News & Events
What Does the Declaration of Independence Declare? Open Discussion Panel
February 25, 2026
On February 11, in partnership with the Jack Miller Center, the Moynihan Center hosted a lecture by Bard College professor Roosevelt Montás titled “What Does the Declaration of Independence Declare?” to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.
Dr. Montás’s talk was the first in a two-part lecture series examining the Declaration’s reference to “self‑evident truths” and Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s famous observation that “everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts.” In his lecture, Dr. Montás invited the audience to examine the foundational principles of American democracy and the challenges faced in upholding them in today’s world. After the lecture, the audience was invited to participate in a Q&A with Dr. Montás.
Thank you to Dr. Montás for joining us in this conversation, and to the Jack Miller Center for its partnership in making this possible.
Watch a recording of the lecture, linked here.
To be notified of the second lecture this spring featuring Dr. Greg Weiner, join the Moynihan Center’s mailing list linked here.
