Dear Members of the Brown Community,

On July 4, 2026, the United States will commemorate the 250th anniversary of its founding. This milestone presents an opportunity for critical inquiry and reflection on the values and events that inspired the founding of our country from a diversity of perspectives, and to consider the future of our democracy and our nation.

In preparation for this historic occasion, I’m pleased to share plans for a new faculty-led initiative, known as “Brown 2026,” that will consider how the University can best contribute to scholarship, teaching and programming on the history and legacies of the American Revolution, as well as the role of research universities in a democracy.

This initiative, supported by the Office of the President, will engage the full University community, reaching across the arts and humanities as well as the social, physical, and life sciences. Brown has a long-standing commitment to open inquiry, a demonstrated willingness to engage in discussions of complex and contested issues, and a record of frank reckoning with history, which uniquely positions us among universities nationally to lead and model informed, nuanced discussion of the history and significance of the American Revolution and its legacies. This commitment calls upon our community to confront important questions facing democracies both today and in the past.

The initiative will be co-chaired by Karin Wulf, Director and Librarian of the John Carter Brown Library, and Kevin McLaughlin, Director of the John Nicolas Brown Center for Advanced Study. I want to thank Karin and Kevin for developing this initiative and assembling an excellent steering committee, which met over the course of the fall semester to consider major themes and how the Brown community can become involved. More information on this initiative will be shared by the steering committee in the coming weeks. The full committee membership is as follows:

• Keisha Blain, Professor of Africana Studies, Professor of History
• Anthony Bogues, Director of the Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, Asa Messer Professor of Humanities and Critical Theory, Professor of Africana Studies, Professor of History of Art and Architecture
• Mary Jo Callan, Vice President for Community Engagement, Stark Family Executive Director of the Howard R. Swearer Center for Public Service
• Prudence Carter, Sarah and Joseph, Jr. Dowling Professor of Sociology
• Philip Gould, Israel J. Kapstein Professor of English
• Avery Willis Hoffman, Artistic Director of the Brown Arts Institute, Professor of the Practice of Theatre Arts and Performance Studies and Classics
• Joseph Meisel, Joukowsky Family University Librarian
• Seth Rockman, Associate Professor of History
• Melvin Rogers, Associate Director of the Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, Professor of Political Science
• David Skarbek, Director of the Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics; Professor of Political Science and Political Economy
• Rashid Zia, Dean of the College, Professor of Engineering, Professor of Physics

Brown 2026 underscores the University’s commitment to public service and affirms our belief in the vitally important role of universities as research and teaching institutions in fostering open and democratic societies. I look forward to celebrating this historic occasion with the Brown community.

Sincerely,
Christina H. Paxson
President