The Pursuit of Liberty: The Lasting Battle Over Power in America

Bestselling author and president of the National Constitution Center Jeffrey Rosen, in conversation with the New York Times' Jamelle Bouie, will explore the clashing visions of Hamilton and Jefferson about how to balance liberty and power in a debate that continues to define—and divide—our country: Jefferson championed states’ rights and individual liberties, while Hamilton pushed for a strong federal government and a powerful executive. This ongoing tug-of-war has shaped all the pivotal moments in American history, including the Reconstruction Era debates about how the federal government should respond to rampant private violence against freedmen in places like New Orleans and throughout Louisiana. Rosen and Bouie will break down the opposing constitutional visions that have shaped our country since the Founding and highlight their relevance to ongoing struggles over the balance between liberty and power.

Jeffrey Rosen is the President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, where he hosts We the People, a weekly podcast of constitutional debate. He is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic. He was previously the legal affairs editor of The New Republic and a staff writer for the New Yorker. Rosen’s new book, Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle over Power in America, is out in October 2025. His other books include New York Times bestsellers The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America and Conversations with RBG: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law, as well as biographies of Louis Brandeis and William Howard Taft. Rosen is a graduate of Harvard College; Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar; and Yale Law School. He is an elected member of the American Philosophical Society and the American Law Institute. In 2024, the French government recognized him as a Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

JAMELLE BOUIE is an opinion columnist for The New York Times, where he covers history and politics. Prior to joining The New York Times in 2019, he was chief political correspondent for Slate magazine. He has been a staff writer at The Daily Beast and has held fellowships at The American Prospect and The Nation magazine. He attended the University of Virginia, where he graduated with a degree in political and social thought, and government. He is also a photographer, documenting his surroundings using digital and analog tools. Bouie is based in Charlottesville, VA, and Washington, D.C.