A historian who denies the Turkish military carried out a genocide against Armenians during World War I is coming to UF on Friday to discuss the controversy.
The Turkish Student Association and Accent, Student Government's speakers bureau, invited Justin McCarthy, a University of Louisville history professor, to offer his conclusions on the 1915 Armenian genocide that some claim never happened.
Accent Chairman Steven Blank said the event is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the University Auditorium. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and students must have their Gator 1 Cards to enter.
Altan Ozler, the Turkish student group's president, said Accent would pay McCarthy $500 for his speech.
McCarthy will discuss why the issue remains controversial and why it is not accepted among all historians, Ozler said.
He said many people don't call the deportation and killing of millions of Armenians by Turkey's Ottoman military a genocide because Armenians also massacred Turkish people.
McCarthy is an Ottoman expert who has written seven books on the Ottomans' history with Armenians, according to the University of Louisville Web site.
Ozler said he doesn't expect any protests and thinks at least 400 people will attend.
