From the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, this is We the People.

I'm Tom Donnelly, chief scholar of the National Constitution Center.

The National Constitution Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit,

chartered by Congress to increase awareness and understanding of the Constitution

among the American people.

In celebration of Black History Month, scholars Lucas Morel of Washington and Lee University

and Melvin Rogers of Brown University joined to discuss how African American leaders and citizens

such as Prince Hall, Frederick Douglass, Ida B. Wells, and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. have invoked the ideas and principles of the Declaration of Independence throughout American history to push for a more free and equal America.

This program was streamed live on February 2nd, 2026, as a part of the America's Town Hall series.

Lucas, Melvin, thank you so much for joining us again.

Delighted to be here.

Glad to be a part.

And maybe, Lucas, I'll start with you.

And this obviously could be the topic of an entire town hall.

But maybe just place on the table for us briefly what you would take to be some of the core principles that we find in the Declaration of Independence. Sure. These are principles that are

tidily distilled in the second sentence of the declaration, which is the beginning of the second

paragraph. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal,

right? So the principle of equality, and part of that is equality in their natural rights to life,

liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These are the things you have, even before government

shows up or has something to do. But once you know that people are rights-bearing entities or

beings, these are not self-enforcing rights.

And therefore, you need government not to give you these natural rights because you have them by nature.

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