Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration for Posterity | Constitution Day Lecture 2026

What did Thomas Jefferson believe the Declaration of Independence should mean for future generations? In James Madison College’s 2026 Constitution Day Lecture, Jeremy Bailey, professor of humanities at the University of Florida’s Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education, explores Jefferson’s understanding of the Declaration of Independence through writings from later in his life. “Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration for Posterity” revisits Jefferson’s retirement-era writings as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, including his well-known letters to Henry Lee and Roger Weightman. This lecture was presented as part of James Madison College’s annual Constitution Day programming at Michigan State University.