Events
R Street Institute
This fall, the R Street Institute launches a yearlong series of public conversations to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary and reflect on the enduring power of America’s founding principles. Our kickoff event features presidential historian Lindsay M. Chervinsky, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library and author of Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic and The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution.
In this fireside chat, we will explore the ideas that shaped America at its founding—equality, popular sovereignty, civic virtue, and limited government—and discuss how those ideals continue to resonate (and sometimes falter) in today’s political and cultural landscape. Together, we will reflect on how the founders’ vision might guide us in navigating 21st-century challenges—from political polarization and institutional trust to civic responsibility and the future of liberal democracy.
The event will take place in R Street’s Washington, D.C. offices, followed by a happy hour to foster dialogue and community.
Jefferson Educational Society - Global Summit
Join Lindsay Chervinsky, Executive Director, The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, and Chris Whipple, best-selling author, acclaimed journalist, documentary filmmaker, and speaker, for a discussion of the American Presidency, from the United States's first to its current, as the examining the role and its evolution over the past 250 years.
James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library
The bicentennial commemoration of James Monroe's presidency concludes with an examination of its impact and enduring influence. UMW Museums Executive Director Scott Harris moderates a discussion with Lindsay M. Chervinsky, Executive Director of The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, and Bob Karachuk, Editor and Project Director, The Papers of James Monroe.
Miller Center
In her new book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents that Forged the Republic, Lindsay Chervinsky explores how John Adams defended essential political norms, including the peaceful transfer of power. Chervinsky joins Miller Center Faculty Senior Fellow Sai Prakash to discuss how the Constitution and the presidency were shaped by the demands of the times and how both continue to evolve.
Bryant Park Reading Room
Join Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky for an Author Talk hosted by the Reading Room in Bryant Part, produced in partnership with The New York Historical.
Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum
Join the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum and Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky for an Author Event on ‘Exploring the Presidency from the 18th to 20th Centuries’.
Thomas Crane Public Library
Join the Thomas Crane Public Library as they welcome Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, who will speak about her latest book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents that Forged the Republic, as part of the Quincy 400 Lecture Series.
'Monumental Conversations' with Rick Atkinson
The Trust for the National Mall invites you to join on Monday, May 19 at 6:00 PM for a conversation with Pulitzer Prize winning writer and author of The Revolution Trilogy, Rick Atkinson. This is the first event in its series of “On the Road to America’s 250th” Monumental Conversations in 2025.
The event will feature a dynamic discussion, overlooking the National Mall, about the founding of our nation, led by Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky, presidential historian and Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library. Atkinson will preview his upcoming release The Fate of the Day, which chronicles the spectacular history of the battles between the Americans and the British.
An Evening with Clay Jenkinson and Lindsay Chervinsky
Two of America's leading historians join forces for a special program inside Christ Church that explores one of the enduring themes in the American experience: the struggle for religious liberty and its enshrinement in the First Amendment. Join presidential historian Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky and humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson for a discussion of the history of the First Amendment and Virginia's unique role defending freedom of religion.
Vail Symposium
Join Clay Jenkinson, in conversation with presidential historian Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, on the topic of “Presidential Precedents”. Dr. Chervinsky is the executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon. She is the author of the award-winning book, “The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution”, co-editor of “Mourning the Presidents: Loss and Legacy in American Culture”, and the author of “Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic.” Join Clay and Lindsay as they connect the founding of our Country, including some lesser-known stories, to the presidency today.
Virginia Sons of the American Revolution
Stay tuned for location, time, and registration!
Oregon Historical Society
Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky discusses her new book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents that Forged the Republic, as part of the Oregon Historical Society’s 2025 Hatfield Lecture Series.
National Council for Social Studies
As part of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) Annual Conference, Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky will be moderating a conversation with Doris Kearns Goodwin, ‘Presidential Leadership: How Understanding the Past Connects Young Readers to Today’. Pulitzer-Prize winning and #1 New York Times bestselling historian-in-chief, Doris Kearns Goodwin is excited to discuss her first book for your readers, THE LEADERSHIP JOURNEY: HOW FOUR KIDS BECAME PRESIDENT. Through her impeccable research and writing process, Goodwin has found through examining the lives of four iconic presidents, dating back to their childhoods, she was able to identify qualities of leadership that can be found and nurtured in young people and students today.
Revolutionary Spaces
Teaching history fully and honestly is a vitally important foundation for building a strong democracy, most particularly today, when people are flooded with disinformation from social media and a range of other sources. Join Revolutionary Spaces for Teaching Honest History on Thursday, November 21 at Old South Meeting House, which will feature vibrant discussion and book signing with Lindsay Chervinsky and Barbara McQuade, two noted and dynamic scholars, commentators, and best-selling authors.
Valley Forge Chapel
Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky discusses her new book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents that Forged the Republic, as part of the Washington Memorial Heritage’s 2024 Leadership Forum.
Monticello
This fall, Monticello introduces "Pursuits of Knowledge," a series of dynamic conversations with leading thinkers exploring Jefferson's world, ideas, and legacy. Working in disciplines and genres ranging from biography to political history to young adult fiction, this fall's speakers discuss their work and approaches to engaging the past in the present.
Happy hour begins at 5:30! Food and beverages, including award-winning Jefferson Vineyards wine, will be available for purchase. The program, including a book signing with the author, begins at 6:00 p.m.
Book signing with the author is included. Held at Monticello's David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center.
Jay Heritage Center
The Jay Heritage Center hosts an author talk between Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky and Dr. Joanne Freeman on Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents that Forged the Republic.
Lafayette Library
Join the Lafayette Library for a Sweet Thursday author talk with Lindsay Chervinsky about her newest book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents that Forged the Republic.
Montpelier Visitor Center
Join Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky for a book signing at the Visitor Center of James Madison’s Montpelier.
Museum of the American Revolution
Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky, Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, will join the Museum of the American Revolution on Wednesday, Oct. 16, to present the first hybrid event in the Museum’s 2024-2025 Read the Revolution Speaker Series with a lecture and discussion on presidential history inspired by her latest book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic.
This special program will be held in the Museum’s Liberty Hall and will be broadcast live via Zoom. Following Chervinsky’s presentation, Museum President and CEO Dr. R. Scott Stephenson will join Chervinsky in an interview conversation about her book and facilitate a live Q&A with both onsite and online audiences. Doors open at 6 p.m. for onsite guests to see a featured artifact from the Museum collection, enjoy refreshments at a cash bar, and purchase signed copies of the featured book.
Montclair State University
Visit Montclair State University for a fireside chat on democracy with special guest Chuck Todd, chief political analyst at NBC, award-winning author and presidential historian Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky, and President Jonathan Koppell.
Democracy First
Join for an engaging event hosted by United to Preserve: Democracy and the Rule of Law cosponsored by DemocracyFIRST and Democracy SENTRY. Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky will be in conversation with Centre County Commissioner Amber Concepcion.
Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky in Conversation with Louisa Thomas
Join the Massachusetts Historical Society for an evening with Lindsay M. Chervinsky, Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library and author of Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents that Forged the Republic, in conversation with Louisa Thomas, author of Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams. Following an introduction by MHS Editor in Chief of the Adams Papers Sara Martin, the historians will reflect on using MHS collections to inform their works on the Adamses.
Concord Museum
Renowned presidential historian and Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky, joins the Concord Museum for a conversation on John Adams’ five year-battle to defend the presidency.
Boston Athenaeum
Attend an Author Talk with Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky as she discusses her book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic with author Catherine Allgor.
American Enterprise Institute
Join Dr. Chervinsky and the American Enterprise Institute’s Gary J. Schmitt for a discussion of the underappreciated significance of Adams’s presidency.
The Mayflower Society (Virtual)
As 2024 is an election year, Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, an historian of the Presidency, political culture, and the government—looks at how our second President set the stage for many later traditions and trends in this free, virtual lecture.
Virginia Museum of History and Culture
Join the Virginia Museum of History and Culture and Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky in-person for a lecture and book signing, or view virtually on YouTube or Facebook.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History (Virtual)
The lecture is part of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s Book Breaks series. Each week their hosts interview renowned scholars and discuss their acclaimed and frequently award-winning works, followed by a Q&A with the at-home audience.