Skip Navigation

Akhil Reed Amar Discusses Constitution and Presidency at OU Presidential Speakers Series

NEWS
Amar speaking in front of a microphone.
Photo by Travis Caperton.

Akhil Reed Amar Discusses Constitution and Presidency at OU Presidential Speakers Series


By

Kat Gebauer
kathryngebauer@ou.edu

Date

Oct. 21, 2025

NORMAN, Okla. – The University of Oklahoma welcomed constitutional scholar Akhil Reed Amar for its fall Presidential Speakers Series dinner on Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History. Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, delivered a talk titled "The Constitution and the Presidency."

OU President Joseph Harroz opened the evening with remarks on the role of public universities in preparing informed, engaged citizens to sustain democracy.

“This idea of being together in a shared intellectual enterprise is truly important,” said Harroz. “We get together to think and to talk and to discuss ideas, and to consider our place in it.”

Following his keynote address, Amar participated in a question-and-answer session with pre-submitted questions read by Crimson Club students Jhanvi Patel and Jordan Hickman.

Amar has written more than 100 law review articles and several books, including "The Words That Made Us: America's Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840" and its recently released sequel, "Born Equal: Remaking America's Constitution, 1840-1920." He also hosts the podcast "Amarica's Constitution." At Yale, he has earned what is often called the university’s “triple crown”: the Sterling Chair for scholarship, the DeVane Medal for teaching and the Lamar Award for alumni service.

Attendees received a copy of Amar's latest book as they departed the event.

This marked Amar's return to OU, having previously visited in 2012 for the university's inaugural Teach-In and as a Constitution Day speaker that same year.

About the University of Oklahoma

Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.


Recent News

Research
October 02, 2026

Study targets prostate cancer screening gap among black men

A newly funded study at the University of Oklahoma aims to increase prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening among Black men in Oklahoma, who die from prostate cancer at rates two to four times higher than other racial groups.


Research
October 02, 2026

OU study tests peer mentoring to help young adults quit vaping

Young adults who want to quit vaping may turn to social media for support, but keeping them engaged with digital cessation programs over time can be challenging. A University of Oklahoma researcher is testing whether adding support from trained peers can help keep young adults engaged as they try to quit vaping.


Impact
October 02, 2026

OU helps deliver over $82,000 in free dental care during full court smiles

For 259 third- and fourth-graders from Oklahoma City Public Schools, a trip to the Paycom Center recently came with something more than a chance to see the home of the Oklahoma City Thunder. During the inaugural Full Court Smiles event, the students received $82,315 in free dental care from faculty, residents and students from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry and other dental professionals.