Live at the National Constitution Center

Latest Episodes:

The First Amendment and Artificial Intelligence Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Technology and constitutional scholar Jonathan Zittrain and Distinguished Professor of Law at Rutgers Law School Ellen Goodman examine the intersection of the First Amendment and artificial intelligence, how constitutional values can help guide emerging technologies, and what the future of free expression looks like in the digital age. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates.

This program is presented in partnership with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as part of First Amendment Day, a new annual celebration inviting visitors of all ages to explore the five freedoms of the First Amendment through conversation, creativity, history, and hands-on experiences.

Resources

The First Amendment, National Constitution Center
Free Speech in a Changing World, National Constitution Center’s We the People podcast, July 30, 2026

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Stay connected with Live at the National Constitution Center—follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen.
Questions or comments? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠⁠⁠.
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Timothy Sandefur on Proclaiming Liberty: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Declaration of Independence Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, 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.

Resources 

Timothy Sandefur,Proclaiming Liberty: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Declaration of Independence (2026)

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Stay connected with Live at the National Constitution Center—follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen.
Questions or comments? Email ⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠⁠⁠.
Follow @ConstitutionCtr on social media and ⁠⁠⁠⁠sign up⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate.
Support our important work by making a donation today.

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Ilan Wurman on The Constitution of 1789: A New Introduction Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Constitutional scholar Ilan Wurman joins for a conversation on his new book, The Constitution of 1789: A New Introduction. Written to coincide with the semiquincentennial of American independence, the book offers a fresh examination of the Constitution’s origins, structure, separation of powers, and the relationship between the Constitution and the American founding. Wurman explores how the Constitution was understood at its creation and the questions that have animated constitutional debates for over two centuries. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates.

Resources 

The Constitution of 1789: A New Introduction

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Stay connected with Live at the National Constitution Center—follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen.
Questions or comments? Email ⁠⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠⁠.
Follow @ConstitutionCtr on social media and ⁠⁠⁠sign up⁠⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate.
Support our important work by making a donation today.

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Civil Discourse and the Supreme Court Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, legal scholars Jonathan Adler, Greg Garre, Katherine Mims Crocker, and Howard Wasserman discuss the state of civil discourse inside the Supreme Court and in public debate about the Court. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates. This conversation was recorded live in Philadelphia on July 7, 2026, as part of the National Constitution Center’s 2026 Supreme Court Review, which is presented in partnership with the Center on the Structural Constitution at Texas A&M University School of Law. The program featured three panels with scholars of differing perspectives examining the Court’s 2025–2026 term, its approach to executive power, and civil discourse surrounding the Court.

Resources

2026 Supreme Court Review: Key Decisions, Executive Power, Civil Discourse, National Constitution Center
“Retired Justice Kennedy laments coarse discourse of Trump era and its effects on the Supreme Court,” Associated Press, Oct. 8, 2025
“Justice Thomas Bemoans Incivility as Security Prompts Cancellation of In-Person Speech,” The New York Times, Feb. 27, 2026
“Justices Hint at Strains as Supreme Court Comes Under Scrutiny,” The New York Times, May 18, 2026
“Takeaways From Rare Congressional Testimony by Two Supreme Court Justices,” The New York Times, July 15, 2026

Stay Connected and Learn More

Stay connected with Live at the National Constitution Center—follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen.
Questions or comments? Email ⁠⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠.
Follow @ConstitutionCtr on social media and ⁠⁠sign up⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate.
Support our important work by making a donation today.

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The Supreme Court and Executive Power Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, legal scholars Gillian Metzger, Julian Mortenson, and Ilya Somin discuss the Supreme Court’s approach to executive power in recent decisions. Thomas Donnelly, lead scholar at the National Constitution Center, moderates. This conversation was recorded live in Philadelphia on July 7, 2026, as part of the National Constitution Center’s 2026 Supreme Court Review, which is presented in partnership with the Center on the Structural Constitution at Texas A&M University School of Law. The program featured three panels with scholars of differing perspectives examining the Court’s 2025-2026 term, its approach to executive power, and civil discourse within and concerning the Court.

Resources

⁠2026 Supreme Court Review: Key Decisions, Executive Power, Civil Discourse⁠, National Constitution Center
⁠Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump⁠ (2026)
⁠Trump v. Slaughter⁠(2026)
⁠Trump v. Cook⁠ (2026)
⁠Trump v. Illinois⁠ (2025)

Stay Connected and Learn More

Stay connected with Live at the National Constitution Center—follow, rate, and review the show wherever you listen.
Questions or comments? Email ⁠podcast@constitutioncenter.org⁠.
Follow @ConstitutionCtr on social media and ⁠sign up⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate.
Support our important work by making a donation today.

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The Constitution and the Courts at the 250th Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, we're sharing a recent America's Town Hall event which explores the Constitution and the Courts at the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. Kevin Arlyck of Georgetown LawCenter discusses his book, The Nation at Sea The Federal Courts and American Sovereignty, 1789–1825, which tells a new story about the federal judiciary, and about the early United States itself. Julie Silverbrook,chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates.

This program is presented in partnership with the Federal Judicial Center.

Resources

⁠⁠Annotated Declaration of Independence⁠⁠, National Constitution Center
⁠⁠Interactive Constitution⁠⁠, National Constitution Center
⁠⁠The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals⁠⁠
Kevin Arlyck, The Nation at Sea The Federal Courts and American Sovereignty, 1789–1825 (2025)

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Questions or comments? Email us at ⁠⁠programs@constitutioncenter.org⁠⁠
Join us for another upcoming ⁠⁠live programs from the NCC⁠⁠.
Follow @ConstitutionCtr on social media and ⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate delivered right to your inbox.
Support our important work by making a donation today.

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Interpreting the Constitution in the Founding Era Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, we're sharing a recent America's Town Hall event which explores the Constitution and the Courts at the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. This discussion, Interpreting the Constitution in the Founding Era, features Akhil Reed Amar, Christopher Bonner, and Gerald F. Leonard moderated by Thomas Donnelly, lead scholar at the National Constitution Center.

This program is presented in partnership with the Federal Judicial Center.

Resources

⁠Annotated Declaration of Independence⁠, National Constitution Center
⁠Interactive Constitution⁠, National Constitution Center
⁠The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals⁠

Stay Connected and Learn More

Questions or comments? Email us at ⁠programs@constitutioncenter.org⁠
Join us for another upcoming ⁠live programs from the NCC⁠.
Follow @ConstitutionCtr on social media and ⁠subscribe⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate delivered right to your inbox.
Support our important work by making a donation today.

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The Ideas at the Heart of the Declaration and the Constitution Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, David Blight, Robert P. George, and Annette Gordon-Reed explore the enduring ideas at the core of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution—including equality, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and government by consent—and examine how those principles have been debated, interpreted, and contested over time. Moderated by Thomas Donnelly, lead scholar at the National Constitution Center, this conversation invites audiences to engage deeply with the ideas that launched a nation, and to consider how our shared constitutional story continues to unfold.

Resources

Annotated Declaration of Independence, National Constitution Center
Interactive Constitution, National Constitution Center
The Promise of America: Reflections on Our Enduring Ideals

Stay Connected and Learn More

Questions or comments? Email us at programs@constitutioncenter.org
Join us for another upcoming live programs from the NCC.
Follow @ConstitutionCtr on social media and subscribe to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate delivered right to your inbox.
Support our important work by making a donation today.

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Separation of Powers and the Rule of Law Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

The separation of powers, federalism, and the rule of law are critical elements of American constitutional democracy. Judge Bernice Donald, formerly of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; Judge Robert Kugler, formerly of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court; and Judge Thomas Griffith, formerly of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, explore the current state of these fundamental constitutional principles. Julie Silverbrook, the chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates.

This program was presented in partnership with Keep Our Republic's Article III Coalition, a bipartisan group of retired federal district and circuit court judges dedicated to safeguarding the separation of powers and preserving an independent judiciary. The Coalition's civic education work informs citizens why an independent judiciary matters, how courts safeguard rights and maintain constitutional checks and balances, and the critical role that impartial justice plays in keeping our republic.

Resources

Constitution 101: Separation of Powers and Federalism, National Constitution Center

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Civic Story Hour with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch and Janie Nitze Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, honorary co-chair of the National Constitution Center, and his co-author and former law clerk Janie Nitze join the Center to discuss their new children’s book, Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence (HarperCollins; May 5, 2026). Designed for families and learners of all ages, this Civic Story Hour program invites audiences into the human stories behind the Declaration of Independence. Heroes of 1776 introduces readers to both familiar figures such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Paul Revere, as well as lesser-known participants in the American story, including Caesar Rodney, Thomas Paine, and Mary Katharine Goddard. Together, their stories highlight the risks, choices, and debates that shaped the nation’s founding. Blending vivid storytelling with historical detail, the book centers the lived experiences behind the founding era and invites young readers to consider the enduring ideals of the Declaration. Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer at the National Constitution Center, moderates.

Resources