When President Franklin D. Roosevelt called upon American industry to become the “Arsenal of Democracy,” it was Donald Nelson who turned that vision into reality. As chairman of the War Production Board during World War II, Nelson oversaw the massive conversion of America’s factories—from cars to tanks, from assembly lines to lifelines of freedom.

In this installment of the Historical Speaker Series at the Packard Proving Grounds, historian Chris Causley explores Nelson’s remarkable rise from Sears executive to one of the most powerful figures in wartime America. Learn how his leadership shaped the nation’s industrial mobilization, the challenges he faced balancing politics and production, and why his legacy remains one of the most overlooked stories of the WWII era.

Join us for this fascinating look at the man behind the Arsenal of Democracy.