Throughout the history of the United States, the Constitution has been central to our public life. It has inspired hope, and it has provoked despair. It has remained in place as few other national constitutions have. Yet it has also been amended, and some today think it needs to change again. At a moment when our founding document's basic meaning seems more contested than ever, how should we look at the Constitution?    

To engage this urgent question, the Clough Center is delighted to host its fifth annual “What the Constitution Means to Us” event, in cooperation with the Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics.  Inspired by Heidi Schreck’s award-winning play, and in the spirit of Constitution and Citizenship Day, this event provides the Boston College community with an opportunity to reflect on our Constitution.  

In addition to showcasing contributions from select students and faculty, this year’s celebration will feature two renowned scholars: Doris Kearns Goodwin, the celebrated presidential historian, and Akhil Reed Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University and the author, most recently, of Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840–1920 (2025).

Featuring Guest Speakers:

Akhil Reed Amar is Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, where he teaches constitutional law in both Yale College and Yale Law School. After graduating from Yale College, summa cum laude, in 1980 and from Yale Law School in 1984, and clerking for Judge (later Justice) Stephen Breyer, Amar joined the Yale faculty in 1985 at the age of 26. He is Yale’s only living professor to have won the University’s unofficial triple crown — the Sterling Chair for scholarship, the DeVane Medal for teaching, and the Lamar Award for alumni service.

Doris Kearns Goodwin is a world-renowned, presidential historian, public speaker and Pulitzer Prize-winning, New York Times #1 best-selling author and partner in Pastimes Productions. Goodwin is often called upon by the news media and late night TV hosts as well as hundreds of companies, educational institutions, government agencies and nonprofits to share her vast knowledge of leadership and provide historical context for current day events, as our democracy is challenged, international wars rage, and we continue to struggle in a divided and polarized country.

Event starts at 4:00pm, with reception to follow at 5:30pm. This event is free and open to the public, with registration.

Please register to attend. 

Cosponsored by The Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics.