While 2026 marks the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence, this year also marks the 250th anniversary of an important milestone in Pennsylvania history: the Commonwealth’s first state constitution, which was authorized in June 1776 during the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference held at Carpenters’ Hall. Adopted in September 1776, this document, which included a Bill of Rights and expanded voting rights, influenced other state constitutions in the Revolutionary period–and indeed the U.S. Constitution itself just a few years later. A bedrock of fundamental rights for Pennsylvanians, the current state constitution includes rights that go beyond those in the U.S. Constitution and affect the lives of everyone in the Commonwealth.
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference and the 1776 Pennsylvania Constitution, Carpenters’ Hall is hosting a series of programs and events throughout 2026 to explore this important milestone in Commonwealth history and engage Pennsylvanians in the contemporary relevance of our state constitution. This Town Hall will feature a panel discussion with experienced lawyers and legal scholars exploring the early history of our state constitution as well as issues such as public education, voting rights, the environment, reproductive rights and others that are within the jurisdiction of our current state constitution. Confirmed panelists to date are:
Drew Compton, McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC and former Commonwealth Court judge
Brent Landau, Executive Director, Public Interest Law Center
Donald Morritz, Of Counsel, Community Justice Project
Partners for this Town Hall are the Dauphin County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Public Interest Law Center, and PA Humanities.
Please click the event registration button below to RSVP for the Harrisburg Town Hall, which will be held on Wednesday, April 15th, 2026, from 5:30-7:30pm at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, located at 300 North St, Harrisburg, PA 17120. Members of the Dauphin County Bar Association should register here in order to qualify for CLE credits. This session will not be live-streamed or recorded, but others in this series will be recorded for future viewing.
Attendees at this Town Hall will be entered into a drawing, and one will win a pair of tickets to a FIFA World Cup game in Philadelphia in June, an overnight stay at the Study in University City, and a private tour of Carpenters' Hall. Winners must be present to win (prize package courtesy of the PA State Tourism Office and Visit Philadelphia).
This event is supported by America250PA and the Landenberger Family Foundation.