2009-2010 Book Discussions and Primary Source Workshops

Freedom and Unity

a project of

The Flow of History

How has the meaning of citizenship in American been defined, debated, and constrained or expanded from the beginnings of our nation to the present day?

The Declaration of Independence proclaims these lofty ideals: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” The Bill of Rights to the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and a free press. Together these founding principles of American democracy seem to be a prescription for universal citizenship. And yet the meanings and privileges of citizenship in America have been constrained and contested throughout our history. The Flow of History’s professional development program for 2009-10 will examine the evolution and expansion of “citizenship, civil liberties, and civil rights” from the dawn of the republic to the present day. Among the topics we will explore through readings and working with primary sources are women’s rights, the status of Native Americans, immigration restriction, racial segregation, the eugenics movement, and the modern civil rights movement.