HSPD Presents: Gary Powers, Jr.

The Historical Society of Palm Desert proudly presents the Friday Night Lecture series.

Guest Speaker: Gary Powers, Jr.

Gary Powers, Jr. is a nationally recognized Cold War historian, author, and speaker dedicated to preserving and sharing one of the most pivotal eras in modern history. The son of CIA U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers—whose 1960 shootdown over the Soviet Union became a defining Cold War moment—Gary has spent decades working to separate myth from fact and honor those who served during this tense global standoff.

He is the Founder and Chairman Emeritus of The Cold War Museum, established in 1996 to preserve Cold War history, commemorate veterans, and educate future generations. He also served as Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Cold War Theme Study, collaborating with the National Park Service to identify and preserve significant Cold War historic sites.

Gary is the author of Letters from a Soviet Prison, Spy Pilot, and Enemy Territory, books that provide deeply personal and historical insight into the U-2 Incident and its global impact. He also consulted on the Steven Spielberg film Bridge of Spies, which dramatizes the 1962 spy exchange involving his father.

A frequent lecturer and media contributor, Gary has appeared on C-SPAN, the History Channel, Discovery, and A&E. With advanced degrees in philosophy, public administration, and U.S. history, he brings both scholarly depth and personal perspective to his presentations.

Gary Powers, Jr. offers audiences a compelling blend of firsthand family history, national security insight, and powerful storytelling that brings the Cold War vividly to life.