The Abbey Speaker Series marks the 250th anniversary of American independence with a discussion of Race and the American Founding at 5:30pm on Thursday, February 26 in the Frank Porter Graham Student Union Auditorium.

The Declaration of Independence proclaimed equality —”all men are created equal”—but the Constitution tolerated slavery. Abolitionists, Abraham Lincoln, and civil rights leaders later wielded the Declaration’s words, but its principal author, Thomas Jefferson, owned slaves, and the Declaration refers to Native Americans as “merciless savages.” How should we think about this founding paradox that has haunted the nation for 250 years? Historian Annette Gordon-Reed and political theorist Lucas Morel will explore these and related issues in a discussion moderated by Carolina Public Humanities Executive Director Max Owre.

Students who attend in person can earn CLE credit. No tickets necessary; seating is first-come, first-served. Reserved tickets are available for guests coming from outside Chapel Hill; email publicdiscourse@unc.edu to reserve seats.

Join us for pizza in the lobby afterward!