Event Detail

Back to Events
Screening: A More or Less Perfect Union
  • Date: Thursday, January 30, 2020
  • Time: 7:00 pm
  • Location: William G. McGowan Theater

A More or Less Perfect Union (2020) explores the most contentious issues in American history and today through the lens of the U.S. Constitution. The groundbreaking three-part public television series tells the story of how the framers put freedom in writing; how amendment after amendment finally spread freedom to all of “we the people,” and how we still struggle today to preserve the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution. Hosted by U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg—a national authority on the Constitution, with 30 years of experience on the Federal appeals court in Washington, DC. Throughout the series, experts of all stripes—conservative, progressive, and libertarian—debate key issues of liberty: freedom of religion and press, slavery, civil rights, the Second Amendment, separation of powers, and more. Following the screening of Episode One of the series. Judge Ginsburg will be joined by Professor Hadley Arkes, Edward N. Ney Professor of Jurisprudence and American Institutions emeritus at Amherst College, to discuss the series and take audience questions.

All public programs at the National Archives are free. Reservations are recommended; seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. The doors to the building will open 45 minutes prior to the start of the program – please arrive no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of the program. Your seat may become available to any waitlisted guests at that time. Use the Special Events entrance on the corner of Constitution Avenue and 7th Street, NW. Click here for more information on getting to the National Archives and parking.

Live captioning will be available online and in the William G. McGowan Theater. If you require an alternative or additional accommodation for an event (such as a downloadable transcript or a sign language interpreter), please send an email to public.program@nara.gov or call 202.357.5000 in advance.

Members at the National Archives Foundation often receive advance notice of public programs, invitations to special events, and a 10% discount at the National Archives Store. Learn more and join today!