Saving the Republic, Then and Now — Lessons from the Era of Abraham Lincoln
Join Minnesota Law and the Humphrey School of Public Affairs for a conversation with acclaimed Yale University's Stirling Professor of Law and Political Science and constitutional scholar Akhil Reed Amar, as he explores the enduring lessons of President Abraham Lincoln’s constitutional vision.
Based on his newly released book, Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840-1920, Professor Amar will discuss how President Abraham Lincoln and his allies saved the Constitution in the 1860s, and even managed to improve it in a time of fierce polarization, and how we might try to follow their lead today.
“Akhil Reed Amar is one of our most prodigious constitutional scholars, one of our finest teachers, and, as if that were not enough, a writer of stunning grace and power. Born Equal is a masterpiece—and one that could not be better timed, as we struggle yet again to define and deliver the American promise of equality.”―Jonathan Eig, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of King: A Life.
Reviews for Born Equal: Remaking America's Constitution, 1840-1920
About Our Speaker
Akhil Reed Amar is Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, where he teaches constitutional law to both college and law students. In Born Equal, Amar recounts the dramatic constitutional debates that unfolded across the eight decades from 1840 to 1920, when four amendments abolished slavery, secured Black and female citizenship, and extended suffrage regardless of race or gender.
Amar’s work has won awards from both the American Bar Association and the Federalist Society, and he has been cited by Supreme Court justices across the spectrum in over fifty cases. He was an informal consultant to the popular TV show, The West Wing, and his scholarship has been showcased on broadcasts, including The Colbert Report, Morning Joe, AC360, Fox News, and Erin Burnett Outfront.
He is the author of more than a hundred law review articles and several books. The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840, came out in May 2021 and its sequel, Born Equal: Remaking America’s Constitution, 1840-1920 was published on September 16, 2025.
Amar also has a free weekly podcast, Amarica’s Constitution. Amar’s op-eds and video links to many of his public lectures and free online courses may be found at akhilamar.com.
A book signing will take place in Auerbach Commons following the lecture.
If you are unable to attend the in-person lecture, a video recording will be available and linked from this event page following the event.