The nation’s best teachers come to OU every spring for a day of teaching and discussion about some aspect of the Constitution. This has been a signature event for the campus and the community since 2012, and thousands of students and citizens have attended the lectures. Recent topics include “Native Nations and the Constitution” and “The Supreme Court and the Constitution.” Teach-In is supported by the generosity of donors, especially the Horizon Foundation.
Every September, the IACH hosts prominent scholars from around the country to deliver the Rufus Fears Lectures on Roger and Patti Clapp Constitution Day. Federal legislation requires institutions that receive federal funding honor September 17th, the day in 1787 the Framers of the Constitution finished their business in Philadelphia. Thanks to a gift from alumni Roger and Patti Clapp, Constitution Day at OU is named after J. Rufus Fears, a beloved Professor of Classics and Letters.
Study after study shows that civic literacy and knowledge about the Constitution is at an all-time low. The IACH is committed to addressing this crisis by hosting a summer institute for middle and high school history teachers. Teachers read and discuss primary documents in the American constitutional tradition and receive a stipend for their participation. The teacher institute is supported by the Horizon Foundation.
