American Identity Summit & Gala 2026: America at 250

The Chicago Thinker cordially invites you to the second annual American Identity Summit, a two-day convening of public officials, scholars, and industry leaders at the University of Chicago.

Marking the 250th anniversary of America's founding, the 2026 Summit will examine the questions shaping America's future: the role of technology and artificial intelligence in national competitiveness, the challenges of national security in a post-unipolar world, and the enduring strengths and tensions of the American experiment itself.

The Summit will be livestreamed for a national and international audience.

Our event concludes with our annual Gala in the evening of May 16th, which will be a tight-knit, off-the-record conversation and dinner at The Study Hotel in Hyde Park bringing together VIP ticket-holders, Summit's speakers, institutional partners, donors, and distinguished guests to mark America's 250th anniversary and ask what American identity means at this moment.

Dates: May 15–16, 2026

Location:

David Rubenstein Forum at the University of Chicago

1201 E 60th St, Chicago, IL 60637

Lunch will be served!

Schedule:

Friday, May 15th:

Panel I — America and the World: The Donroe Doctrine. A conversation on American foreign policy, global order, and the limits of U.S. power in a fractured world. Featuring Seth G. Jones (Commissioner, Afghanistan War Commission; Harold Brown Chair, CSIS), Leslie Vinjamuri (President, Chicago Council on Global Affairs), Robert Pape (Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago), and Justin Logan (Director of Defense and Foreign Policy Studies, Cato Institute).

Panel II — Building America's Future: The US in the Age of AI. A conversation on technology, innovation, and what it takes to keep America competitive in the 21st century. Featuring Donald R. Wilson (Founder & CEO, DRW Trading; UChicago trustee), Jordan Blashek (Co-Founder, America's Frontier Fund; former Marine Corps officer), and Brad Henderson (CEO, P33 Chicago; Rhodes Scholar).

SATURDAY, MAY 16

Keynote Address — Leadership and the Future of American Education, delivered by Dr. Scott Atlas (Hoover Institution Fellow; former Special Advisor to President Trump on COVID-19).

Panel III — America 250: Origins, Evolution, and Future of the Republic. A conversation on the founding ideals of America, how they have evolved, and what they demand of us today. Featuring David Axelrod (Former Senior Advisor to President Obama; Founding Director, UChicago Institute of Politics), Jonathan Turley (Constitutional law scholar, George Washington University), Tom Ginsburg (Professor of International Law, University of Chicago), and John Pinheiro (Director of Research, Acton Institute).

Panel IV — Free Market Economics in the 21st Century. A conversation on monetary policy, financial freedom, and the economic foundations of American prosperity. Featuring Harald Uhlig (Former Chair, UChicago Department of Economics; former editor of Econometrica), Lydia M. Newman (Director of Monetary Economics, AIER), and Jonathan Gould (32nd Comptroller of the U.S. Currency).

First Keynote Address — Dr.Scott Atlas, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution

Second Keynote Address — Tim Pool, journalist and podcaster

Tickets available at: https://thinkergala.eventbrite.com

Info: Unwind with fellow attendees between programming and enjoy a catered lunch with refreshments. A chance to connect, reflect, and recharge before the afternoon sessions.

Info: Here, a leading bank regulator and macroeconomic economists discuss the role of free markets in 21st-century America at this enticing economic panel. This panel is moderated by Noah Bauserman, A.B. '29

Info: Cap off the Summit with an unforgettable evening at the Chicago Thinker Gala. Join fellow attendees, speakers, and some of Chicago's most distinguished minds for a formal dinner and drinks celebrating America's 250th year of independence. An evening of great conversation, remarkable company, and a cause worth supporting. Note: The Summit + Gala Ticket Package is required to attend the Gala.

Info: Cap off the Summit with an unforgettable evening at the Chicago Thinker Gala. Join fellow attendees, speakers, and some of Chicago's most distinguished minds for a formal dinner and drinks celebrating America's 250th year of independence. An evening of great conversation, remarkable company, and a cause worth supporting. Note: The Summit + Gala Ticket Package is required to attend the Gala.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

David Rubenstein Forum at the University of Chicago, 1201 East 60th Street, Chicago, United States

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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