We the People: Reflecting Back, Building Forward

Overview

Northampton Community College’s 2025 Humanities Theme, “We the People: Reflecting Back, Building Forward,” commemorates the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. Building on NCC’s original designation by the National Endowment for the Humanities as a “We the People” institution, this year’s programming celebrates American history and culture while inspiring conversation about our shared future.

Fall Events:

Constitution Day Celebration – Explore the Lehigh Valley’s role in shaping our nation during a dynamic presentation by Jessica Edris, Chair of Lehigh Valley 250.
Thursday, September 11, 2025 · 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. · College Center 220, Bethlehem Campus

Enduring Presence 2025: Art of the Fourth Crow – Celebrate the opening of this compelling art exhibit at our Pocono Campus with light refreshments and community fellowship.
Thursday, October 2, 2025 · 10 a.m. Opening Ceremony, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Reception · Dunning Art Gallery, Pocono Campus

Annual Peace Conference: Discover the American Experience – A full day of conversation and reflection featuring talks on Lenape culture, Moravian pacifism, and “Their American Experience” stories from NCC faculty and students. Includes lunch (with reservation) and an Injustice Mapping Workshop for faculty and staff, followed by an evening film screening.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 · 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. · College Center 220, Bethlehem Campus

Free Film Screening – The Harder They Fall – With a foreword by NCC’s Professor Sol Levy.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 · 7 p.m. · Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, ArtsQuest, Bethlehem

Spring Event:

Annual Humanities Keynote – Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and Harvard professor Annette Gordon-Reed, acclaimed author of The Hemingses of Monticello and On Juneteenth, will headline this year’s theme. Details on tickets and times will be announced soon.
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 · Arthur L. Scott Spartan Center

All events are free and open to the public, offering opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and the broader community to connect, reflect, and build forward together.