2026 Cold War Gala

Lech Wałęsa is a Polish statesman, dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as the president of Poland between 1990 and 1995. After winning the 1990 election, Wałęsa became the first democratically elected president of Poland since 1926 and the first-ever Polish president elected by popular vote. An electrician by trade, Wałęsa became the leader of the opposition Solidarity movement and led a successful pro-democratic effort, which in 1989 ended Communist rule in Poland and ushered in the end of the Cold War.

The conversation will be led by best-selling author and Arkansas native John Grisham.

FRIDAY, NOV. 6 @ 7 p.m. AT THE RITZ CIVIC CENTER
HISTORIC DOWNTOWN BLYTHEVILLE

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, please contact c.ostermann@nationalcoldwarcenter.com

Casseroles, Can Openers, and Jell-O: American Food and the Early Cold War

Curator: Elizabeth Aldrich

Explore how American food culture was shaped in the early years of the Cold War — when processed foods surged, mass marketing boomed and the kitchen became a stage for new ideas about family, suburbia and the promotion of capitalism and democracy. Drawing on images from cookbooks, government publications, and popular magazines, this exhibition offers a vivid look at what Americans ate and how food became a symbol of postwar national identity and power. Whether you’re curious about mid-twentieth-century culture or you grew up on TV dinners and Campbell’s tomato soup with grilled cheese, you’ll find an engaging and nostalgic window into the story of American cuisine during the early Cold War.

Coming to the BAFB Exhibition October 20th!

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, please contact c.ostermann@nationalcoldwarcenter.com