The lecture will feature Sarah M. S. Pearsall, award-winning author and professor of history at Johns Hopkins University, who will present “A World History of the American Revolution.” Her talk will explore the American Revolution not only as a defining moment in the development of the United States, but also as an event shaped by global ideas, empires and political movements.
Pearsall previously taught at the University of Cambridge and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. She also serves as a Distinguished Fellow in the American Revolution at the British Library. Pearsall holds degrees from Yale University, the University of Cambridge and Harvard University. Her latest book, “Freedom Round the Globe: A World History of the American Revolution,” will be released in May.
The event is sponsored by the Simon Perry Center for Constitutional Democracy.
According to center Director Patricia Proctor, the lecture’s theme is particularly timely as the nation approaches a historic milestone.
“This year, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the founding of the nation and the Declaration of Independence,” Proctor said. “The story of the founding is an old one to most of us, but Sarah Pearsall has new things to teach us. She tells the story from a different perspective, shedding light on how events and people beyond this country impacted its founding. Her perspective is genuinely interesting, and I am very excited to welcome her to Marshall and to hear her lecture.”
The Amicus Curiae Lecture Series brings distinguished scholars and thought leaders to campus to explore issues related to constitutional democracy, civic institutions and the historical foundations of democratic governance.
The lecture is free and open to the public.