Looking for interesting constitutional conversations during the holidays? Check out highlights from our We the People podcast, the new Pursuit: A Founders’ Guide To Happiness podcast, and America’s Town Hall programs from this year. Thank you for your support of the Center and we look forward to another year of meaningful conversations in 2026 and beyond.

Hear the best arguments on all sides of the constitutional issues at the center of American life on the We the People podcast, hosted by Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen.

The Legacy of Justice Souter

Run date: May 15

Run time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter passed away on May 8, 2025, at his home in New Hampshire. In this episode, his former clerks, Judge Kevin Newsom of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit and Professor Jeannie Suk Gersen of Harvard Law School, join Jeffrey Rosen for a conversation on Justice Souter’s life, legacy, and constitutional impact.

Retired Justice Stephen Breyer also shares memories of his former colleague. Listen now

The Future of Birthright Citizenship

Run date: July 11

Run time: 52 minutes

On May 15, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case challenging the constitutionality of President Trump’s executive order which seeks to end birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants. Legal scholars Gabriel Chin of the University of California, Davis School of Law; Amanda Frost of the University of Virginia School of Law; Kurt Lash of the University of Richmond School of Law; and Ilan Wurman of the University of Minnesota Law School join Jeffrey Rosen to debate the scope of the citizenship clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Listen now

In Order to Be Happy

Run date: September 8

Run time: 29 minutes

Jeffrey Rosen and scholar Robert P. George, the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, trace how the meaning of pursuit of happiness has changed.

Then, American filmmaker Ken Burns shares how—even as he has spent his “entire life trying to figure out the United States”—daily self-reflection has given him new perspectives on what the founders faced 250 years ago. Listen now

Walter Isaacson on the Greatest Sentence Ever Written

Run date: November 13

Run time: 1 hour, 2 minutes

Best-selling biographer Walter Isaacson discusses his new book, The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, with Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, Isaacson explores the intellectual inspirations and drafting history of the Declaration’s famous second sentence, which lays the foundation for the American dream and defines the common ground we share as a nation. Listen now

Justice with Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln

Run date: November 18

Run time: 36 minutes

Jeffrey Rosen, Professor David Blight and filmmaker Ken Burns explore how a lifelong love of learning and a desire to promote justice shaped the life of abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

He met Abraham Lincoln three times, and those three meetings helped shape Lincoln’s evolving views on emancipation. Listen now

Can President Trump Fire a Federal Trade Commissioner Without Cause?

Run date: December 11

Run time: 1 hour, 7 minutes

In this episode, Thomas Berry of the Cato Institute and Jed Shugerman of the Boston University School of Law join the recap the oral arguments from Trump v. Slaughter and debate whether the statutory removal protections for members of the Federal Trade Commission violate the separation of powers.

Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Listen now

Browse our Media Library or YouTube channel to watch any of our previous America’s Town Hall programs or listen anywhere with our Live at the National Constitution Center podcast.

The Story of the U.S. Constitution: Past and Present

Run date: June 23

Run time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Akhil Reed Amar and David Blight of Yale University and Annette Gordon-Reed, president of the Organization of American Historians and Harvard professor, join National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen for a sweeping conversation about the Constitution and the debates that have shaped America—from the founding era to today. They’ll examine transformative moments in American history and landmark Supreme Court decisions. Watch now

2025 Supreme Court Review: Key Rulings, Public Perceptions, and Constitutional Debates

Run date: July 8

Run time: 2 hours, 32 minutes

The National Constitution Center and the Center on the Structural Constitution at Texas A&M University School of Law present a U.S. Supreme Court review symposium featuring leading constitutional law scholars and commentators analyzing the Court’s most significant rulings of the term. Watch now

Born Equal: America’s Founding Promise and the Fight for Equality

Run date: September 16

Run time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

On the eve of Constitution Day, constitutional scholar Akhil Reed Amar of Yale Law School discusses his new book, Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840–1920, which explores the transformative amendments that redefined freedom, equality, and voting rights in the post–Civil War era.

Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderated. Watch now

An Evening With Justice Amy Coney Barrett

Run date: September 17

Run time: 59 minutes

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett joins National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen for a special Constitution Day conversation to discuss her new book, Listening to the Law: Reflections on the Court and the Constitution. Justice Barrett reflects on her journey to the Court and offers a glimpse into her role (and daily life) as a justice, including her deliberative process and how she approaches interpreting the Constitution. Watch now

The Pursuit of Liberty: A Book Launch Event With Jeffrey Rosen and Jeffrey Goldberg

Run date: October 21

Run time: 1 hour, 6 minutes

National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen and The Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg discuss Rosen’s new book, The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America. The book explores how the opposing constitutional visions of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton have defined the nation since its founding, shaped presidents from Washington to Trump, and continued to drive today’s debates over government power. Watch now

Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Still Matters

Run date: November 24

Run time: 1 hour

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward Larson discusses his newest book, Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Still Matters. This book traces the idea of American independence in one pivotal year—1776—and explores why this year continues to hold significance today.

Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Watch now

America’s Town Hall returns in January with an exciting new slate of programs on wide-ranging topics. View the recently announced programs here and register today!

This has been another memorable year of light and learning at the National Constitution Center. In this season of reflection and togetherness, consider a special year-end gift to support our meaningful work of inspiring constitutional education and modeling civil dialogue for all. 

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