The Good Fight Jill Lepore on Why We Should Amend the U.S. Constitution
Dec 9, 2025
Jill Lepore, a Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer, delves into the neglected stories of America's history, balancing triumph with tales of exclusion. She critiques the avoidance of national narratives among historians and emphasizes bridging the gap between popular and academic histories. Discussing the challenges within higher education, Lepore advocates for internal reforms and robust civic education. She also explores the rarity of constitutional amendments and highlights innovative models like Native nation constitutions as examples of potential renewal.
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Bridging Polarized Historical Narratives
- Jill Lepore sees the public debate on American history split between a triumphalist popular account and an academic litany of atrocities.
- She aims to bridge that gap as a civic duty rather than mere intellectual passion.
Charles Beard's Blended Scholarship And Activism
- Charles Beard publicly combined historical scholarship and active political work to amend the Constitution in the Progressive era.
- Beard resigned his Columbia chair on principle during wartime loyalty-oath fights and continued writing outside the academy.
Francis Lieber's Complicated Career
- Francis Lieber compromised by owning enslaved people while opposing slavery and later flourished intellectually at Columbia.
- He later influenced Lincoln's laws of war and authored the Lieber Code used during the Civil War.
