A Conversation on America’s 250th

We the People

National Constitution Center

History, News Commentary, News

4.6 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 21 August 2025

⏱️ 58 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode, Sabrina Lynn Motley, director of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, and Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, discuss how their institutions are celebrating America’s 250th birthday. This conversation took place at Chautauqua Institution 2025 Summer Assembly. Resources Jeff Rosen, The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton and Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America Chautauqua Institution, Sabrina Lynn Motley and Jeffrey Rosen National Constitution Center, America’s Town Hall Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate. Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen. Join us for an upcoming ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠live program⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or watch recordings on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Support our important work. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate

Transcript

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0:00.0	This week, I participated in a conversation at the Chautauqua Institution, where we discussed how the
0:06.3	National Constitution Center is honoring America's 250th anniversary.
0:14.4	Hello, friends. I'm Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, and welcome to We the People, a weekly show of constitutional debate.
0:23.6	The National Constitution Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit, chartered by Congress to increase awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people.
0:32.7	In this episode, we're sharing audio from the conversation I had at Chautauqua with Deborah Sunya Moore.
0:40.1	She's the chief program officer for the Chautauqua Institution.
0:44.0	And Sabrina Lynn Motley, who's the director of the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
0:52.2	Together we explored how Chautauqua, the Smithsonian Folk Like Festival,
0:55.9	and the NCC, are commemorating A250. Enjoy the show. Good morning. It is wonderful to see you all
1:06.8	gathering. My name is Deborah Sunaya Moore. I serve as chief program officer at Chautauqua,
1:13.0	and it is a delight to welcome you to the amphitheater as we present our penultimate Chautauqua
1:19.6	lecture series program of 2025, exploring the week nine theme, past, informs present. how to harness history. We are honored this morning
1:31.0	to be joined by Sabrina Lynn Motley and Jeffrey Rosen, the pair both lead institutions that Chautauqua
1:38.2	will collaborate with during our 26th summer assembly into separate and distinct weeks,
1:46.6	marking America's semi-Quincentennial.
1:50.7	With the National Constitution Center,
1:53.3	we will present a week, also in partnership
1:56.2	with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation,
1:59.2	titled America at 250.
2:01.6	And with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, we will present a week titled
2:07.6	The Importance of Gathering. You can view the dates and descriptions of these weeks at
2:12.6	26.ch.org.
	...

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