On February 26, 1946—just months after the end of World War II—Winston Churchill addressed nearly 18,000 people at the Roddy Burdine Stadium (later the Orange Bowl) as the University of Miami’s then President Bowman Foster Ashe conferred upon him an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. The visit came at a pivotal moment in global history, as Churchill urged stronger transatlantic cooperation and helped frame the postwar order.
In his speech that day Churchill said, “Expert knowledge, however indispensable, is no substitute for a generous and comprehending outlook upon the human story with all its sadness and with all its unquenchable hope." The Miami ceremony also preceded his landmark “Iron Curtain” speech in Fulton, Missouri, delivered one week later and often cited as an early marker of the Cold War era.
Recognizing a seminal event in the law school’s centennial year
As Miami Law celebrates its centennial year, this event connected a defining moment in the University’s early history with the school’s present-day role in preparing lawyers to engage thoughtfully with international law and constitutional law questions.
The Law Centennial event, “80th Anniversary of Winston Churchill’s Honorary Law Doctorate,” recognized the historic moment. Hosted by the School of Law and the British Consulate General in Miami, the program featured a panel discussion, a curated display of archival photographs and documents, and a short video capturing the sights and sounds of Churchill’s 1946 visit.
In remarks welcoming guests, School of Law Dean Patricia Sanchez Abril reflected on the significance of Churchill’s 1946 visit and the school’s continued commitment to legal education with global reach.
"This evening’s conversation gives us the opportunity not only to reflect on Churchill's legacy, but also to consider how the values he championed—democratic governance, the rule of law, international cooperation—continue to shape the partnerships and institutions on which we rely today,” said Dean Abril.
The event’s centerpiece was a panel discussion moderated by Consul General Rufus Drabble and featuring Allen Packwood, director of the Churchill Archives Centre; Lee Pollock of The International Churchill Society; Phil Harling, professor in the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences and the Center for the Humanities; and Harout Samra, J.D. ’09, of counsel at DLA Piper. Drawing on perspectives from history, diplomacy, and legal practice, the panel explored how Churchill’s legacy continues to inform debates about democratic institutions, alliances, and the rule of law.
Samra highlighted the local impact of Churchill's 1946 visit, noting that it coincided with a "second great boom" in South Florida's history, driven largely by veterans who returned to study at the University of Miami.
“If you look at the photos of the classes from that era, they're dominated by young men who had just returned from the war and were now studying at the University of Miami,” said Samra. “Churchill's speech was all about his gratitude for the people who were in front of him, who were our students who had served in the Second World War.”
Panelists also discussed Churchill’s personal and political state in 1946, the special Anglo-American relationship, especially with the Royal Air Force training in Miami during the war, and the impact on the University of Miami.
Their commentaries reflected what Churchill himself said during his speech that day, “Knowledge of the past is the only foundation we have from which to peer into and try to measure the future."
