FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Annie Stone, 703-217-1169 [email protected]
Merissa Blum, 215-370-0387 [email protected]
NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER ANNOUNCES LIVE ONLINE
AMERICA’S TOWN HALL PROGRAM SERIES
Virtual America’s Town Hall programs will be streamed live at constitutioncenter.org/live or viewers can join the conversation through Zoom from any home computer, laptop, or phone
Philadelphia, PA (March 30, 2020) – The National Constitution Center announced today its America’s Town Hall series—public programs featuring distinguished leaders, scholars, and authors in discussion and debate about constitutional topics at the heart of American life—will be available live, online, and free of charge for the coming weeks.
The virtual Town Hall series kicks off Thursday, April 2, with a conversation between White House historian Lindsay Chervinsky and Pepperdine University’s Edward Larson about George Washington’s legacy, moderated by National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen. Other program topics include how to restore trust in America’s institutions, the Electoral College’s controversial origins, presidential elections in 2020 and beyond, and the constitutional legacy of the Warren Court.
Other speakers include leading conservative intellectual Yuval Levin, Chicago Law School’s Geoffrey Stone and David Strauss, leading election law experts Richard Hasen and Edward Foley, the New York Times editorial board’s Jesse Wegman, University of Pennsylvania’s William Ewald, and University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Amel Ahmed.
In the coming weeks, the National Constitution Center will announce additional programs as part of the virtual series. Up-to-date program information is available on constitutioncenter.org/debate.
Please note: The virtual programs on April 6 and April 20 were originally scheduled to be in-person as part of the National Constitution Center’s onsite programming. Anyone who purchased a ticket will automatically be refunded.
Virtual America’s Town Hall programming:
Lindsay Chervinsky and Edward Larson on George Washington
April 2, 7 – 8 p.m.
Free
Acclaimed historians Lindsay Chervinsky and Edward Larson join the National Constitution Center for a virtual America’s Town Hall program exploring the figure at the center of their most recent books, The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution and Franklin & Washington: The Founding Partnership. Chervinsky and Larson discuss the legacy of George Washington, one of the most revered figures of the founding era, and the origins of the government he helped to create.
The Constitutional Legacy of the Warren Court: 50 Years Later
April 6, 7 – 8 p.m.
Free, $35 Members w/ CLE, $40 Non-members w/ CLE
In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Warren Court, legal scholars Geoffrey Stone and David Strauss join the Center for a virtual America's Town Hall as they examine the lasting impact of the landmark era in constitutional history defined by Chief Justice Earl Warren. Stone and Strauss discuss some of the biggest cases decided by the Warren Court, including Brown v. Board, Loving v. Virginia, Gideon v. Wainwright, and Miranda v. Arizona, as described in their new book Democracy and Equality: The Enduring Constitutional Vision of the Warren Court.
Why Does the Electoral College Exist?
April 20, 12 – 1 p.m.
Free
Jesse Wegman of the New York Times editorial board and author of Let the People Pick the President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College, William Ewald, professor of philosophy and law at the University of Pennsylvania, and Amel Ahmed of the University of Massachusetts Amherst explore the Electoral College’s controversial origins, the influence of founder James Wilson, and the many attempts to reform it over the years.
How to Fix Presidential Elections in 2020 and Beyond
April 23, 7 – 8 p.m.
Free, $35 Members w/ CLE, $40 Non-members w/ CLE
As the 2020 presidential campaign begins, join two of America’s leading election law experts, Richard Hasen and Edward Foley, for a discussion on how to fix presidential elections, in 2020 and beyond. Building on Foley’s Presidential Elections and Majority Rule: The Rise, Demise, and Potential Restoration of the Jeffersonian Electoral College and Hasen’s Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat to American Democracy, the two authors explore the history of the presidential election system, current challenges, and proposed remedies. CLE credit available.
How to Restore Trust in America's Institutions
April 28, 7 – 8 p.m.
Free
Why has trust in America’s political, civic, media, and social institutions declined? And how is this collapse in trust related to America’s current state of political polarization? Leading conservative intellectual Yuval Levin explores the answers to these questions and a path forward as described in his new book, A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream.
The National Constitution Center’s virtual America’s Town Hall programs are free. Viewers can register for the Zoom sessions at constitutioncenter.org/debate or watch from constitutioncenter.org/live. Past America’s Town Hall programs can be found on the Interactive Constitution at constitutinocenter.com/interactive-constitution/media-library.
The National Constitution Center offers Continuing Legal Education credit in-person at America’s Town Hall programs and on-demand online. Programs are available for CLE credit in various states. Visit constitutioncenter.org/CLE for additional information.
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About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.” As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire citizens and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.
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About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.” As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire citizens and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.
