About this Event
Originalists believe that constitutional text should be interpreted based on how it would have been understood at the time it was written. On the other hand, those who believe in a “living constitution” hold that interpretation should take into account circumstances and society's evolving needs. By examining original documents such as the Constitutional Convention’s cover letter transmitting the proposed Constitution to Congress, George Washington’s “to Bigotry no Sanction” letter to Touro Synagogue, and Jefferson’s “Wall of Separation” letter to the Danbury Baptist Church, Roosevelt and Kaller will consider whether the Founders intended to create a government that future generations would be bound to primarily as history – the study of the past – or as technology – a system of applying knowledge to solve problems.
About the Speakers:
Kermit Roosevelt III is the David Berger Professor for the Administration of Justice at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Roosevelt works in a diverse range of fields, focusing on constitutional law and conflict of laws. He has published scholarly books in both fields. Conflict of Laws (Foundation Press, 2010) offers an accessible analytical overview of conflicts. The Myth of Judicial Activism: Making Sense of Supreme Court Decisions (Yale, 2006) sets out standards by which citizens can determine whether the Supreme Court is abusing its authority to interpret the Constitution.
He has published articles in the Virginia Law Review, the Michigan Law Review, and the Columbia Law Review, among others. He is also the author of two novels, In the Shadow of the Law (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2005) and Allegiance (Regan Arts, 2015). In 2014, he was selected by the American Law Institute as the Reporter for the Third Restatement of Conflict of Laws.
Seth Kaller is a leading expert in acquiring, authenticating, and appraising American historic documents and artifacts. Kaller has built museum-quality collections for individuals and institutions, as well as legacy collections for philanthropists to donate.
The Kaller family has long been known for building world-class collections of rare stamps and coins. When Seth held a block of four of the famous upside down airplane stamps in his hands, it was exciting, but by 1988, he chose to focus on historic documents. By 1990, he had already become the largest buyer in the field.
Documents that Seth has handled have since been exhibited at or acquired by The Smithsonian Institution, The National Constitution Center, Atlanta History Center, The Gettysburg National Civil War Museum, the New York Stock Exchange, Mount Vernon, The University of Virginia, Rice University, Yale University, the Skirball Cultural Center, The Kennedy Space Center, The Lincoln Museum, and several Presidential Libraries and National Parks museums, and other notable institutions.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
23rd Street Armory, 22 South 23rd Street, Philadelphia, United States
USD 10.00 to USD 15.00
