Live at the National Constitution Center

As part of their ongoing conversations about how to restore the guardrails of American democracy, the National Constitution Center and the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University present a conversation exploring the role of the president in our constitutional system. Experts Jessica Bulman-Pozen, law professor at Columbia Law School, Saikrishna Prakash, law professor and author of The Living Presidency: An Originalist Argument Against Its Ever-Expanding Powers, and Stephen Skowronek, political scientist at Yale University, discuss the original conception of presidential power and its expansion over time; and provide their take on what reforms, if any, may be necessary. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.This program is presented as part of the Renewing the Republic series, presented in partnership with the SNF Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University, and as part of the National Constitution Center's Restoring the Guardrails of Democracy initiative. It was made possible with support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) and Mike and Jackie Bezos.This conversation was streamed live on November 22, 2021.Additional resources and transcript available in our Media Library at constitutioncenter.org/constitution.Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, join experts Maggie Blackhawk of New York University School of Law; Donald Grinde, Jr. of the University at Buffalo and co-author of Exemplar of Liberty: Native America and the Evolution of Democracy; Gregory Dowd of the University of Michigan; and Woody Holton of the University of South Carolina and author of Liberty Is Sweet: The Hidden History of the American Revolution, for a conversation exploring the influence of indigenous people and tribal governments on the U.S. Constitution and American democracy, from before the Revolution to today. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.This program is made possible with support from TD Bank.This conversation was streamed live on November 19, 2021.Additional resources and transcript available in our Media Library at constitutioncenter.org/constitution.Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

Although the 15th and 19th Amendments to the Constitution enshrined the right to vote regardless of race and guaranteed women the right to vote more than 100 years ago, the struggle for Black women’s suffrage and representation is ongoing, and the history of the struggle still relatively unknown today. We discuss that history on this week’s episode, and highlight the key Black women figures throughout time who served as suffrage advocates, voters, and representatives—from Sojourner Truth to Shirley Chisholm. This panel features Nadia Brown, professor of government and chair of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at Georgetown University and Idol Family Fellow at the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute at Villanova University; Bettye Collier-Thomas, professor of history at Temple University and co-editor of African American Women and the Vote, 1837–1965; and Martha Jones, Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor and professor of history at Johns Hopkins University and author of Vanguard. Lana Ulrich, senior director of content at the National Constitution Center, moderates the discussion.This program was made possible through the generous support of the McNulty Foundation in partnership with the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women's Leadership at Villanova University. It’s part of the National Constitution Center’s Women and the Constitution, initiative.This conversation was streamed live on November 9, 2021.Additional resources and transcript available in our Media Library at constitutioncenter.org/constitution.Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

On this week’s episode, we’re sharing the audio from one of the Center’s weekly constitutional classes. The conversation features Akhil Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University and one of America’s foremost teachers of the Constitution. Professor Amar joins National Constitution Center president Jeffrey Rosen to examine the key ideas at the heart of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution—including natural rights, the rule of law, and popular sovereignty—as well as how those ideas took shape and who pioneered them.This conversation is part of the National Constitution Center’s schedule of 2021-2022 live classes on the Constitution and other course offerings for middle school, high school, and college students. Each week during the school year, the Center offers three constitutional classes: Wednesdays at noon (Introductory Sessions) and at 2 p.m. (Advanced Sessions), and Fridays at 1 p.m. (All-Ages Sessions with Distinguished Guest Scholars). These public, 30-minute-long classes take place on Zoom, are streamed live on YouTube, and are recorded, captioned, and posted on our website. You can register for an upcoming class at constitutioncenter.org/learn or watch past classes in our Media Library at constitutioncenter.org/constitution.Additional resources and transcript available at constitutioncenter.org/constitution.Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

Last week, we hosted a discussion of how the U.S. Constitution was written and how it has changed over time, featuring two authors with different takes: professors Wilfred Codrington III of Brooklyn Law School and Charles R. Kesler of Claremont McKenna College. Professor Codrington unveiled his new book 'The People’s Constitution: 200 Years, 27 Amendments, and the Promise of a More Perfect Union.' Codrington tells the story of constitutional change through his focus on the amendments that he says have reshaped our founding document in order to create a more perfect union. At the same time, Professor Kesler presented his book, 'Crisis of the Two Constitutions: The Rise, Decline, and Recovery of American Greatness.' Kesler’s focus is on the Constitution as written in 1787, as opposed to a narrative of the progressive or “living” constitution, and argues that the two are at odds with each other. National Constitution Center president and CEO Jeffrey Rosen moderates.This conversation was streamed live on October 26, 2021.

Historian Gordon Wood unveiled his new book Power and Liberty: Constitutionalism in the American Revolution at the National Constitution Center earlier this fall. He was joined in person by Professor Edward Larson, author of Franklin and Washington: The Founding Partnership; and virtually by Professor Emily Pears, author of the forthcoming book Chords of Affection: Constructing Constitutional Union in Early American History, as well as Professor Lucas Morel, author of Lincoln and the American Founding. The panel discussed America’s earliest constitutional ideas, principles, and debates—from roots in the United Kingdom to the American Revolution through the Constitutional Convention and beyond.This conversation was held in person and streamed live on Constitution Day—September 17, 2021.This interview was edited for length and clarity.If you’d like to check out more content about the American Revolution, check out our constitutional class on the principles and ideas of the American revolution featuring renowned scholar Akhil Amar: https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/educational-video/principles-of-the-american-revolution-with-akhil-reed-amar

What has patriotism meant over time, and how has civil debate shaped it? We hosted a discussion of that question last week featuring philosopher Steven Smith of Yale University, who shared insight from his new book, Reclaiming Patriotism in an Age of Extremes. He was joined by historians Allen Guelzo of Princeton University and Sophia Rosenfeld of the University of Pennsylvania. They explored some of the key episodes of patriotism and dissent throughout American history—from the Revolution through the Founding and the Civil War to today. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderated.This panel was streamed live on October 13, 2021. 

Last week, we hosted a discussion of a major issue at the forefront of national police reform: whether qualified immunity for police officers should be reformed—and if so, how? Qualified immunity is a defense that government officials—like police officers—can raise in response to civil lawsuits for money damages that are brought for alleged violations of constitutional rights. Under current U.S. Supreme Court precedent, unless an officer violated a “clearly established” law of which a reasonable person would have known—the officer can invoke qualified immunity. National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen was joined by Gloria Browne-Marshall, professor of constitutional law at John Jay College of Criminal Justice; Leonard Kesten, an attorney who has litigated hundreds of cases involving the application of qualified immunity; and Rafael Mangual, senior fellow and head of research for the Policing and Public Safety Initiative at the Manhattan Institute. The panel unpacked the qualified immunity doctrine, how it plays out in real world cases, and whether it needs reform.This panel was a partnership with WHYY’s Your Democracy initiative, supported by the Sutherland Family. It was streamed live on October 7, 2021.Additional resources and transcript available in our Media Library at constitutioncenter.org/constitution.Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

The Supreme Court today continues to vigorously debate the scope of religious exemptions—which allow individuals or organizations to be exempt from following certain laws that they say burden their religious beliefs—in high-profile cases such as Fulton v. City of Philadelphia (2021). This episode dives into the current and historic debates over religious exemptions in a panel featuring Douglas Laycock, author of the five-volume series The Collected Works on Religious Liberty; Vincent Phillip Muñoz, author of God and the Founders; and Kathleen Brady, author of The Distinctiveness of Religion in American Law. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. This program is presented in partnership with the University of Notre Dame's Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government.Check out additional programming about religious exemptions at https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/media-library?amendment=14909 and below: We the People episode, "The Future of Church and State at SCOTUS" https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/podcast/the-future-of-church-and-state-at-scotus On Fulton v. City of Philadelphia (2021): We the People episode, "Religious Groups, Foster Care, and the First Amendment" https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/podcast/the-future-of-church-and-state-at-scotus Additional resources and transcript available in our Media Library at constitutioncenter.org/constitution.Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

We’re back with new episodes sharing our fall programming! On September 17—Constitution Day, the anniversary of the signing of the Constitution—three judges from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals joined host Jeffrey Rosen for a panel. The judges shared an inside look into some of their rulings that then became blockbuster Supreme Court cases. Judge Cheryl Ann Krause discussed her ruling in the case involving a cheerleader who was punished for a Snapchat, Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L. Judge Stephanos Bibas spoke on his decision in one of the major Trump campaign challenges to the 2020 election results, Donald Trump for President, Inc v. Secretary Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And Judge Marjorie Rendell shared insight into her decision in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, the case spurred by the city barring Catholic Social Services (CSS) from placing children in foster homes because CSS refused to allow same-sex couples to be foster parents. The judges also reflected on their work more broadly, their efforts to find compromise among colleagues with differing opinions, and their important roles in American government. Additional resources and transcript available in our Media Library at constitutioncenter.org/constitution.Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.