Dear Friends of the NCC, 

Earlier this week, the Nation’s Report Card issued an assessment of eighth grade knowledge of civics and U.S. history, and the results confirm what we already know: America is facing a civics crisis. The history scores were the lowest since the history test was first administered in 1998, and civics scores dropped for the first time since 1994.

At the National Constitution Center, we have one solution to this civics crisis. Our solution is the simple, radical act of teaching American constitutional history on a nonpartisan basis, bringing together liberal and conservative scholars, public officials, judges, and journalists to present the best arguments on all sides of the constitutional issues at the center of American life so that learners of all ages can make up their own minds. On our podcasts, programs, and new Constitution 101 course, which we’re developing in collaboration with Khan Academy, we use a diversity of voices, and primary sources from our new Founders' Library, to teach the principles of the Constitution and the habits of civil dialogue and debate. 

Sal Khan and I discussed the NAEP results in this op-ed in TIME, and I shared a few more thoughts in this video. Thanks to all of you for being part of our community of lifelong learners, and here’s to all the learning about civics, history, and the Constitution we’ll share together in the years ahead!

With appreciation, 

Jeffrey Rosen

President and CEO

Debate at America’s Town Hall

The Evolution of Judicial Independence in America 

Monday, May 15 | 9 a.m. – Noon ET 

Join the National Constitution Center and the Federal Judicial Center for three discussions exploring the evolution of judicial independence in America and its critical role in our democracy from the founding to present day.  

The first panel features a conversation with historians Mary Sarah Bilder of Boston College Law School and Jack Rakove of Stanford University, exploring the founders’ intentions surrounding the establishment of the federal judiciary and the role of the courts during the nation’s formative years. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.  

The second panel explores judicial independence and the federal courts in the 20th century and the major milestones that shaped the judiciary, including the crucial role of Chief Justice Taft and key Supreme Court rulings. Moderated by Jeffrey Rosen, this panel features scholars Neal Devins and Allison Orr Larsen of William & Mary Law School, and Marin Levy of Duke University School of Law.  

The third panel features two federal judges discussing their experiences upholding judicial independence in the face of contemporary challenges. John S. Cooke, director of the Federal Judicial Center, moderates a conversation with Judge R. Guy Cole, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and Judge Sara Lee Ellis of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. 

This program is presented in partnership with the Federal Judicial Center. 

The Shadow Docket Debate

Monday, May 22 | Noon ET 

The Supreme Court’s “shadow docket”—cases in which the Court issues emergency orders and summary decisions without oral argument—has been subject to growing scrutiny. Supreme Court Reporter Adam Liptak of The New York Times and legal expert Jennifer Mascott of the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School join Stephen Vladeck of The University of Texas School of Law for a conversation on Vladeck’s new book, The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic, exploring the history and role of the shadow docket and the current debates surrounding the Court’s emergency rulings. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.

The State of Free Expression in the U.S. and Abroad

Monday, June 5 | 6:30 p.m. ET 

Join free-speech advocates Garry Kasparov, former world chess champion, political activist, and chairman of the Renew Democracy Initiative; Evan Mawarire, Zimbabwean pastor and democratic activist; and Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, as they discuss the state of free expression in the United States, Russia, Zimbabwe and around the world. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.

We hope that you join us for any of the recently announced America’s Town Hall programs. For a full list of upcoming events, visit our website.

Memorial Day Weekend

Saturday, May 27–Monday, May 29

Free admission all weekend long

The National Constitution Center honors America’s fallen servicemembers with special programming and events highlighting the history of Memorial Day, taking a closer look at famous memorials and monuments, and uncovering the complexities of how a nation remembers. In addition to all the Center’s exhibits and artifacts, programming includes flag ceremonies, discussions on U.S. memorials through history and across the country, family-friendly workshops and lectures, as well as crafts for learners of all ages.

Free admission during Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 27–Monday, May 29, is made possible through the generous support of Citizen Travelers, the nonpartisan civic engagement initiative of Travelers. 

Join Us for the Last Live Online Classes of the School Year

Live from the Museum: Can They Do That? The Fourth Amendment  

Wednesday, May 10 | Noon ET

Can the government search your locker, open your backpack, and listen to your phone calls? The Constitution says that we are protected against unreasonable searches and seizures, but can the government still look through your stuff? Join the Center’s education team in our Story of We the People exhibit to learn about what protections we have against search and seizure. Register now

Virtual Tour: Civil War and Reconstruction

Wednesday, May 24 | 12 p.m. ET

Explore the Center’s compelling exhibit, Civil War and Reconstruction: The Battle for Freedom and Equality, as one of our museum educators leads viewers through the exhibit. Learn how constitutional clashes over slavery set the stage for the Civil War, and how the nation transformed the Constitution after the war during the Reconstruction period. Along the way, you’ll hear the stories of people central to the conflict over slavery and give you an up-close look at special artifacts on display. The May tour will also explore the Memorial Day holiday’s roots in post-Civil War America. Register now

Monthly Civil War & Reconstruction Tours made possible through the generosity of TD Bank.

Live Classes: Article III and Supreme Court Term Review

Wednesday, May 31 - Friday, June 2

In this session, students explore Article III of the U.S. Constitution, which defines the powers of the judicial branch and the Supreme Court. This class covers the nomination and confirmation process of Supreme Court justices and how judicial power and the Supreme Court’s role is defined in Alexander Hamilton’s Federalist No. 78 and cases such as Marbury v. Madison (1803). This session will go right to the present day and review the current term to date. For our final Fun Friday Session of the 2022-2023 school year, MSNBC’s Ali Velshi returns to discuss the Supreme Court and some of the biggest cases the justices are considering this term. Learn more

WATCH

Solicitors General and the Supreme Court

Run time: 1 hour

Solicitors General Ben Flowers of Ohio and Caroline Van Zile of Washington, D.C., explore the various approaches to constitutional interpretation and key doctrines—including originalism, textualism, and the major questions doctrine—through the lens of recent Supreme Court cases. Watch now

LISTEN

The Legality of Abortion Pills

Run time: 52 minutes

Abortion law scholars Rachel Rebouché and Thomas Jipping break down the dueling decisions on the legality of the abortion pill mifepristone in Texas and Washington state, and ask if mailing mifepristone violates the Comstock Act, if the FDA’s approval of the drug violated the Administrative Procedure Act, and if the district courts had jurisdiction to rule on these cases in the first place. Listen now

The Indictment of Former President Trump

Run time: 53 minutes

David French and Kimberly Wehle break down the legal charges against former President Donald Trump and the broader legal significance of this case. Listen now

READ

Do You Have a Constitutional Right to Honk Your Car Horn?

by Scott Bomboy | 6 minutes

“A lawsuit in California about the use of a car horn at a political protest is bringing back a contested question involving the tension between free speech and public safety concerns. ...” Read more

Five Myths About the Start of the Revolutionary War

by NCC Staff | Read time: 3 minutes

“The American Revolutionary War started on April 19, 1775, at the towns of Lexington and Concord. But how accurate are some of the key facts that have been handed down to us through the generations? ...” Read more

All of the latest constitutional content from the National Constitution Center is available on our website! America’s Town Hall programs and Constitution 101 classes, as well as the videos for our new Constitution 101 course, are also available on our YouTube channel.

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