Talks & Entertainment

On the occasion of the paperback release of Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America, a New York Times bestseller declared “Magisterial” by The Washington Post, historian Heather Cox Richardson shares an urgent call to action about the precarious state of American democracy, charting its historical challenges and current threats.  

Using lessons of the past to navigate a moment of political crisis and to secure a more just and equitable future, Democracy Awakening—which includes a new afterword by the author—delves into the tumultuous journey of American democracy. Cox Richardson examines the historical forces that have led to the current political climate, showing how modern conservatism has preyed upon a disaffected population, weaponizing language and promoting false history to consolidate power. 

Cox Richardson, a professor of History at Boston College who writes the Substack newsletter Letters from an American, reminds us that democracy requires constant vigilance and participation from all of us. 

Cox Richardson will be in conversation with Charlotte Clymer, a writer, communications consultant, transgender activist, and author of the Charlotte’s Web Thoughts newsletter on Substack.