Montclair 250

The 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation can be an occasion for looking back. It can also be a time to look forward. The American Experiment began in 1776 and has been evolving and changing ever since. The founders of this bold experiment in self governance understood that a democratic republic required perpetual vigilance and it needed to be adaptable.

They also recognized that an educated citizenry is essential to democracy. This required universal education, which required teachers. Originally founded as Montclair Normal School, a teachers’ college, Montclair maintains its mission to prepare students to “flourish as collaborative, compassionate citizen-leaders.”

Beginning with the President’s Fall 2025 lecture series through the end of 2026, Montclair State University will be exploring various facets of what American innovation and ideals mean two and a half centuries later. This work will span across academic disciplines to show the full range of how far our country has come and where we must improve.

For more information, please contact us at montclair250@montclair.edu.

President’s Lecture Series

In this lecture series, President Jonathan Koppell explores the American Experiment, its founding principles, the role of higher education and both contemporary and future challenges and opportunities.

Each session will include a formal lecture focusing on different aspects of the American Experiment with an emphasis on audience engagement and participation.

Upcoming Lectures:

Governing Beyond Elections: Accountability, Prosperity and the American Administrative State
Monday, March 23, 2026, 6:00-7:30pm Presentation Hall

The emergence of a highly competent bureaucracy is typically underappreciated, if not ignored, as an ingredient in the emergence of the American experiment. While government administrators are often derided as inefficient or even obstructionist, technocrats are responsible for making government work and offer policy continuity and expertise across administrations. Still, the growth of a large permanent bureaucracy challenges the notion of accountability grounded in democratic elections. By tracing historical developments and contemporary debates, this lecture focuses on the centrality of government administrative capacity in the American experiment, focusing on the tensions and collaboration between elected officials and professional bureaucrats. We will consider the role of independent government agencies that were established with the idea of partitioning regulatory functions from partisan pressure.

Ideals, Interests and International Engagement: The United States in World Affairs
Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 6:00-7:30pm Presentation Hall

America’s role in shaping the global political and economic order has shifted repeatedly over the last 250 years, reflecting the evolution of American interests and longstanding debates regarding the role of the United States in world affairs. Drawing on foundational principles, pivotal historical moments, and contemporary challenges, this lecture explores how American power, values, and institutions have influenced international norms, security, and governance and also how international dynamics have shaped American democracy. The lecture considers tensions between ideals and practices – democracy, markets, sovereignty, nation-building, imperialism, isolationism, intervention – in U.S. engagement abroad. Participants will be invited to reflect on the ways in which American leadership on the global stage has shaped our nation and what that implies in the current era.

May Faculty Showcase: Toward an Engaged University

In this 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the question of what sustains an educated, engaged citizenry has never felt more urgent.

Montclair 250 has highlighted the importance of an educated citizenry to the ongoing American experiment. As an R2 public university with Carnegie designations of Community Engagement and Leadership for Public Purpose, and as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and Minority-Serving Institution, Montclair is uniquely positioned to lead this conversation.

The May Faculty Showcase is intended to be a true gathering of our academic community. Its success depends on broad participation—not only from those presenting, but from those who join to listen, learn and engage. We are intentionally building in time for conversation, reflection and networking because the most transformative ideas emerge when we show up for one another.

Please join us on May 5, 2026.

Upcoming Montclair 250 Events:

Guided House Tour: Women of the House
Wednesday, March 21, 2026; 12:00-3:00pm
Crane House & Historic YWCA Museum, 110 Orange Road, Montclair, NJ

The Crane House & Historic YWCA is a window on to the history of our nation from its early years as an independent country to a country embroiled in the civil rights struggle. On this special tour, hear the stories of the women who lived, worked, and played in the house. From the Crane wives, to the enslaved and paid workers of the house, to the women and girls of the African American YWCA, the Crane House & Historic YWCA has seen how a woman’s role in the house and in society has changed over 200 years.

Tours begin at 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm, and 2:00 pm at the Nathaniel Crane House & Visitor Center located at the back of the parking lot. No reservations required. Admission is $12/adult; $10/student/senior with ID; $8/child; under 2 free. MHC members are free.

Free admission programs include: Families First program, military personnel, NARM, MHC members, Montclair students, and Montclair Public Library Members.

History at Home: The Park Street YMCA: Celebrating 100 Years of Service
Thursday, March 26, 2026; 7:00pm

From its early days as a gathering place for youth and families to its evolution into a center for wellness, learning, and belonging, the Park Street Y has shaped generations of lives. Through historic photos and milestone moments this centennial retrospective honors the vision, leadership, and generosity that have sustained the Y for 100 years — and sets the stage for the next century of service. Presented by Suzanne Broullón, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, YMCA of Montclair

This is a free program held on zoom, register for the zoom link here: https://events.humanitix.com/history-at-home-the-park-street-ymca-celebrating-100-years-of-service

Hamilton Movie Night
Wednesday, April 8, 2026; 6:30-9:30pm
Calcia Hall 140

A screening of the filmed broadway musical Hamilton with a brief pre show presentation on Hamilton’s legacy and America’s founding. Presented by the Montclair History Club.

Philadelphia Trip
Saturday, April 11, 2026

A free student-led educational trip to Philadelphia centered on visits to the National Constitution Center, the Museum of the American Revolution, and multiple sites within Independence National Historical Park (Such as Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center). The trip emphasizes thoughtful engagement with America’s founding ideals, as well as the contradictions and difficult histories associated with them, all while standing in the spaces where those ideas were first articulated and debated. Furthermore, the trip encourages thoughtful reflection on the past 250 years of our nation’s past and a space to discuss our next 250. Presented by the Montclair History Club.

David Witten: A Piano Recital Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary
Sunday, April 12, 2026; 5:00pm
Leshowitz Hall

This program will feature specific and relevant repertoire connected with George Washington with Francis Hopkinson (one of the signers of the Declaration),  Hollywood Stars and Charles Ives, etc. 

Pickle Palooza
Monday, April 13, 2026; 1:30-3:30pm
Student Center

Join us for Pickle Palooza! A celebration of the sandwich’s polarizing pal, the pickle! There will be pickle tastings, photo opps, costumes, information on voting, gardening, mason jar decorating and so much more. Check it out! A silly celebration to celebrate spring! It’ll be a big dill!

A familiar food highlights serious themes in American history and civil discourse: from colonial preservation practices to regional food traditions, pickles have long been part of the American story—shared across cultures, generations and communities.

“We Declare”: A Poets Forum
Tuesday, April 14, 2026; 4:00-5:30pm
Van Fossen Theater

Join us for a performance of poems connected to freedom, independence, prosperity and justice.

Guided House Tour: Eyewitness to Black History
Saturday, April 18, 2026; 12:00-3:00pm
Crane House & Historic YWCA Museum, 110 Orange Road, Montclair, NJ

Explore 200 years of Black history in Montclair and New Jersey through rare first-hand accounts, primary and secondary source documents at the Crane House & Historic YWCA. Artifacts include a bill of sale for an enslaved person in the household, an 1800s newspaper, census data, personal letters, oral histories, and mid-century Jet and Ebony magazines. These artifacts provide a springboard for discussion about race both in the past and in the present-day. Tours begin at 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm, and 2:00 pm at the Nathaniel Crane House & Visitor Center located at the back of the parking lot. No reservations required. Admission is $12/adult; $10/student/senior with ID; $8/child; under 2 free. MHC members are free! Free admission programs include: Families First program, military personnel, NARM, MHC members, Montclair students, and Montclair Public Library Members.

Time will Tell: Youth Perspectives on the Declaration of Independence (time capsule for 2076)
Monday, April 27, 2026; 4:00-5:00pm
University Hall, 1050

A panel of Honors students will discuss motivations and methods used in the collection of objects and stories for a 25-year time capsule documenting perceptions of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.

French Poems of Independence (Haiti, France, Senegal)
Wednesday, April 29, 2026; 12:30-1:15pm
Feliciano School of Business, 221

Readings by students, faculty, staff, and community members (in French, English, and Kreyol) of poems written to celebrate French language declarations of independences inspired by the American Revolution.

Historic Pine Street Walking Tour
Saturday, May 16, 2026
Baldwin and Pine Street, Montclair NJ

Join us for a walking tour of the Pine Street neighborhood, where we’ll explore its architectural gems, uncover fascinating historical facts, and share lively anecdotes—contributions from those familiar with the area are warmly welcomed. This historic district tells the rich story of Montclair’s Italian immigrant community, its residents, and local businesses. The tour includes a special treat from Nicolo’s Bakery and is led by Director Angelica Diggs and Board of Turstee Donato DiGeronimo. Total walking distance is approximately 1 mile.

Tickets are $20/person. $15/person for Members (contact our office for the coupon code) Tickets are required in advance. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/historic-pine-street-waking-tour-may-16th-at-11-am