20th Annual Theodore Roosevelt Symposium - Theodore Roosevelt and the Navy

20th Annual Theodore Roosevelt Symposium

From his first book, The Naval War of 1812, to his commissioning of the Great White Fleet, Theodore Roosevelt was a champion of the Navy throughout his entire career. His study of history and of modern warfare led him to believe that the only way the United States could become one of the world's great powers was by maintaining a powerful navy. "A great navy does not make for war, but for peace. It is the cheapest kind of insurance," Roosevelt wrote to Secretary of the Navy John D. Long in 1897. At the 20th Annual TR Symposium, we will explore TR's passion for naval power, his role in promoting and building up the US Navy, and the role of the Navy in the current world order.

Join us on the historic hilltop campus of Dickinson State University, September 25-27, 2025 for both panel discussions and individual presentations from a variety of scholars and naval officers, including keynote speaker Chancellor of the North Dakota University System Dr. Mark R. Hagerott, who will deliver an address titled “TR and His Vision of the Modern Naval Officer: What might he think of Artificial Intelligence and Officership today?”

This symposium is supported by grants and donations from several organizations, including the Rob and Melani Walton Foundation, as well as by the generous support of our individual donors