Just Announced! Upcoming at America’s Town Hall

IN PERSON AND ONLINE

‘The Highest Calling’: A Conversation With David Rubenstein on the American Presidency

Thursday, September 12 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. ET

Join best-selling author, philanthropist, and National Constitution Center Trustee David Rubenstein for a program discussing his new book, The Highest Calling: Conversations on the American Presidency. The book features interviews with living American presidents and top historians and journalists who reflect on the U.S. presidency, the political genius and frays of the presidential role, and the wisdom that emerges from it. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Learn more

A book sale and signing with David Rubenstein will follow the discussion beginning at 7:30 p.m.

IN PERSON AND ONLINE

Justice Neil Gorsuch on ‘Over Ruled: The Human Toll of Too Much Law’

Tuesday, September 17 | 6:30–7:30 p.m. ET

Join us for a conversation with the Honorable Neil M. Gorsuch, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and NCC honorary co-chair, in celebration of Constitution Day 2024 and the release of his latest book, Over Ruled: The Human Toll of Too Much Law. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Learn more

A book sale and signing with Justice Gorsuch will follow the discussion beginning at 7:30 p.m.

For or Against Constitutional Originalism?: A Debate

Tuesday, October 8 | 1 p.m. ET

Stanford University professor Jonathan Gienapp, author of the new book, Against Constitutional Originalism: A Historical Critique, is joined by Stephen Sachs of Harvard Law School to discuss Gienapp’s challenge to originalists’ unspoken assumptions about the Constitution, the history of originalism as a constitutional methodology, and its role in constitutional interpretation today. Thomas Donnelly, chief content officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates. Learn more

John Lewis: A Life

Wednesday, October 16 | Noon ET

David Greenberg’s new biography, John Lewis: A Life, chronicles the remarkable story of the civil rights activist and congressman. Professor Kenneth Mack of Harvard University joins Greenberg for a discussion of Lewis’ life and impact on American history, whose heroism during the Civil Rights Movement helped inspire America’s new birth of freedom. Learn more

IN PERSON AND ONLINE

2024 National First Amendment Summit

Tuesday, October 22

4:30–5:30 p.m. | Welcome reception

5:30–7 p.m. | Program

Co-hosted by FIRE, and NYU’s First Amendment Watch, the National Constitution Center’s 2024 National First Amendment Summit convenes America’s leading thinkers for a vigorous discussion of the state of free speech in America and around the globe. A keynote conversation about global free speech with Jason Rezaian of The Washington Post will be followed by discussions of free speech on campus and online. Panelists include FIRE Vice President of Campus Advocacy Alex Morey, Nadine Strossen, author of Free Speech: What Everyone Needs to Know, Jonathan Turley, author of the new book The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage, Mary Anne Franks, author of the new book Fearless Speech: Breaking Free from the First Amendment, Keith Whittington, author of You Can't Teach That!: The Battle over University Classrooms, and Kenji Yoshino of NYU School of Law.

A welcome reception with access to the National Constitution Center's new First Amendment gallery will take place from 4:30–5:30 p.m. The program will directly follow from 5:30–7 p.m. Learn more

This event is presented in partnership with FIRE and NYU’s First Amendment Watch.

Electing the President: The Popular Vote vs. The Electoral College

Tuesday, October 29 | Noon ET

On the eve of the 2024 presidential election, join Jesse Wegman, author of Let the People Pick the President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College, and professor Robert Hardaway, author of Saving the Electoral College: Why the National Popular Vote Would Undermine Democracy, for a program examining the history and current debate over the Electoral College. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Learn more

Native Americans and the Supreme Court

Monday, November 4 | Noon ET

In celebration of Native American Heritage month, Keith Richotte Jr., author of the forthcoming book, The Worst Trickster Story Ever Told: Native America, the Supreme Court, and the U.S. Constitution and Matthew L.M. Fletcher of the University of Michigan discuss Native American history and law through the stories of landmark Supreme Court cases. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Learn more

Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn

Monday, November 25 | Noon ET

Join Christopher Cox, former U.S. congressman and author of the new book, Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn, and Professor Geoffrey Stone of the University of Chicago for a program exploring Wilson’s presidential legacy, constitutional vision, and impact on American democracy. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Learn more

Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs division

How Religious Were the Founders?

Monday, December 2 | 7 p.m. ET

Join Jane Calvert, author of Penman of the Founding: A Biography of John Dickinson, Vincent Phillip Muñoz, author of Religious Liberty and the American Founding: Natural Rights and the Original Meanings of the First Amendment Religion Clauses, and Thomas Kidd, author of God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution, for a discussion on religious liberty and the founders. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Learn more

Photo: Virginia Historical Society

This event is generously sponsored by the Lilly Endowment.

The Life and Constitutional Legacy of Gouverneur Morris

Thursday, December 12 | Noon ET

Dennis Rasmussen, author of The Constitution’s Penman: Gouverneur Morris and the Creation of America’s Basic Charter; Melanie Randolph Miller, author of An Incautious Man: The Life of Gouverneur Morris; and William Treanor, dean of Georgetown Law explore the fantastic life and constitutional legacy of Gouverneur Morris: Founding Father, key member of the Committee of Style, and opponent of slavery. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Learn more