A Discussion with Merrill Eisenhower Atwater
September 30th, 2026 at the Knight Theatre in Charlotte, NC
Join the Stan Greenspon Holocaust Education Center for an inspiring evening with Merrill Eisenhower, great-grandson of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, as he reflects on President Eisenhower's role in documenting the horrors of the Holocaust and preserving its history for future generations.
Guests will also receive a first look at the vision for the proposed Holocaust Museum of the Carolinas, a transformative institution dedicated to preserving history, combating antisemitism, and inspiring courageous moral leadership.
Tickets are on sale at Blumenthal Arts.
Preserving Truth, Shaping the Future: Eisenhower’s Great-Grandson
When Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower personally witnessed the horrors of the Ohrdruf concentration camp in April 1945, he foresaw a chilling future: a world that might one day deny that the atrocities occurred. He immediately ordered soldiers to document every inch of evidence, invited journalists and lawmakers to the site, and insisted the truth be preserved forever.
Today, that historical foresight meets a bold local vision. The Stan Greenspon Holocaust Education Center (SGC) is honored to host Merrill Eisenhower Atwater, the great-grandson of President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, for a community event at the Knight Theater in Charlotte September 30. The event will benefit the planned Holocaust Museum of the Carolinas, an effort led by the SGC.
“This event with Merrill provides a powerful opportunity to connect one of the most significant legacies of World War II with the mission of the proposed Holocaust Museum of the Carolinas,” said Judy LaPietra, executive director of the SGC. Guests will be among the first to learn about the vision for the Holocaust Museum of the Carolinas.
The timing could not be more critical. Holocaust survivors, once living witnesses who could look students in the eye and say, “This happened to me,” are rapidly leaving us. At the same time, antisemitism is rising at alarming rates across the United States and the world, fueled by misinformation, distortion, and, increasingly, denial. In classrooms across the Carolinas, educators face urgent questions: How do we teach this history when the witnesses are gone? How do we equip students not just to learn about the past, but to recognize and confront hate today?
The Holocaust Museum of the Carolinas emerges from this exact convergence of this urgency and opportunity. It is not simply a response to loss; it is a proactive commitment to ensuring that memory becomes action.
Merrill Eisenhower Atwater has embraced his great-grandfather’s legacy as part of his own life's work. He has become a passionate advocate for Holocaust remembrance and education, participating in the International March of the Living, speaking at Holocaust commemorations, and partnering with organizations dedicated to confronting Holocaust denial and rising antisemitism.
His visit will reinforce the museum's mission through a uniquely compelling historical connection. His family's story bridges military leadership, moral courage, historical memory, and civic responsibility. His message resonates beyond the history of World War II by challenging today's audiences to become active guardians of truth in an era marked by increasing Holocaust distortion and antisemitism.
Tickets for this historic event will go on sale August 18 at Blumenthal Arts. A variety of ticket options will be available, including a VIP experience featuring an exclusive pre-event reception with the speaker, light hors d'oeuvres, and the opportunity to meet Merrill Eisenhower personally.
