‘Letters from a Soviet Prison’ presentation by author Francis Gary Powers Jr.

Step into a gripping real-life story of Cold War espionage by attending “Letters from a Soviet Prison,” a presentation by Francis Gary Powers Jr. at the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck on Thursday, July 31, from 6:30-8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Powers will share insights from his book, “Letters from a Soviet Prison: The Personal Journal and Correspondence of CIA U-2 Pilot Francis Gary Powers,” featuring writings and letters of his father, Francis Gary Powers.

In 1960, the elder Powers was shot down while piloting a high-altitude U-2 reconnaissance plane over the Soviet Union for the Central Intelligence Agency. Captured and imprisoned for nearly two years, Powers was exchanged for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel in a tense, high-profile swap. The incident brought secret U.S. surveillance efforts into public view and intensified Cold War tensions.

The presentation will explore the personal side of this international event through original letters, journal entries, and photographs, offering rare insight into the emotional toll of espionage, captivity, and diplomacy.

For more information, contact Education Outreach Supervisor Madison Milbrath, [email protected] or 701.328.2794. The ND Heritage Center & State Museum is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Find upcoming State Historical Society of North Dakota events at history.nd.gov/events.