Press Releases
Scholars Jeffrey Rosen and Martha S. Jones to Discuss the Declaration of Independence and Equality During Annual Forum on Racial Understanding, Feb. 1
January 9, 2025
Event Marks the Eighth Annual Lonaé A. Moore Forum Hosted by the Dennis Farm and the Museum of the American Revolution
In advance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, the Museum of the American Revolution and the Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust (DFCLT) invite guests to reflect on the meaning and legacy of this founding document, as well as what it means to celebrate the truths that “all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights” in the present day.
To commemorate this forthcoming milestone for the nation, and with a shared commitment to presenting a more inclusive—and thus a more accurate—telling of its history, the Museum and DFCLT will host the eighth annual Lonaé A. Moore Forum, “It Begins with Each of Us: Fostering Racial Understanding,” a candid conversation about race in our nation’s history at the Museum on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, from 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Panelists include Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, and Martha S. Jones, a cultural-legal historian and the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor at The Johns Hopkins University. The conversation will be moderated by Adrienne G. Whaley, Director of Education and Community Engagement at the Museum of the American Revolution.
The theme of this year's forum is “The Declaration of Independence and Equality" and will explore the ways in which, despite its novelty and immediate promise, the Declaration surpassed expectations but also fell short; how its ideals have been adapted and have proliferated but also have yet to be fully realized even to this day. Panelists will also discuss how African Americans, other people of color, and women have fought to make the ideals of the Declaration applicable to their own communities throughout history, and how we apply those struggles to our reverence for and appreciation of this founding document today. Admission is free, but registration is required.
The annual event is named in honor of Lonaé A. Moore (1997-2018), an eighth-generation direct descendant of the Dennis family and Delaware State University student who passed away in 2018. The forum takes place as part of the Museum’s Black History Month celebration in February.
“The Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust and the Museum of the American Revolution are committed to upholding the truths that are a basic tenet of American democracy—that all men and women are created equal with the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” said M. Denise Dennis, Founder, Chairwoman and CEO of the Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust. “The Declaration of Independence, a product of the Enlightenment, boldly proclaimed that all men were ‘created equal.’ Over the past 249 years, ‘we the people,’ — especially African Americans — have used it as a touchstone, a point of reference, and a spearhead in achieving our inalienable rights. By writing a document that affirmed their own rights, the Founders—free, landowning white men — inadvertently created an inclusive document that ultimately applies to all.”
The forum is free to attend, but registration is required. To register, please email [email protected] or click here. Admission to the Museum’s galleries is included with event registration.
About Jeffrey Rosen
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 is the New York Times bestselling The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America. His other books include the New York Times bestseller 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. In 2024, the French government recognized him as a Chevalier in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
About Martha S. Jones
Martha S. Jones is a cultural-legal historian whose work examines how Black Americans have shaped the meaning of the U.S. Constitution. The Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor at The Johns Hopkins University, she is a prize-winning historian of books that include Birthright Citizens: A History of Race and Rights in Antebellum America and Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. Dr. Jones has served as co-president of the Berkshire Conference of Women Historians and vice-president of the Law and Humanities Interdisciplinary Workshop. Prior to her academic career, Dr. Jones was a public interest attorney in New York City. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland.
About Adrienne G. Whaley
Adrienne G. Whaley is an educator and history-lover who currently serves as Director of Education and Community Engagement at the Museum of the American Revolution. Adrienne earned her Bachelor's degree in African American Studies from Harvard University and her Master's in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked in both art and history museums, including the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the African American Museum in Philadelphia, and the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum, and loves the potential for objects, artifacts, and primary source documents to enrich student learning experiences. She carries her love of history and for uncovering the stories of common people into her spare time as an avid genealogist researching her own family history and as former Programming Chair and President of Philadelphia's African American Genealogy Group. As both a museum educator and as a genealogist, she has presented on television and in workshops and conferences both locally and nationally.
About The Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust
The Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, was created to preserve a rare-and beautiful-historic, cultural and educational resource in the Endless Mountains of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. The 153-acre farm was founded by the Dennis family’s ancestors, free African Americans who came to Pennsylvania from Connecticut in 1793 and purchased land and has remained in the stewardship of the same family since then. The purpose of the Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust is to continue to develop the Dennis Farm as an education and cultural site for scholars, researchers, educators, cultural heritage tourists, school groups and others interested in. this extraordinary history. For more information, visit thedennisfarm.org
About Museum of the American Revolution
The Museum of the American Revolution uncovers and shares compelling stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked America’s ongoing experiment in liberty, equality, and self-government. Through the Museum’s unmatched collection, immersive galleries, powerful theater experiences, and interactive elements, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for how this nation came to be and feel inspired to consider their role in ensuring that the promise of the American Revolution endures. Located just steps away from Independence Hall, the Museum serves as a portal to the region’s many Revolutionary sites, sparking interest, providing context, and encouraging exploration. The Museum, which opened on April 19, 2017, is an independent, non-profit, and non-partisan organization. For more information, visit www.AmRevMuseum.org or call 877.740.1776.