Oct 17-19 the Wecht Institute at Duquesne University will be hosting a conference entitled Passing the Torch: An International Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Ten years ago, a 40th anniversary conference there in Pittsburgh had over 1000 attendees and featured U.S. Senator and former Warren Commission staffer Arlen Specter among a host of prominent speakers. The DVD set Into Evidence records the presentations at that event.

This year's upcoming event's speaker list includes David Talbot, Robert McClelland, Josiah Thompson, Robert Tanenbaum, Joan Mellen, James Lesar, Russ Baker, Larry Sabato, Lisa Pease, Jerry Policoff, Dr. Gary Aguilar, Jefferson Morley, Rex Bradford, and many others. Breakout presentations will be given by Donald Thomas, Dan Hardway, Bill Kelly, and other researchers.

A special evening program on the 17th includes Oliver Stone, director of the film JFK. The three-day agenda will feature discussion of evidentiary issues, historical analysis, and the broader political context of the assassination.

See the registration page to register for this event, which will be held at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. Continuing education credits are available to some professionals.

Conference sponsors include the Senator John Heinz History Center (Presenting Sponsor), the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute, NMS Labs, R.J. Lee Group, JFK Lancer, Coalition on Political Assassinations, and the Mary Ferrell Foundation.

From the conference's main web page:

Following up on its world-renowned 40th anniversary conference, the Wecht Institute is pleased to host many of the leading scientific, legal and investigative experts on the murder case that has fascinated and perplexed us for decades. As the JFK assassination and many of its witnesses, investigators and researchers begin to recede into history, this symposium is intended to educate students, professionals and the general public alike about one of the seminal events of 20th century American history, and why it still matters today.