250 Years of Liberty: The Enduring Promise of the First Amendment
Date & Time: October 10th, 2026 @ 8:30 AM
Location:
Join us for a one-day undergraduate colloquium exploring how the freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment were contemplated at America's founding and why they have endured for 250 years. Through faculty-led roundtable discussions, participants will examine primary texts from Locke and Milton, the Founders' writings on religious freedom and free speech, and landmark Supreme Court cases spanning from the early 20th century to today. The day includes a lunchtime keynote address and closing banquet dinner.
Selected students will receive a $500 stipend, reading materials, and all meals. Following the colloquium, participants will write a brief (~500-word) essay reflecting on the central question of the program.
Lunchtime keynote speaker:Andrew D. Graham is senior counsel for academic and professional affairs at Alliance Defending Freedom.
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Time: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Off-site Dinner at 6:00 PM
Due to the anticipated impacts from Hurricane Isaias, which is forecast to make landfall along northern Gulf Coast early Saturday morning, our colloquium has been postponed. Updates on new dates to be sent when available.
