Humanities & Society

People join movements for many reasons. The American Revolution was no different, says Peter Kastor, professor of history. “They all agree on liberty. They disagree on what it means.”

The First Amendment Clinic at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law has secured several major courtroom victories in recent years, influenced public policy and trained a new generation of advocates defending freedom of expression.Now, a major investment from the Stanton Foundation will ensure the clinic’s work continues well into the future.

As the nation prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signing, experts at Washington University in St. Louis are reflecting on the events and ideas that shaped this nation and their continued relevance today.

Fewer than half of Americans, around 49%, believe that all people in this country have the ability to achieve the American Dream, according to a recent survey from the Public Religion Research Institute. Among those under age 30, it falls to 36%. This should serve as a wake-up call for all of us, says WashU’s Mark Rank.

The right to free speech and judicial independence — two foundational values our nation is built upon — were born of the founders’ distrust of unchecked power, according to Andrew D. Martin, chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis and an expert in judicial politics.

Researchers at the WashU Brown School have received a $311,796 grant from the Brady Education Foundation to continue a landmark 18-year study examining how early asset-building policies influence children’s educational success.

The WashU Brown School’s Social System Design Lab has received a $75,000 Spencer Foundation grant to study pathways from high school to careers in St. Louis. 

Gerald Early, the Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters in WashU Arts & Sciences, has been nominated for a 2026 Dan Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportwriting.

WashU Libraries host “Unalienable Rights: America at 250,” a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding, at 2 p.m. July 2 at Olin Library. The free event features a talk about the Declaration and children’s activities.