Latest | America at 250

Walter Isaacson on the Greatest Sentence Ever Written

Hybrid EVENT
America at 250

Walter Isaacson, in conversation with Max Boot, discusses his new book and what the Declaration of Independence's most famous words mean for America as it marks its 250th anniversary.

Walter Isaacson speaking in red tie, in front of light grey background
Carlos Osorio / AP
May
18

The Civil Service and the Future of American Diplomacy

In-Person EVENT
America at 250

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Francis Fukuyama and Leslie Vinjamuri examine the civil service, democratic governance, and the future of American diplomacy.

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) workers, carry their personal belongings after retrieving them from the USAID's headquarters in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025
Jose Luis Magana / AP
May
14

The Burden of History: How Presidents Confront the Nation's Past

Hybrid EVENT
America at 250

Ruti Teitel and Leslie Vinjamuri discuss how American presidents have used tools of justice and reconciliation to address historical harms and advance peace abroad.

US President Barack Obama, right, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, western Japan, as Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit the site of the world's first atomic bomb attack.
Carolyn Kaster / AP
May
5

How America Tells Its Story: A Conversation with Lonnie Bunch

PAST EVENT VIDEO
America at 250

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch and The HistoryMakers Founder and President Julieanna Richardson reflect on how America’s history continues to shape the nation at 250.

Speakers on the Council's stage
Ana Miyares Photography

We the People: The US Constitution in Today's World

PAST EVENT VIDEO
America at 250

As the US reflects on 250 years, Tom Ginsburg and Aziz Huq join Leigha Crout to discuss the role of the Constitution, how it compares with other democracies, and how it functions today.

Speakers on the Council's stage.

Citizens and Soldiers: Can the Military Remain Apolitical?

PAST EVENT VIDEO
America at 250

Kori Schake and Leslie Vinjamuri discuss the changing relationship between America's citizens and armed forces and what that means for the nation's defense.

Leslie Vinjamuri and Kori Schake on the Council Stage
Ana Miyares Photography

At the Water's Edge: Foreign Policy, Polarization, and the American Public

PAST EVENT VIDEO
America at 250

Craig Kafura, Sarah Maxey, and Gerard Baker discuss findings from the 2025 Chicago Council Survey, highlighting where Americans are divided—and where consensus still exists—on the US role in the world.

Gerard Baker, Sarah Maxey, and Craig Kafura on the Council stage
Ana Miyares Photography

The Future of Alliances in a Changing World

PAST EVENT VIDEO
America at 250

Leslie Vinjamuri speaks with Ambassador Julianne Smith about how US alliances are navigating new pressures and what this means for the future of global partnerships.

Julianne Smith on the Council Stage
Ana Miyares Photography