Last month, the Center announced that Judge J. Michael Luttig and Mrs. Elizabeth A. Luttig have acquired and will loan to the National Constitution Center in perpetuity a first-edition, two-volume set of The Federalist and a rare original printing of the Acts of the First Session of the First Congress to be displayed in the next planned renovation of our core exhibit space, a new gallery focused on America’s founding principles, which will open in 2026 to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. Learn more

2023 Liberty Medal

The 35th annual Liberty Medal will be awarded to acclaimed journalist Judy Woodruff and patriotic philanthropist and business leader David Rubenstein for their inspiring work in modeling and promoting civil dialogue about the shared values of liberty that unite Americans. The Liberty Medal ceremony will take place on October 27, 2023, at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. Learn more

Debate at America’s Town Hall

The Forgotten Years of the Civil Rights Movement

Thursday, October 5 | Noon ET

Prize-winning historians Kate Masur, author of Until Justice Be Done: America’s First Civil Rights Movement, from the Revolution to Reconstruction, and Dylan Penningroth, author of the new book Before the Movement: The Hidden History of Black Civil Rights, explore the central role of African Americans in the struggle for justice and equality long before the social movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.

From FDR to Biden: The Creation of the Modern Presidency

Wednesday, October 11 | 7 p.m. ET

The Center for Constitutional Design at Arizona State University and the National Constitution Center present a discussion exploring how the institution of the modern presidency has evolved through the lens of studying the constitutional visions and approaches to executive power of some of America’s past presidents. Join presidency experts Sidney Milkis and Barbara Perry of the University of Virginia’s Miller Center and Stephen Knott of Ashland University for this conversation moderated by National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen.

Now Open: The First Amendment

Discover how the First Amendment protects our most cherished freedoms and how it impacts us today in the Center’s new First Amendment gallery. Explore interactive elements designed to test your knowledge of the First Amendment’s protections, see rare artifacts highlighting the five freedoms, and watch video interviews with the plaintiffs from key First Amendment cases. Plan your visit

October Virtual Museum Programs: Voting Rights in America

Civic Stories: Who Can Vote?

Friday, October 13 | Noon ET

Join us for a crash course in voting rights throughout history! Take a look at voting rights in early America, how these rights changed over time, and discover the inspiring stories of historic figures who insisted on equality at the ballot box for all. Register now

Live from the Museum: Civil War and Reconstruction: The Battle for Freedom and Equality

Wednesday, October 18 | Noon ET

Explore the Center’s compelling exhibit, Civil War and Reconstruction: The Battle for Freedom and Equality. This month, we will examine the 13th Amendment and the abolition of slavery. Monthly Civil War and Reconstruction tours are made possible through the generosity of TD Bank. Register now

Live from the Museum: The 19th Amendment: How Women Won the Vote

Tuesday, October 24 | Noon ET

Celebrate election season with a live guided tour of our exhibit, tracing the triumphs and struggles that led to the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The tour will you help better understand the long fight for women’s suffrage, while also highlighting some of the many women who transformed constitutional history—including Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, and Ida B. Wells. Register now

WATCH

National First Amendment Summit

Run time: 2 hours, 37 minutes

The National Constitution Center, in partnership with a coalition of leading free speech organizations, convened a National First Amendment Summit to discuss the increasing threats to freedom of expression and to celebrate the opening of the Center’s new First Amendment gallery. Watch now

A Debate About Religious Liberty in America

Run time: 1 hour, 3 minutes

Marci Hamilton and Michael McConnell join Jeffrey Rosen for a special Constitution Day discussion about how America’s founders viewed religious liberty and what it means today. Watch now

LISTEN

Previewing the Supreme Court’s October 2023 Term

Run time: 56 minutes

Adam Liptak and Sarah Isgur join host Jeffrey Rosen to discuss the Supreme Court’s 2023-2024 term, which will include cases on the scope of the right to bear arms, the administrative state, and the First Amendment and social media. Listen now

The First Amendment on Campus and Online

Run times: 41 minutes

Will Creeley, Jeannie Suk Gersen, and Nadine Strossen examine the increasing conflicts involving free speech on campuses and online in an age of social media, artificial intelligence, and other new technologies during the National First Amendment Summit. Listen now

READ

10 Fascinating Facts About the Supreme Court on Its Birthday

by NCC Staff | Read time: 3 minutes

“It was back on this day in 1789 that Congress passed the act that officially created the federal judiciary system that included the Supreme Court and other federal courts. ...” Read more

The Emancipation Proclamation’s Other Anniversary

by NCC Staff | Read time: 3 minutes

“President Abraham Lincoln altered the course of the Civil War and American society when the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863. ...” Read more

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