We the People, Explained: Law on America’s 250th Birthday

Law students explore liberty, equality, and justice, examining how the nation’s founding ideals are interpreted and challenged today.

BY BRANDY PRICE

In 1776, a fledgling nation declared its independence and set forth ideals of liberty, equality, and justice. On July 4, 2026, the United States will celebrate 250 years of the American experiment, a milestone that invites us not only to honor the nation’s journey but also to confront the ongoing work of building a more just society.

To mark this occasion, The Colleges of Law is launching a student-driven blog series titled We the People, Explained. Over the next 10 months, the blog will feature monthly posts written primarily by law students, with occasional contributions from faculty.

The series examines the core promises of America—liberty, equality, and justice—and how these ideals are understood, challenged, and applied today. Each post asks a central question: What does the American promise mean in 2026, and how is the law shaping its future? Contributors will analyze court decisions, legislation, constitutional debates, and social movements to connect the country’s founding principles to the pressing legal issues of our time.

In the process, law students cultivate one of the most fundamental competencies of the legal profession by learning to dissect complex legal issues and make them accessible to diverse audiences. Indeed, the series offers students a rare and meaningful opportunity to refine that skill while actively participating in the nation’s civic discourse at a moment of profound historical significance.

After 250 years, the American experiment remains unfinished. The promises of the founding have never been fully realized, and each generation is called to interpret, expand, and defend them. Questions of equality, access to justice, democratic participation, and individual rights remain central to the national dialogue.

We the People, Explained, is a bridge between the law and the people it touches. The series celebrates America’s 250-year journey while inviting readers to challenge, defend, and reimagine the ideals at the heart of the American legal tradition. This series is both a celebration of a historic milestone and a call to action. Through the contributions of students and faculty, the law comes alive, takes shape in the world around us, and invites every citizen to engage in the transformative work of democracy.