Oct 8
5:30PM – 8:00PM
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2026-10-08T17:30:00
2026-10-08T20:00:00
America/New_York
YAA-Redpath Lecture | From “Created Equal” to “Born Equal” with Professor Akhil Amar ’80, ’84 JD
We are thrilled to welcome Akhil Reed Amar ’80, ’84 JD, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science for our 2026 YAA Redpath Lecture.
Thursday, October 8, 2026 | 6:30–8:00 PM
Pittsford Community Library | 24 State St, Pittsford, NY 14534
Doors open at 5:30 PM for conversation and book signing
The Yale Alumni Corporation of Rochester and the Yale Alumni Association of Western New York in Buffalo welcome Akhil Reed Amar ’80, ’84 JD, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, for a timely YAA-Redpath Lecture exploring the American promise of equality through the life and legacy of Frederick Douglass.
Exactly 250 years ago, America famously proclaimed that “all men are created equal.” That same year, Pennsylvanians led by Benjamin Franklin declared that “all men are born equally free and independent,” and shortly thereafter, the people of Massachusetts, led by John Adams, adopted a Declaration of Rights proclaiming that “all men are born free and equal.” Two and a half centuries later, the country continues to reckon with the meaning and extent of that promise.
Drawing on his current work and research surrounding Frederick Douglass, Professor Amar will bring this history directly into conversation with Rochester, a city central to Douglass’s life, work, and enduring legacy. Through a historical and constitutional lens, Professor Amar will explore the evolving American understanding of equality and the relationship between the nation’s founding ideals, its constitutional development, and Douglass’s powerful vision of American freedom.
The library will open to attendees at 5:30 PM for informal conversation with Professor Amar, fellow Yalies, and community members before the program begins at 6:30 PM. Non-alcoholic beverages will be available. Due to the nature of the library space, there will not be a formal reception.
Pittsford, NY — 24 State Street
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Join the Yale Club of Middle Tennessee for Impractical Magic, a Halloween pop-up bar cocktail hour, on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Hidden Bar at Noelle (200 Fourth Avenue North, Nashville). To find it, go in through Lona's Church Street entrance, head downstairs and look behind the storage door. You don't need a reservation, and the event is for guests 21 and up. Guests pay for their own drinks, but the camaraderie is free! We hope you'll join us for a bewitching evening.
