MTSU 250

American Semiquincentennial Celebration

Spring 2026 semester

Buchanan Lecture Series: Revolutions (Click image to see full list of lectures for the Spring semester).

FEBRUARY 5

Nashville PBS partners with MTSU for a day of activities connected to the Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt documentary, “The American Revolution”

• 1 pm in Tucker Theatre: Campus showing of the documentary followed by a Q&A with historians of the Revolution
• 3 pm in Learning Resources Center, Room 101: PBS Outreach director will conduct a workshop with students from the College of Education about educational materials connected with the documentary in partnership with the local Sons of the American Revolution chapter and their Patriot Chest program
• 6 pm in Tucker Theatre: documentary viewing with Q&A, open to the public

MARCH 16

12:40 to 2:05 pm: Learn more about the Patriot press with Carol Humphrey, author of The American Revolution and the Press

MARCH 17

Celebration of Evacuation Day

• Noon to 4 pm at TODD 350: printing copies of the Declaration of Independence preamble on MTSU’s replica Franklin Printing press; space is limited – sign up for reservation
• 1 pm at Honors College lawn: campus reading of the Declaration of Independence preamble and distribution of copies printed

MARCH 23

Roscoe Strickland Jr. Memorial Lecture featuring Dr. Janet Polanski on the Atlantic-wide significance of the American Revolution

7 pm to 8:30 pm in State Farm Lecture Hall, BAS

Fall 2026 semester

• Honors Buchanan Lecture Series: “Legacies of the American Revolution”

• “Historians in Conversation” virtual program from the History Department, featuring historians discussing the impact and legacies of the American Revolution

AUGUST 22

Convocation

SEPTEMBER 14-17

• Constitution Day readings across campus

• Thursday, Sept. 17, 2:40 pm, Tucker Theatre: Constitution Day Public Program with Law professor Sheryll Cashin, moderated by MTSU students on current issues and decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court and how they fit with the vision of the Founding Fathers.

NOVEMBER 2

Rutherford County archivist Dr. John Lodl and Murfreesboro Public Librarian Kayla Willoughby on “The Revolutionary Roots of Rutherford County”; includes five-panel traveling exhibit