By Eric Stann
Jan. 20, 2026
Contact: Eric Stann, StannE@missouri.edu
Photo by Nicholas Andrusisian
As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026, the University of Missouri’s Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy is leading a yearlong commemoration of this historic event.
Now celebrating its 10th anniversary as one of the nation’s premier centers for the study of constitutional democracy, the institute is bringing together global perspectives, local voices and expanded civic education across Missouri and beyond.
The offerings begin with the Global 250 Lecture Series, where internationally renowned scholars will examine America’s first 250 years through a global lens. By sharing how the American democratic experiment has been viewed around the world, thought leaders representing the countries of Australia, France, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Mexico and the United Kingdom will offer new insights into America’s global impact and evolving ideals. Jay Sexton, the Rich and Nancy Kinder Chair of Constitutional Democracy and director of the Kinder Institute, will deliver a view from home, as well.
Later in the year, the focus moves stateside with a series of educational initiatives.
Over the past 18 months, a group of Mizzou students from a joint scholarship program between Mizzou’s Honors College and the Office of Undergraduate Research has been conducting interviews for a podcast. The interviews include elected officials, civic leaders, university administrators and everyday Missourians, creating a living portrait of democracy in action across the state. It will premiere this fall, and they will partner with the State Historical Society of Missouri to archive the oral histories.
This spring, these students will also work in collaboration with Lily Santoro, an associate teaching professor of constitutional democracy and history with a joint appointment in Mizzou’s College of Arts and Science. Together, they will analyze public sentiment surrounding the Declaration of Independence and share their findings through a public traveling exhibition, beginning at the Missouri State Capitol.
Thanks to a recent $2.6 million, three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the Kinder Institute’s impact will extend even further throughout the state. The funding, designed to strengthen civic education, will support statewide partnerships with K-12 educators to design innovative constitutional lesson plans and deeper classroom engagement with the nation’s founding principles.
The grant will also fund in-person professional development seminars for teachers, new virtual civics learning modules and the expansion of Civil Dialogues — a traveling panel series that brings scholars and civic leaders into communities across Missouri.
Inform, not persuade
The Kinder Institute’s team of 30 faculty and staff lead a portfolio of programs that empower students to engage directly in history, government and civic life. From a constitutional democracy major to immersive study abroad experiences on three continents, Mizzou students have unparalleled opportunities to study democracy where it has been debated, contested and shaped across the world.
Since its founding through a transformative $25 million gift from Rich Kinder, BA ’66, JD ’68, and his wife, Nancy, the institute has remained grounded in the defining principle that constitutional education should inform, not persuade. The center’s mission is to cultivate context, curiosity and critical thinking — not ideology, Sexton, who is also a history professor in Mizzou’s College of Arts and Science, said.
“Democracy endures when citizens take ownership of it, confront challenges head-on and build trust across differences,” he said. “Constitutional democracy is at its best when civic-minded, intellectually independent people bring their collective energy to the nation’s founding ideals.”
More information about “The U.S. at 250,” including a schedule of events, can be found on the Kinder Institute website.
