Dear John,

America’s 250th anniversary is almost here! Before the landmark year ahead begins, I wanted to take a moment to look back on all the incredible resources, programming, and constitutional exploration we shared together in 2025 at the National Constitution Center:

• We launched our America at 250 Civic Toolkit, anchored by the Interactive Declaration of Independence, to help learners of all ages explore our founding documents and ideas throughout 2026 and beyond, 
• We honored the musical Hamilton and biographer and historian Ron Chernow for bringing the founding generation and their ideals to life at the 37th annual Liberty Medal ceremony, 
• We launched our podcast series, Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness, to help listeners explore how to apply the founders’ wisdom in their daily lives,  
• We filmed the PBS special with Ken Burns, A More Perfect Union: Inspiring Civic and Civil Conversations Across America, to inspire conversations about how America’s founding ideas continue to shape us today, and 
• We introduced Constitution 101 for Middle School to our growing library of online courses. 

Throughout the year, our America’s Town Hall programs, We the People podcasts, and other programs have also provided opportunities to learn, debate, and reflect. Here are a few of my favorite conversations over the past year from America’s Town Hall:

• The Story of the U.S. Constitution: Past and Present: Scholars Ahkil Reed Amar, David Blight, and Annette Gordon-Reed joined us to explore transformative moments and landmark court cases from across American history. 
• 2025 Supreme Court Review: Key Rulings, Public Perceptions, and Constitutional Debates: An incredible group of legal experts joined us to analyze the most important cases of the term and public perception of the Court. 
• An Evening with Justice Amy Coney Barrett: Our Constitution Day keynote speaker shared insights from her new book on her journey to the Court, and her role and daily life as a justice. 
• Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Matters: Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward Larson discussed his newest book, Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Still Matters, which traces the idea of American independence in one pivotal year—1776—and explores why this year continues to hold significance today. 

And here is a sample of the conversations I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying weekly on We the People and Pursuit:  


• Pursuit Episode 11: Justice with Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln: In this episode of Pursuit, Professor David Blight, filmmaker Ken Burns, and I explored how a lifelong love of learning and a desire to promote justice shaped the life of Frederick Douglass and influenced Lincoln’s evolving views on emancipation.
• The Legacy of Justice Souter: Former Souter clerks Judge Kevin Newsom and professor Jeannie Suk Gersen, and NCC honorary co-chair and retired Justice Stephen Breyer shared reflections on the life, legacy, and impact of the late Justice Souter. 
• The Future of Birthright Citizenship: A Constitutional Debate: Gabriel Chin, Amanda Frost, Kurt Lash, and Ilan Wurman analyzed the legal challenges surrounding birthright citizenship, explored the constitutional and historical arguments on all sides of this debate, and discussed its broader implications for immigration. 
• Walter Isaacson on the Greatest Sentence Ever Written: A deep dive into the Declaration’s famous second sentence, which defines the common ground we share as a nation. 

There’s so much learning and excitement to come in 2026—new exhibits on America’s founding and the separation of powers, a new course on civic virtue, professional learning opportunities and convenings in rural and remote communities across America, innovative experiences that can inspire intergenerational learning, and more. But our work is only possible with your support. 

Before 2025 draws to a close, please consider a special gift, and help us ensure America’s 250th anniversary is just the beginning of a nationwide movement that can spark civic curiosity and lifelong engagement with the American idea. See you in 2026!

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Rosen

President and CEO