Lectures and Events
Join us as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of Hampden-Sydney‘s founding with special programs, fine arts performances, museum exhibits, field trips, classes, and research projects exploring the historical and intellectual foundations of the College.
2024-2025
March to Williamsburg Relay
Friday, April 4—Sunday, April 6, 2025
During the War of Independence, the Hampden-Sydney student militia marched off to the defenses of Williamsburg in 1777. In celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the founding of Hampden-Sydney College, this three-day “March to Williamsburg” will re-trace their footsteps.
Designed as a relay, the march will begin at the College’s historic birthplace and will span over 100 miles to Williamsburg. Participants can choose to walk, run, or bike—primarily along the High Bridge Trail and the Capital Trail—at their own pace. Each participant will carry the torch of Hampden-Sydney pride, whether covering one mile or ten.
Register to participate
The Maurice Allan Lecture
Monday, March 31, 2025 | 7 pm
Schoellkopf Family & Friends Lounge
The Gods of Prophetstown: The Battle of Tippecanoe and the Holy War for the American Frontier
Dr. Adam Jortner, Goodwin Philpott Eminent Professor of Religion at Auburn University
View this event on the College calendar
The Heinemann Lecture
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | 7:30 – 9 pm
Bortz Library, Lecture Area
Caroline Janney, John L. Nau III Professor of History in the American Civil War from the University of Virginia, will deliver the Heinemann Lecture.
View this event on the College calendar
The Charles McRae Lecture
Monday, February 17, 2025 | 7 pm
Bortz, Lecture Area
Dr. Lisa Bowens, Associate Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, will deliver the Charles McRae Lecture for Black History Month.
View this event on the College calendar
Third Annual One Brotherhood Dinner | Featuring a Reenactment by the St. John’s Church Foundation
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Kirby Field House
St. John’s Church Foundation members reenacted Patrick Henry’s iconic “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech while students gathered for the One Brotherhood Dinner to kick off the 2025 spring semester. The reenactment was part of the College’s 250th anniversary commemoration and pay’s tribute to the country’s founders. This event celebrated Hampden-Sydney’s steadfast commitment to brotherhood, much like our founders’ dedication to the ideals of liberty and the values of our nation.
Watch the recording on YouTube
Commencement Address
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Cultural and political commentator David Brooks is a columnist for The New York Times and a contributor to The Atlantic. He is a commentator on The PBS Newshour and founder of Weave: the Social Fabric Project. His address outlined six activities that contribute to becoming a good man and a good citizen concluding that the journey to becoming a good man is inextricably linked with being a good citizen. His forthcoming book “How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen” will be published in October.
Watch the recording on YouTube
Founders Commemoration Speech
Monday, October 28, 2024
Jeffrey Rosen is author of New York Times bestseller, “The Pursuit of Happiness.” Rosen examines what “the pursuit of happiness” meant to our nation’s Founders and how that famous phrase defined their lives and became the foundation of our democracy. Jeffrey Rosen is President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School, and a contributing editor at The Atlantic.
Watch the recording on YouTube
Opening Convocation Keynote Address
Monday, August 26, 2024
The Honorable Robert Hurt ’91 is an American attorney and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Virginia’s 5th congressional district. In his address, he underscored the vital importance of civic virtue and leadership in today’s world, highlighting how knowledge and civility are essential for the formation of good men and good citizens.
Watch the recording on YouTube
2023-2024
Opening Convocation Address: “The Skills of Freedom”
Monday, August 21, 2023
The Honorable John Charles Thomas, Former Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court and Author of Poetic Justice: A Memoir
Watch the recording on YouTube
Ronald L. Heinemann Lecture in the History of the American South
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Patricia A. Sullivan, William Arthur Fairey II Professor of History at the University of South Carolina draws from her recent book, “Justice Rising,” on Robert F. Kennedy and the civil rights movement. This spring marks the 60th anniversary of Kennedy’s visit to Prince Edward County and his talk at H-SC.
Watch the recording on YouTube
Society of the Cincinnati Visiting Scholar Series
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
7:30-9 PM
Crawley Forum
Professor Jack Fructman of Towson University will deliver a talk on Thomas Paine, with a reception to follow.
Spiritual Founders: John Hampden and Algernon Sydney
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
4:30-5:30 PM
Bortz Library, lecture area
Professor Kenneth Fincham is Professor of Early Modern History at University of Kent at Canterbury. He studied History at Oxford University and completed his Ph.D at University College London.
Sponsored by the Student Museum Board and the Virginia Program at Oxford
Watch the recording on YouTube
The Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission was formed to commemorate Virginia’s role in the 250th anniversary of American independence. Follow VA250 for more information on impactful and thoughtful exhibits, events, and programs that inspire all Americans to learn more about the founding of our nation and Virginia’s key role.
Founders Day Lecture: “How Shall We Remember?”
Thursday, November 9, 2023
Christy S. Coleman, executive director of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation in Williamsburg, VA also serves as a member of the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission
Watch the recording on YouTube