National Constitution Center Announces Sutherland Teaching Program

Major gift establishes new initiative to extend Center's reach among educators

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Constitution Center today announced the creation of the Sutherland Teaching Program, made possible by a generous leadership gift from the Sutherland Family. With this gift, the Center will be able to massively scale its reach among educators and students and deepen its educational impact, increasing civic knowledge and improving civil discourse in the run-up to our nation's 250th anniversary in 2026.

"All of us at the NCC are so grateful to Fred and Barbara Sutherland for investing in our exciting new resources for America's 250th. This wonderful gift will empower so many teachers and students to learn about the Constitution and the core principles of the American idea," said Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center.

This funding enables the Center to raise awareness among educators across all 50 states about the Center's unparalleled nonpartisan constitutional education materials and programs, delivering more professional development programs and trainings to educators both on site at the Center and in states and localities across the country, as well as expand and deepen our work with the Center's Teacher Advisory Board and Teacher Advisory Council. The gift will also support new educational programs and resources related to the nation's 250th anniversary.

"Classrooms have been described as the cradles of constitutional democracy, and the teachers at their helm are truly guardians of the Constitution. The Sutherland Teacher Program will ensure that educators across the country are equipped with the best resources to teach their students about our nation's constitutional history and the contemporary relevance of the Constitution," said Julie Silverbrook, vice president of Civic Education at the National Constitution Center. "This gift comes at a critically important moment as the Center and the nation prepare to commemorate America's 250th birthday in 2026, and will ensure that millions of students around the country are inspired to learn, understand, preserve, protect, and perfect the grand experiment in constitutional democracy entrusted to the American people by our forebears."

About the National Constitution Center

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, we serve as America's leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling our congressional charter "to disseminate information about the United States Constitution on a nonpartisan basis in order to increase awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people." As the Museum of We the People, we bring the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America's Town Hall, we convene leading thought leaders from across the political and jurisprudential spectrum to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, we offer the best educational programs and online resources that inspire and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution.

SOURCE National Constitution Center