Dear John,

It’s been an exciting year at the National Constitution Center with the launch of major new initiatives and partnerships. Through our education and podcast programs, we have continued to engage with the nation’s leading constitutional scholars, historians, and thought leaders from diverse perspectives, and provided a model for how to engage in civil conversation with those of differing viewpoints. This year we:

• Welcomed Justice Stephen Breyer as our honorary co-chair, joining Justice Neil Gorsuch;
• Launched our Constitution 101 core curriculum and Founders’ Library of historic documents and landmark Supreme Court cases;
• Announced a new partnership with Khan Academy to help disseminate our classes and programs to learners across America;
• Installed the inspiring First Amendment Tablet at the NCC, and began work on our First Amendment gallery, which will open next year; and
• Awarded the 2022 Liberty Medal to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in recognition of his heroic defense of liberty in the face of Russian aggression.

We are America’s leading platform for nonpartisan constitutional education and civil dialogue, but there’s so much more to do. Please consider supporting our mission with a year-end gift.

Below are a few highlights of programs from this year.

Podcasts:

• Affirmative Action and the 14th Amendment—a two-part look at the recent Supreme Court oral arguments in the Harvard and UNC affirmative action cases, and what they might mean for diversity in higher education.
•  MLK, the Declaration, and the Constitution—diving into close readings and analyses of Martin Luther King Jr.’s most significant speeches and writings to better understand his thoughts on the relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as well as his views on universal love.
•  Russia, Ukraine, Constitutionalism, and the Rule of Law—examining the war, the implications for core principles of liberal democracy and constitutionalism, and whether international law has the power to stop the fighting.
• The Dobbs v. Jackson Case—a four-part series examining this landmark decision, the implications for reproductive rights, and the future of other unenumerated rights in America.
• Three Election Law Cases and What They Mean for Democracy—exploring recent cases about campaign finance laws, redistricting, and the independent state legislature doctrine and their implications for America’s future.

Classes:

•  The Constitutional Convention—a Constitution Day special detailing the issues and events in early America that led to the Constitutional Convention, including a look into the NCC’s Founders’ Library of primary source documents.
• Benjamin Franklin PBS Documentary—discussing a new documentary that explores the life of the scientist, inventor, writer, diplomat, and signer of Declaration of Independence and Constitution with guests Ken Burns and Erica Dunbar.
• First Amendment Series—exploring freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment, including religion, assembly and petition, and speech and the press.

Town Halls and Special Programs:

• The 34th Annual Liberty Medal Ceremony—an inspiring tribute to this year’s honoree, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the Ukrainian people’s fight to defend democracy.
• Justice Stephen Breyer on the Importance of Civics Education—a conversation with our new honorary co-chair Justice Breyer and middle and high school students.
• Restoring the Guardrails of Democracy—identifying institutional, legal, and technological reforms that might address current threats to American democracy from the libertarian, conservative, and progressive viewpoints.
• The NCC’s Constitutional Convention Reports: The Proposed Amendments—exploring five potential constitutional amendments that libertarian, conservative, and progressive scholars support.
• Why the First Amendment Matters Today—celebrating the unveiling of the 50-ton First Amendment Tablet at the Center with a dedication ceremony and discussion about the importance of the First Amendment today.

If you’ve been inspired by any of our programs this year, please consider making a year-end gift before December 31, and show your support for our work to come. Here’s to lots of light and learning in the year ahead!

With appreciation,

Jeffrey Rosen

President and CEO

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