Updates
The Brown 2026 steering committee hopes you had a meaningful Fourth of July holiday. The beginning of this summer has been particularly busy and particularly focused on the history of 1776, as anticipated. For Commencement and Reunion Weekend, we convened three Brown 2026 panels. 1976 in 2026: A Brown 2026 Oral History convened in the morning to highlight the work of two alums and two undergraduates on the Brown 2026 Class of 1976 Oral History Project, which was also featured by Brown communications.
At the John Carter Brown Library, professors and steering committee members Seth Rockman and Phil Gould spoke on ‘1776! In and Across the Americas with Brown 2026’ to an overflowing room. Finally, a panel about democracy continued the Brown 2026 Cross Talk format, in which scholars representing different disciplinary expertise meet to discuss an issue. Then, from June 4-6, the John Carter Brown Library hosted a Conference on Religions and Freedoms c. 1776 with the John C. Danforth Center for Religion and Politics at Washington University. On June 27, Brown 2026 partnered with Rhode Island Historical Society to host a Golden Ball in celebration of history education across Rhode Island and to honor the late Gordon S. Wood. The evening included a public reading on the steps of the John Brown House of the Declaration of Independence, which brings us to July 4, 2026. The revolution didn’t end on July 5, 1776, and marking 250 years of American democracy does not end, either. Please stay tuned for Brown 2026 updates on our website as we look forward to the fall semester.