Event Registration

Join Jon Grinspan ’06 and President Cristle Collins Judd for a conversation at this critical moment approaching the 2024 election to explore lessons from our nation’s history that resonate in today’s fractured political landscape. Jon Grinspan, Ph.D., is a curator of political and military history at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and a frequent contributor to The New York Times. His work focuses on the deep history of American democracy and its relevance to contemporary politics. From political conventions to protests and riots, Grinspan’s research takes him to the heart of America’s political struggles, where he gathers materials to help future generations understand 21st-century democracy. He is the award-winning author of three books: "Wide Awake: The Forgotten Force That Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War," an account of the anti-slavery youth movement that propelled America from the 1860 election to civil war; "Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915," which explores the post-Civil War fight to reform America’s political system; and "The Virgin Vote: How Young Americans Made Democracy Social, Politics Personal, and Voting Popular in the Nineteenth Century," a study of how struggling young citizens found identity and maturity in democracy. This event is free and open to the public. Attendees are welcome to join in person on campus or participate virtually via Zoom.