March 11, 2020

Randolph Churchill and Jennie Churchill present From Brooklyn to Blenheim and Beyond: The Influence of Winston Churchill’s Mother

The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute in Phoenix, Arizona recently invited Randolph Churchill and his sister Jennie Churchill to be part of their Distinguished Speaker Series.

Author and eminent Churchillian Cita Stelzer coordinated with the O’Connor Institute on behalf of the International Churchill Society.

Founded in 2009 by retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the nonpartisan institute continues her distinguished legacy and lifetime work to advance civil discourse, civic engagement and civics education.

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The reception and luncheon were held at the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix for nearly 450 guests. The O’Connor Institute welcomed special guests Churchill great-grandchildren, Randolph Churchill and Jennine Churchill, along with International Churchill Society Chairman Laurence Geller CBE.

The highlight of the event was a joint conversation by Randolph Churchill and Jennie Churchill, From Brooklyn to Blenheim and Beyond: The Influence of Winston Churchill’s Mother. The presentation was the reading of a selection of love letters, written during their courtship, between namesakes and Winston Churchill’s parents, Lord Randolph Churchill and Miss Jennie Jerome.

Cita Stelzer said: ‘a standing ovation from 435 attendees and a waitlist of 250 people who could not be accommodated attests to the success of a wonderful performance by Randolph Churchill and his sister, Jennie Churchill. As does a demand for another Churchill-themed event planned for next year.’

Previous speakers for the O’Connor Institute series include former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former President of Latvia Dr Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Ambassador to the United States of the People’s Republic of China His Excellency Cui Tiankai and former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency Ambassador James Woolsey.

All guests in attendance received a copy of My Darling Winston, a selection of letters between a Winston Churchill and his devoted mother, edited by David Lough. Cita Stelzer’s recently published book, Working with Winston, which brings to life the stories of the many female secretaries who worked for the former British Prime Minister, was also available.

Discussions are underway to form a new International Churchill Society Chapter (ICS) in Arizona. The ICS will announce additional details at a future date.

If you reside in Arizona and would like to be a part of this new ICS chapter, please get in touch here.

Follow this link for a photo album from the event.