The Bill of Rights Institute is pleased to announce the winners of our annual Being An American Essay Contest.  This year we received over 6,300 submissions!  The list of winners and honorable mentions by region is listed below. Please see our website for more information on the Essay Contest. Congratulations to the winners and thank Read more…

For Black History Month, A More Perfect Blog will feature profiles of influential and heroic African-American leaders from our middle school curriculum, Being An American: Exploring the Ideals That Unite Us.  Use the profiles to start a class discussion on what makes a hero and how each of the people we describe is heroic. Ida Read more…

209 years ago, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion in the case of Marbury v. Madison (1803). Legal scholars consider Marbury v. Madison a central text for understanding the role of the Courts to interpret law in light of the Constitution, known as judicial review . It is the centerpiece of many constitutional law classes. Read more…

On what would have been George Washington’s 280th birthday, we celebrate his life with an excerpt from our middle school curriculum, Being an American: Exploring the Ideals That Unite Us. George Washington wanted his presidency to be an example of moderation, just as he lived his life.  On September 19, 1796, Washington gave his Farewell Read more…

Not many people have heard of Octavius V. Catto (1839-1871), a professor from Philadelphia who was instrumental in securing early civil liberties for his fellow blacks in the city of brotherly love and across the nation. Anyone looking for inspiring stories for Black History Month should  explore Catto’s amazing story. In many ways Octavius Catto was the Read more…

For Black History Month, A More Perfect Blog will feature profiles of influential and heroic African-American leaders from our curriculum, Being An American: Exploring the Ideals That Unite Us.  Use the profiles to start a class discussion on what makes a hero and how each of the people we describe is heroic. Martin Luther King, Read more…

For Black History Month, A More Perfect Blog will feature profiles of influential and heroic African-American leaders from our curriculum, Being An American: Exploring the Ideals That Unite Us.  Use the profiles to start a class discussion on what makes a hero and how each of the people we describe is heroic. Harriet Tubman, an Read more…

For Black History Month, A More Perfect Blog will feature profiles of influential and heroic African-American leaders from our curriculum, Being An American: Exploring the Ideals That Unite Us.  Use the profiles to start a class discussion on what makes a hero and how each of the people we describe is heroic. Jackie Robinson was Read more…

For Black History Month, A More Perfect Blog will feature profiles of influential and heroic African-American leaders from our curriculum, Being An American: Exploring the Ideals That Unite Us.  Use the profiles to start a class discussion on what makes a hero and how each of the people we describe is heroic. Martin Luther King, Read more…

For Black History Month, A More Perfect Blog will feature profiles of influential and heroic African-American leaders from our curriculum, Being An American: Exploring the Ideals That Unite Us.  Use the profiles to start a class discussion on what makes a hero and how each of the people we describe is heroic. Jackie Robinson was Read more…