William W. Treat Lecture

	William W. Treat Trustees

The annual Treat Lecture is NH Civics’ premier public event. As the title suggests, it can be a formal lecture, more often, however, it has taken the form of a conversation. Our inaugural event in 2012 was a conversation between former US Supreme Court Justice David Souter and PBS New Hour’s Margaret Warner. More recently, Justice Souter himself interviewed US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Other Treat Lectures have featured talks by attorneys David Boies & Ted Olsen, National Public Radio’s Nina Totenberg, writer and founder of Citizen University Eric Liu, Maine Senator Susan Collins, and former New Hampshire Governor and Senator Judd Gregg.

Past Treat Lectures & Events

February 10, 2022

Renewing Trust in Democracy: 

The Role of the News Media

Featuring: 

Cecilia Kang, The New York Times 

Joe McQuaid, New Hampshire Union Leader

Melanie Plenda, Granite State News Collaborative  

Moderated by Anna Brown, Citizens Count 

December 2, 2021 

William W. Treat Lecture Series 4: A Conversation with General James Mattis: What is the Role of the Military in a Democracy?

with former Secretary of Defense, General James Mattis, War College professor Dr. Janet Breslin-Smith, NH ROTC candidates, and high school youth 

October 21, 2021

Renewing Trust in Democracy: The Role of Courts

with former U.S. Solicitors General Gregory Garre and Neal Katyal, moderated by Laura Knoy

July 22nd, 2021

William W. Treat Lecture Series 2: A Polarized Country - Can Schools Help Bridge the Divide?

with Peter Levine and Dianna Gahlsdorf Terrell 

June 23rd, 2021

William W. Treat Lecture Series 1: Civic Health - Renewing Trust Among Neighbors

with EveryDay Democracy’s Martha McCoy and authors of the NH Civic Health Index, Bruce Mallory and Quixada Moore-Vissing

A Conversation with Judge Merrick Garland

Is Civic Learning a Constitutional Right?

Protect & Defend the Constitution: The Significance of the Oath of Office

Why is Civic Education Essential to Our National Security?

Meeting the Moment: Renewing Democracy through Civic Learning

Margaret Warner in conversation with retired Supreme Court Justice David Souter

Rachel Maddow uses Constitutionally Speaking clip to make her point

Laura Knoy interviews attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies

Robin Young interviews NPR correspondent Nina Totenberg

Author Eric Liu's lecture in 2017

PBS story on Supreme Court Justice David Souter's talk 

Comic rendition of Supreme Court Justice David Souter's talk by NH artist Marek Bennett  

Concord Monitor article on Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's visit  

Senator Susan Collins interviewed by Virginia Prescott

2019 William Treat Lecture: Civic Engagement & Civility

Senator Judd Gregg interviewed by Joe McQuaid

RBG co-creator Julie Cohen interviewed by Professor Leah Plunkett