On February 26, 1919, Grand Canyon National Park was established in Arizona. The canyon is truly awe-inspiring – spanning up to 18 miles at its widest point and plunging to […]
On this day in 1807, American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine. He is one of the best-known poets of the nineteenth century, authoring such prominent and […]
On February 27, 2023 at 11 am ET, JMC's Faculty Partner Daniel Cullen will sit down for a virtual discussion with author Sigal R. Ben-Porath of her new book, Cancel Wars: […]
On this day in 1872, Yellowstone National Park was established as President Ulysses S. Grant signed an act protecting over 2 million acres of wilderness as “a public park or […]
The Tocqueville Lecture Series at Jacksonville State University, a JMC partner program, will hold a virtual presentation and Q&A with Dr. Philip Yaure on "Frederick Douglass’s Abolitionist Republicanism": Dr. Philip […]
On March 2, 2023, the Constitutional Studies Forum at the University of Nebraska-Omaha will be hosting a panel discussion featuring Patrick Deneen (University of Notre Dame), Vincent Phillip Munoz (University […]
On this day in 1931, the United States officially adopted “The Star-Spangled Banner” as its national anthem. The song was penned in 1814, but gained greater meaning throughout the 19th […]
On March 3, 2023, the Tufts Program in Political Thought at Tufts University will be hosting faculty partner Andrea Radasanu for a lecture on Montesquieu. Professor Radasanu will speak about […]
On March 3, 2023, the University of Houston's Phronēsis: Honors Minor and Program in Politics & Ethics will host Dr. Paul Carrese to give a lecture as part of the […]
On March 3, 2023, the Voegelin Institute at Louisiana State University will host JMC fellow Frank W. Garmon, Jr. for a discussion of “Microhistory and the Malleability of Identity in Nineteenth Century America.” […]
On this day in 1770, the Boston Massacre occurred on King Street in Boston, Massachusetts as colonists rioted and British troops panicked, opening fire and killing 5 men. The incident […]
On this day in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for his invention of the telephone. ☎️ ☎️ ☎️ A native of Scotland, Bell developed his telephone while teaching […]
On March 7, 2023, The University of North Texas's Constitutionalism and Democracy Forum will host Dana Stauffer for a lecture on Tocqueville's America. The lecture given by Dr. Stauffer, will present […]
On March 8, 2023, Belmont Abbey Honors College will host distinguished journalist Ross Douthat to give a lecture entitled "A Catholic Politics". Ross Douthat is a New York Times columnist, best-selling author, and former senior […]
On this day in 1864, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Ulysses S. Grant as Lieutenant General of the Union Army. The position gave Grant command of all U.S. armies and made […]
On this day in 1913, American abolitionist and leading conductor in the Underground Railroad Harriet Tubman died in Auburn, New York. An escaped slave herself, Tubman took great personal risks […]
On this day in 1912, the Girl Scouts of America was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in Savannah, Georgia. Inspired by the Girl Guides of Great Britain, Low decided to […]
On this day in 1751, 4th president and founding father James Madison was born in Port Conway, Virginia. Madison was instrumental in the creation of the Constitution, earning the title […]
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 🍀🍺🍀🍺🍀🍺 Irish-Americans (and not so Irish Americans) across the country celebrate Irish heritage today with parades, corned beef and cabbage, and festive green attire. The holiday, […]
On March 17, 2023, Lee University’s Center for Responsible Citizenship will host Chief Judge Sutton to give a lecture on Local Solutions to the Court’s Deepest Questions. On March 17th, the […]
On this day in 1837, 22nd (and 24th) president Grover Cleveland was born in Caldwell, New Jersey. Cleveland is the only president to have served for two separate terms. His […]
It’s National Quilting Day! ✂️🏵🧵🪡 Quilting dates back to at least medieval times, taking hold in America as colonial settlers arrived. Quilting bees were a popular form of socialization for […]
Happy Spring! 🌸🌷🌱 Today marks the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and is one of two days within the year during which the sun is directly above the equator […]
On March 20, 1612, Puritan poet Anne Bradstreet was born in Northampton, England. A leading figure in early American poetry, Bradstreet was the first published poet from the American colonies. […]
On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry delivered his famous “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech in Richmond, Virginia while arguing for the deployment of Virginia troops in the American Revolution. Henry’s passionate speech made a strong impression on the Second Virginia Convention, who sat in stunned silence for several minutes afterwards. It had […]
On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry delivered his famous “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech in Richmond, Virginia while arguing for the deployment of Virginia troops in the American Revolution. Henry’s passionate speech made a strong impression on the Second Virginia Convention, who sat in stunned silence for several minutes afterwards. It had […]
On March 23, 2023, the Forum on Constitutionalism and Democracy at SUNY-Geneseo will be hosting Eric Adler to give a lecture on the value and future of the humanities, and […]
On March 24, 2023, the Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government at the University of Notre Dame will host Judge Kyle Duncan for a hybrid in-person/live streamed discussion of freedom […]
On March 3, 2023, the University of Houston's Phronēsis: Honors Minor and Program in Politics & Ethics will host Dr. Clifford Orwin to give a lecture as part of its […]
On March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire took place in New York City, killing 146 workers, mostly teenage girls. The tragedy is infamous in part for its preventability – safety features had been neglected to save money and locked doors prevented escape. Trapped with nowhere to go, several jumped from the 8th floor. […]
On March 26, 1874, American poet Robert Frost was born in San Francisco, California. His popular poetry is best known for its focus on nature and rural New England life. 🌲🏡🌳 Still read by schoolchildren today, “The Road Not Taken”, “Mending Wall”, and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” are some of his best […]
On March 27, 2023, the Colloquium on American Citizenship at Samford University will host Kirk Fitzpatrick for a public lecture on "Plato, Aristotle, and Madison on Democracy: Anarchy, Polity, and the Constitutional […]
On March 29, 1806, construction was authorized for the Great National Pike (Cumberland Road), making it the first federal highway. Stretching from Cumberland, Maryland to St. Louis, Missouri, the road supported westward expansion through commerce and improved travel. Did you know? The Cumberland Road is still in use today – in 1926, part of the […]
On March 29, 1874, First Lady Lou Hoover was born in Waterloo, Iowa. The wife of 31st president, Herbert Hoover, Lou served as first lady during the first years of the Great Depression. Did you know? A geology major while at university, Lou had a love of nature and the outdoors and was a strong […]
Today marks the birthday of the 10th president John Tyler. Did you know that Tyler was the first vice-president to take office after the death of a sitting president? He became president after the death of William Henry Harrison, who held the shortest term in U.S. history. He is also known as the only […]
On March 30, 2023, the Constitutional Studies Forum at the University of Nebraska-Omaha will be hosting a seminar presented by Arthur Milikh on "Politics, Philosophy, and the Origins of Modern […]
On March 30, 2023, the Cincinnatus Center at Coastal Carolina University will host Jerome Foss for a lecture on "Do we need the Bill of Rights in America?." Thursday, March […]
The Tocqueville Lecture Series at Jacksonville State University, a JMC partner program, will hold a hybrid presentation and Q&A with Dr. Jonathan Marks on "Free Speech on Campus": Dr. Jonathan […]
It’s National Crayon Day! 🖍🖍🖍 Though crayons were not invented in America, the ubiquitous Crayola crayon is a purely American invention. These crayons were invented in Easton, Pennsylvania in 1902 by Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith, cousins and founders of the Binney & Smith Co. Their coloring sticks – made of a nontoxic paraffin wax – were […]
On March 31, 1918, Daylight Saving Time went into effect for the first time in the United States. The practice had roots in World War I, when clocks were changed by an hour to conserve on fuel. After the war however, the practice proved so unpopular with Americans that it was repealed in 1919. Daylight […]
On this day in 1776, Abigail Adams wrote her husband John her now-famous letter urging him to "remember the ladies." "I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would […]
On March 31, 2023, the Tufts Program in Political Thought at Tufts University will be hosting faculty partner Stuart Warner for a lecture on Montesquieu. Professor Warner will speak […]
On March 31, 2023, the University of Houston's Phronēsis: Honors Minor and Program in Politics & Ethics will host Dr. Michelle Zerba to give a lecture as part of its […]