Timothy Sandefur joins to discuss his new book, Proclaiming Liberty: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Declaration of Independence, a fast-paced intellectual history that traces how John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and their contemporaries transformed centuries of political thought into the revolutionary principles of the Declaration of Independence—and why those principles still matter today. Blending biography, political thought, and legal history, Proclaiming Liberty traces the Declaration’s legacy through the abolitionist movement, the Civil War, and the modern age, documenting how its principles have continued to challenge tyranny, refute relativism, and inspire movements for justice. Julie Silverbrook, the chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates
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Participants
Timothy Sandefur is vice president for legal affairs at the Goldwater Institute’s Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation where he holds the Clarence J. and Katherine P. Duncan Chair in Constitutional Government. He is the author of 10 books on a variety of subjects, including most recently Proclaiming Liberty: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Declaration of Independence (2026).
Julie Silverbrook is chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, where she leads the strategy, development, and delivery of the Center’s content, public programs, and educational initiatives, advancing its mission of nonpartisan constitutional education and civil dialogue. She oversees the creation of public-facing constitutional content and works to ensure the Center’s programs, scholarly engagement, and educational resources operate as a coordinated national strategy serving students, educators, families, and lifelong learners across the country.
Additional Resources
- Timothy Sandefur, Proclaiming Liberty: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Declaration of Independence
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