Friends & Fellow Citizens

Watch on YouTube! While everyone knows George Washington as the Father of our country, he could have had anything he wanted after the American Revolution. Virtually no human being would refuse the guarantee of absolute power. There were even some who wanted him to be a king. But Washington refused a crown. Richard Lim, a podcast host and author of the book Refusing a Crown: How George Washington C...

The famous, unresolved question "Who discovered America?" is still one that we Americans still ask ourselves. But when we think of explorers, we should also think of those who explored and shaped our institutions. One of our most notable "explorers" is Henry Clay. Dr. Jacob Wood, Editorial Specialist at the Kentucky Historical Society, discusses the significance and impact of o...

Adoption of the Declaration of Independence could not simply appear out of nowhere, so it must be proposed as part of a resolution. Which signer proposed the resolution that led to the most notable document in American history? Learn how Richard Henry Lee, a Signer who grew up under difficult circumstances, developed his character for defying authority and became one of the most passionate support...

When most people think of environmental protection in this day and age of volatile weather, they think of government interventionism, coercion, and agencies (the EPA, Green New Deal, Sierra Club, etc.). But with the right incentives, is government always the answer? Or are there solutions that make economic and sustainability sense to foster environmental stewardship instead of coercion? We are jo...

Watch this video episode on our YouTube channel! Happy Constitution Day the year of America's 250th birthday! He was only one of six Signers to place his signature on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  He is the man who was one of the major architects of our federal government.  He became arguably the biggest defender of democracy among the Founders. And yet, his name has...

Thank you to the guests who joined our show in the past year! Here's to another incredible year of content in our 7th season of podcasting! Before our Constitution was even drafted, the Founding Fathers wanted to create a seal that represented the new country and its ideals. How easy or difficult was it to create the famous design? Learn how a largely forgotten Founder Charles Thomson helped...

A quarter of a century ago, we lost the lives of nearly 3,000 people in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia on September 11, 2001. Nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked and crashed four commercial airplanes into the World Trade Center (WTC), the Pentagon, and a field near Shanksville, PA. Since that day, several thousand have tragically died from 9/11-related illnesses, with tens of thousands tod...

Watch the YouTube version HERE! You might have heard the expression "the pen is mightier than the sword." So who "wrote" the Revolution and has been considered the Penman of the American Revolution? John Dickinson was the man behind many critical pillars of our country's founding, and some believe he has been forgotten for too long. Dr. Jane Calvert, author and scholar who...

What do famous names like Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Marshall have in common? They all had a common teacher who became the first signatory from the Commonwealth of Virginia to sign the Declaration: George Wythe. Learn how Wythe's influence shaped the Signers and how the Virginian became one of the premier minds of the law during his time. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoni...

Click here to watch this episode on YouTube! Several big names have defined the Supreme Court: John Marshall, Roger Taney, Earl Warren, Antonin Scalia, Ruth Bader Ginsburg,... But there is another Justice who has arguably been one of the most influential in the past 20+ years: Justice Samuel Alito. From his new book Revenge For the Sixties , award-winning journalist and former executive director o...

What was it like to run a congressional campaign for the first time? And what were the biggest takeaways and lessons from that experience? Sherman shares a preview of the experiences and lessons on the campaign trail in one of the largest congressional districts in the country. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all...

Hollywood is arguably the most recognizable brand of American movies. But in the last couple of decades, something else has increasingly dominated American domination of the movie industry: the Chinese Communist Party. How can America reclaim American-made Hollywood movies? Chris Fenton, a former Hollywood film producer of 21 films grossing a total of more than $2 billion, shares insight into the...

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE! Happy 250th birthday to the United States of America! Hope you all enjoy the Independence Day weekend! 250 years ago, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by 56 brave signers. While everyone can agree on the significance of that day, 'division' seems to describe all of American politics these days. Just like much of American history, ev...

As the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence, Charles Carroll made strong stances on the role of public service. How did he handle ad hominem attacks from a prominent Loyalist? Learn how Carroll's stance on religion and public office and his choice of argumentative style made him a prominent Marylander. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-...

Sports are important activities that teach life skills to countless people every day. But when politics enters the arena, the integrity of sports is in the balance. In recent years, there have been instances of biological men self-identifying as female, prompting many to be concerned about the future of female sports. This episode is an opportunity to hear from two young volleyball players, Kendal...

The history of free speech in American history can be told in many ways. But perhaps none as crazy as this one, which happened while George Washington was alive. Hear how Matthew Lyon's story can teach us about free speech and why restrictions on free speech can truly backfire. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop o...

Thank you to all our listeners and supporters for getting F&FC to 200 episodes! We are proud of the work done and are looking forward to much more content! Stay tuned! China's grand strategy to reshape supply chains, ideological dominance, and the larger world order can be traced to strategies like Made in China 2025. How much of a wake-up call is this for the U.S.? Emily de la Bruyère, S...

While little is known about Thomas Stone, learn more about his dedication to preventing war and care for his ill wife that compelled him to leave public office. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute! JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE...

Policies like DEI, affirmative action, and other race-based policies claim to embrace diversity. The Jussie Smollett case initially made people aware of racial issues, but the event turned out to be a highly publicized hate crime hoax. Why do race-based policies fail to realistically achieve success in solving social issues?  Dr. Wilfred Reilly, professor at Kentucky State University, shares how r...

Washington's Farewell Address is very much a speech reflecting on the first President's successes and failures. Edmund Randolph, the first Attorney General, looked promising for a cabinet member but caused headaches for the new administration. How did Washington handle an embarrassing moment for the Secretary of State? Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for o...

Anyone looking through polarized lenses sees everything darker. How and why have Americans disliked "the other side" more and chosen new, uncompromising political identities? What can be done to "remove" these polarized lenses? Dr. Samara Klar (Professor of Political Science, University of Arizona) and Dr. David Hopkins (Professor of Political Science, Boston College) discuss t...

With multiple favorite U.S. presidents to choose from, few if any stand out like Theodore Roosevelt. What made the 26th POTUS uniquely interested in nature? How will North Dakota play an important role later in July 2026 to finally preserve his legacy? Dr. Michael Patrick Cullinane, Chair of Roosevelt Studies at Dickinson State University and Public Historian at the Theodore Roosevelt Association,...

One of only two Signers of Italian descent, William Paca was a successful lawyer and was heavily involved in the formation of our system of government. What can we learn from his opposition to "energetic government?" Can civic energy come from such a position? Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things...

Watch the video episode HERE ! As we reflect again later this month on Washington's Birthday, religion and religious freedom are indisputably central to the American experiment. How do the Founders' ideas on religion relate to our debates today? And where does faith fit in with our country?  This episode's special guest is Dr. Vincent Phillip Muñoz, who is Professor of Political Sci...

Concepts are rarely defined and understood by those involved in politics. What are the consequences of using the term 'gender?' Dr. Alex Byrne, Professor of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT, provides explanations about how these concepts should be used. He also previews his work on a 2025 report revealing very weak evidence and weak medical ethics for treatment of pediatric gender dysph...