David Freeman Takes Over From John David Olsen
Long-time Churchill Centre member and Finest Hour contributor David Freeman has taken over the reins of the Chartwell Bulletin [CB] from John David Olsen starting with this issue. “John transformed the CB from a quarterly print publication mailed out to hundreds into a monthly online newsletter sent out to tens of thousands,” Freeman explained. “My job now is to build on the base which John established in order to draw in more readers as active members of the Churchill Centre.” “I will be working closely with Finest Hour editor Richard Langworth to coordinate the two journals by which we regularly engage our members,” Freeman said.
David Freeman joined the Churchill Centre nearly thirty years ago. During those years he qualified as a nuclear reactor operator aboard a US Navy fast-attack submarine. After his honorable discharge he pursued a Ph.D. in history which he earned at Texas A&M University. Since 1999 he has taught in the History Department at California State University, Fullerton. Along the way he became a regular contributor to Finest Hour and now serves on the journal’s editorial advisor board. He has contributed several major articles and many book reviews to the publication.
Many of Dr. Freeman’s articles started as presentations given to local chapters of the Churchill Centre as well as at the Centre’s annual general meetings. He has spoken about Churchill before audiences in Dallas, Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston and even Belfast, Northern Ireland. Additionally, he has researched Churchill throughout the major archives in Britain including the Churchill Archive Centre in Cambridge, the British National Archives, the British Library, the House of Lords Record Office and the research libraries of Oxford and Birmingham universities. His own library of books by and about Churchill swells annually at great cost to the available living space in his home.
“What I enjoy most about belonging to the Churchill Centre is meeting with other members and sharing their enthusiasm,” Freeman explains. “There are members from all over the world and from many walks of life. Learning their stories as well as what interests them about Churchill always fascinates me. Many of our members have very successful careers in business, the law, medicine, education, the arts and the military. They look to Churchill’s example not only to inspire themselves but also those with whom they work.”
“At the Churchill Centre we strive to follow the injunction of our Patron Lady Soames ‘to keep the memory fresh and the record accurate,'” Freeman concludes, “but we also want to emphasize the application of Churchill’s example and the importance of his legacy to the generations of today and tomorrow.”
David can be reached at [email protected]
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