Annual History Dinner Event | Sandra Day O'Connor Institute

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Annual History Dinner

Dinner with Ronald Reagan & the 1980s

The Institute will pay tribute to President Ronald Reagan, the impactful 1980s era, and commemorate the 45th Anniversary of his historic appointment of Sandra Day O’Connor to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Saturday, November 14, 2026

6:00 PM Reception | 7:00 PM Program and Dinner

The Phoenician | Scottsdale, Arizona

Information | Registration

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Ronald Reagan's presidency, spanning 1981 to 1989, marked a significant period in American history known for economic reform, foreign policy shifts, and cultural changes. His economic policies, known as "Reaganomics," included reducing government spending to stimulate economic growth. On the international stage, President Reagan played a crucial role in ending the Cold War, advocating a strong U.S. military and engaging in diplomatic efforts with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that helped thaw U.S.-Soviet relations and lead to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

President Ronald Reagan made history by nominating Sandra Day O’Connor as the first woman ever to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court in 1981. Her confirmation and swearing‑in marked a major milestone in U.S. history. President Reagan had campaigned on appointing the first female Justice. The Senate confirmed her 99–0, showing broad bipartisan support. On September 25, 1981, Sandra Day O'Connor became the 102nd Justice on the highest court in the nation.

Distinguished Guest Speaker

A middle-aged man with short, gray hair and blue eyes, wearing a dark suit and white shirt, smiles slightly in front of a plain gray background, as if ready to share a history dinner story.

Douglas Brinkley

Author
Presidential Historian
Grammy Award Winner

Douglas Brinkley was personally selected by First Lady Nancy Reagan to edit the Reagan Diaries. He is the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History at Rice University, a CNN Presidential Historian, and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. He has received seven honorary doctorates in American Studies. He works in many capacities in the world of public history, including for boards, museums, colleges, and historical societies. Six of his books were named New York Times “Notable Books of the Year” and seven became New York Times bestsellers.

Brinkley was educated at Ohio State University, from which he earned a B.A., and Georgetown University, earning an M.A. and Ph.D. in U.S. diplomatic history.

A man in a black tuxedo and a woman in a long white gown stand smiling together in an elegant red room, as if ready for a history dinner amid ornate furniture and a white fireplace.

Dinner Co-Chairs

A smiling couple dressed formally attends a history dinner; the woman wears a light blue off-the-shoulder gown and the man sports a black tuxedo with a bow tie. They stand in front of a framed painting of a man in a suit.

NANCY HANLEY ERIKSSON &
RON ERIKSSON

A woman in a sparkling, silver evening gown stands beside a man in a black tuxedo and bow tie. Both are smiling, posing at what appears to be a history dinner, with an elegant painted backdrop adding formal flair.

CHRISTINE & DAVID GUSTAFSON

Honorary Co-Chairs
Robyn & Michael DeBell | Cindy & Michael Watts

Previous History Dinners

The Institute established its acclaimed annual History Dinner to honor great statesmen. Past History Dinners have paid tribute to Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Alexander Hamilton. As part of these occasions, the Institute has presented award-winning authors, including Pulitzer Prize winners Doris Kearns Goodwin, Ron Chernow, and Walter Isaacson, to enrich our audience.