On July 4, 2026, the United States celebrated its semiquincentennial – the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
In honor of this milestone, the Harvard Kennedy School announced The Consent of the Governed: America at 250 and Beyond – a series of conversations exploring the past, present, and future of the American experiment.
The series, moderated by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and professor, Jill Lepore, and hosted by the Institute of Politics, will bring together a wide range of leaders in politics, culture, academia, technology, and journalism to discuss the core questions and challenges facing America as it celebrates its 250th anniversary. The series has featured the following sessions:
Spring 2026:
- America at 250 and Beyond: Union and Disunion – a discussion with Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Secretary of Transportation; Drew Gilpin Faust, President Emerita, Harvard University; and Eddie Glaude, Distinguished University Professor, Princeton University.
- America at 250 and Beyond: Democracy and Governance in America – a discussion with Mitt Romney, former U.S. Senator, Governor of Massachusetts, and Republican nominee for President.
Fall 2026:
- America at 250 and Beyond: A Well-Informed Citizenry – a discussion with David French, Opinion Columnist for the New York Times; Steve Inskeep, NPR, Host, Morning Edition and Up First; Jameel Jaffer, Executive Director, Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Register here!
- America at 250 and Beyond: Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law – a discussion with Jamal Greene, Dwight Professor of Law, Columbia Law School; Aziz Huq, Frank and Bernice J. Greenberg Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School; and Kevin Newsom, U.S. Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (registration opening soon).
We look forward to having you join us for this series of important discussions.
