The George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida will welcome best-selling author, three-time Pulitzer Prize winner, and former Washington Post journalist Mr. Rick Atkinson as the 2026 Michael Gannon Lecture speaker. Mr. Atkinson will deliver his lecture on the subject of World War II on Tuesday, Mar. 31 at 4 p.m. in the Grand Reading Room at Smathers Library. The lecture is free and open to the public and a book signing will follow. Register here to attend.
The annual Gannon Lecture commemorates the achievements of Prof. Michael Gannon, Distinguished Service Professor, remembered at the University of Florida as an outstanding teacher, scholar and advocate for fairness and academic integrity. Nationally known for his books on Florida history and the history of World War II, Gannon’s career encompassed work as a broadcaster and author, as a priest in the Catholic Church, a professor of religion, ethics, and history and a leader in promoting history to both academia and the public.
At different points in his life he stood between police lines and student demonstrators at protests, headed major research initiatives on Florida’s colonial history, represented the university in overseas academic collaborations with Spain and penned best-selling works on naval warfare in World War II. The Michael Gannon Lecture features talks by fellow scholars who focus on topics he himself promoted or followed, including history of religion, Hispanic culture in the United States, the second World War and the place of Florida in American history.
About Rick Atkinson
Mr. Atkinson is the author of the Liberation Trilogy, a definitive narrative history of the liberation of Europe in World War II. Its third volume, The Guns at Last Light, became a #1 New York Times best-seller in 2013 and was hailed as “history written at the level of literature.” Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Atkinson shares compelling stories and insights drawn from military history, illuminating timeless lessons about leadership, sacrifice, and the enduring demands of democracy.
He is also the author of the New York Times best-selling The British Are Coming, the first volume of his acclaimed Revolution Trilogy, which has earned numerous honors including the George Washington Prize and the New-York Historical Society’s Zalaznick Book Prize. The second volume in the trilogy, The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777–1780, continues the sweeping narrative of the American Revolution, capturing the conflict’s critical middle years with vivid storytelling and deep historical insight. Atkinson also serves as a historical advisor for Ken Burns’ PBS documentary series The American Revolution, which commemorates the Revolution’s 250th anniversary.
Acclaimed for works such as An Army at Dawn (Pulitzer Prize, History), The Day of Battle, and The Long Gray Line, Atkinson has built a body of work that combines meticulous research with elegant prose. His other books include Crusade, In the Company of Soldiers, and Where Valor Rests: Arlington National Cemetery.
Among his many accolades are the Pulitzer Prizes for history, national reporting, and public service; the George Polk Award; the Pritzker Military Library Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement; and the Samuel Eliot Morison Prize. He has served as the Omar N. Bradley Chair of Strategic Leadership at the U.S. Army War College and remains on its adjunct faculty.
A former assistant managing editor for investigations at The Washington Post, Atkinson reported from Berlin, Somalia, Bosnia, and Iraq, earning a reputation as one of America’s most incisive chroniclers of war and leadership. Born in Munich and raised on military posts, Atkinson holds a Master’s in English literature from the University of Chicago and an honorary doctorate from Norwich University.
Please visit UFgive.to/GannonLecture to support the Michael Gannon Lecture Fund ensuring future events with thought-provoking speakers honoring the legacy and career of Professor Michael Gannon.