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The Roots and Legacy of the Bill of Rights with Dr. Stacey Close

November 12, 2026

Event Details

Date: November 12, 2026
Time: 6:15 pm
–7:45 pm

Greenwich Historical Society is excited to present an engaging and enlightening series of educational lectures and presentations exploring the breadth of American history over the course of 250 years. Each month, join the Historical Society for a special presentation covering topics from experts in the fields of fashion, local and national history, archaeology, historic preservation, archives, and more.

Light bites from Grazing Charcuterie Bar and drinks will be available from 5:30-6:30 PM in our Museum Lobby before each presentation begins. A Q&A with the audience will follow all presentations.

“[A] bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse.”
– Thomas Jefferson, December 20, 1787

In 1787, the U.S. Constitution was sent to the states for ratification. The two leading political parties engaged in a fierce debate regarding the rights protected by the Constitution. While it created a system of checks and balances for the three branches of government, it did not protect the rights of individuals from government overreach. James Madison addressed these objections by drafting the first ten amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, which was adopted in 1791. The rights protected in the first ten amendments- freedom of speech, press, religion, petition, assembly, and more- are the “unalienable rights” referred to in the Declaration of Independence.

In his lecture, Dr. Stacey Close will discuss the roots and legacy of the Bill of Rights.

Speaker Biography

Dr. Stacey Close

Stacey Close, who received his undergraduate degree from Albany State College and PhD from The Ohio State University, has worked in higher education for more than 30 years. A professor of African American history, he has given paper presentations at conferences such as the Southern Conference on African American Studies, the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, and the Professional and Organizational Development Network. In addition, he has given lectures and talks at Yale University, Brown University, and St. John’s University. He has published with journals and presses such as the Journal of Negro History, CT Explored, Wesleyan University Press, The Griot, Humanities, and Guilford Press. Some of his other honors include Connecticut State NAACP 100 Most Influential, Eastern Connecticut State University's Faculty Teaching Award, Hartford Courant Magazine’s 12 Hot Professors, and being an American Council on Education Fellow. He has also worked in higher education administration at the department chair level, director level, and senior administration. Close has also served as a panelist and guest on shows such as the Smithsonian Channel’s “Blacks and the Space Race,” The Green Book,” and NPR’s Where We Live and Disrupted.

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