Live at the National Constitution Center

In this episode, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Eric Foner discusses Our Fragile Freedoms, a new collection of essays exploring a range of topics, including debates over slavery and antislavery, the Civil War and Reconstruction, Jim Crow and the battle to dismantle it, and modern debates over the Constitution and how to teach American history. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Resources Eric Foner, Our Fragile Freedoms(2025) Eric Foner, The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution (2019) Eric Foner, The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery (2010) Eric Foner, Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877 (1988) Richard Hofstadter, Anti-Intellectualism in American Life (1963) Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at programs@constitutioncenter.org Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr Explore theAmerica at 250 Civic Toolkit Sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate Subscribe, rate, and review wherever you listen Join us for an upcoming live program or watch recordings on YouTube Support our important work ⁠⁠Donate

Join Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a prominent U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice and author, as she shares her unique journey to the bench and her insights on constitutional interpretation. She discusses her deep-rooted values from New Orleans, the balance of her large family life, and her transition from English literature to law. Barrett delves into originalism, emphasizing the importance of public meaning over intent, and reflects on the role of history in recognizing unenumerated rights. Civility and collegiality in the Court's proceedings are also highlighted, offering a glimpse into her deliberative process.

Akhil Reed Amar, a Yale Law School professor and leading constitutional scholar, dives into the evolution of equality in America, as showcased in his book, Born Equal. He traces the origins of 'All Men Are Created Equal' and discusses Lincoln's interpretation of equality. Amar highlights the significance of the Reconstruction amendments in establishing birthright equality and analyzes influential figures like John Quincy Adams, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Frederick Douglass. He emphasizes the importance of understanding constitutional history to foster civic learning.

The National Constitution Center and the Center on the Structural Constitution at Texas A&M University School of Law present a U.S. Supreme Court review symposium featuring leading constitutional law scholars and commentators analyzing the Court’s most significant rulings of the term. Panel 3: Covering the CourtJess Bravin, Supreme Court Correspondent, The Wall Street JournalJan Crawford, chief legal correspondent, CBS NewsFred Smith Jr., professor of law, Stanford Law SchoolModerator: Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO, National Constitution Center Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at ⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠ Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr. ⁠⁠Sign up⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate. Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen. Join us for an upcoming ⁠⁠live program⁠⁠ or watch recordings on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. Support our important work. ⁠⁠Donate

The National Constitution Center and the Center on the Structural Constitution at Texas A&M University School of Law present a U.S. Supreme Court review symposium featuring leading constitutional law scholars and commentators analyzing the Court’s most significant rulings of the term. Panel 2: The Roberts Court and Executive PowerStephen Vladeck, Agnes Williams Sesquicentennial Professor of Federal Courts, Georgetown University Law CenterDaniel Walters, associate professor of law, Texas A&M University School of LawKeith Whittington, David Boies Professor of Law, Yale Law SchoolModerator: Neil Siegel, David W. Ichel Professor of Law and Professor of Political Science, Duke Law School Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at ⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠ Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr. ⁠⁠Sign up⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate. Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen. Join us for an upcoming ⁠⁠live program⁠⁠ or watch recordings on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. Support our important work. ⁠⁠Donate

The National Constitution Center and the Center on the Structural Constitution at Texas A&M University School of Law present a U.S. Supreme Court review symposium featuring leading constitutional law scholars and commentators analyzing the Court’s most significant rulings of the term. Panel 1: Supreme Court Term Review Jonathan Adler, Tazewell Taylor Professor of Law, William & Mary Law SchoolDaniel Epps, professor of law, Washington University School of LawSarah Isgur, editor, SCOTUSblog; legal analyst, ABC NewsFrederick Lawrence, distinguished lecturer, Georgetown University Law CenterModerator: Katherine Mims Crocker, professor of law, Texas A&M University School of Law Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at ⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠ Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr. ⁠Sign up⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate. Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen. Join us for an upcoming ⁠live program⁠ or watch recordings on ⁠YouTube⁠. Support our important work. ⁠Donate

Akhil Reed Amar and David Blight of Yale University and Annette Gordon-Reed, president of the Organization of American Historians and Harvard professor, join National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen for a sweeping conversation about the Constitution and the debates that have shaped America—from the founding era to today. They explore transformative moments in American history and landmark Supreme Court decisions. This program is presented in partnership with the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute and the Organization of American Historians. Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr. Sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate. Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen. Join us for an upcoming live program or watch recordings on YouTube. Support our important work. Donate

In celebration of Juneteenth, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian David Levering Lewis, author of the definitive two-volume biography of W.E.B. Du Bois, explores Du Bois’ life, legacy, and enduring impact on American history, while also discussing his own new memoir, The Stained Glass Window. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Resources David Levering Lewis, The Stained Glass Window: A Family History as the American Story, 1790–1958, (2025) David Levering Lewis, W.E.B. Du Bois: A Biography 1868–1963, (2009) American Historical Association, “W.E.B. Du Bois (1868–1963): Historian, Sociologist, Editor, Activist,” Perspectives on History, (2023) W.E.B. Du Bois, The Talented Tenth, (1903) W.E.B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk: Centennial Edition, (2003) W.E.B. Du Bois, Black Reconstruction in America: An Essay Toward a History of the Part Which Black Folk Played in the Attempt to Reconstruct Democracy in America, 1860–1880, (2014) W.E.B. Du Bois and Guy B. Johnson, Encyclopedia of the Negro: Preparatory Volume with Reference Lists and Reports, (1940) David Levering Lewis, W.E.B. Du Bois: The Fight for Equality and the American Century, 1919–1963, Read by Courtney B. Vance, (2001)   Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr. Sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate. Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen. Join us for an upcoming live program or watch recordings on YouTube. Support our important work. Donate

Legal scholars Gillian Metzger of Columbia Law School and Saikrishna Prakash of the University of Virginia School of Law examine the founders’ vision for the presidency, how presidential power has changed over time, and the key constitutional debates that have shaped the modern presidency. The discussion explores how the Trump presidency fits within this historical context and what it means for the future of presidential power. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Resources Federalist No. 70 Myers v. United States (1926) Trump v. United States (2024) Saikrishna Prakash, The Living Presidency: An Originalist Argument Against Its Ever-Expanding Powers, (2020) Saikrishna Prakash, Imperial from the Beginning: The Constitution of the Original Executive, (2015) Gillian Metzger, “Disqualification, Immunity, and the Presidency,” Harvard Law Review, Vol. 138 (April 1, 2025) Michel Martin, “Political scientists alarmed by Trump's disregard for checks on the executive branch,” NPR (Feb. 3, 2025) Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠⁠⁠ Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate. Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen. Join us for an upcoming ⁠⁠⁠⁠live program⁠⁠⁠⁠ or watch recordings on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠. Support our important work. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate⁠

Richard Kreitner, author of 'Fear No Pharaoh', explores the intersection of Jewish history and American slavery, while Shari Rabin, author of 'The Jewish South', highlights the experiences of Jews in the South during the Civil War. They discuss Jewish participation in the Civil War, showcasing key figures like Judah Benjamin and trailblazers like Ernestine Rose. The conversation also delves into the complex legacy of Jews and slavery, the evolving identity of Southern Jews, and the rise of anti-Semitism amid wartime tensions.