Join us on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET for the inaugural webinar in the Armed with Knowledge series “Why Do We Have a Second Amendment?” featuring scholars Nicholas J. Johnson and Jody Lyneé Madeira.
Armed with Knowledge is a non-partisan educational initiative made possible through a nearly $1 million U.S. Department of Education American History and Civics, National Activities Grant. Directed by the Firearms Research Center’s staff and an advisory committee of K-12 educators, scholars, and public health experts, the initiative provides teachers with primary sources, instructional videos, an in-person conference, and webinars featuring scholars from across the ideological spectrum.
This one-hour webinar explores one of the most fundamental questions in American constitutional history: Why does the Second Amendment exist? Through historical and legal perspectives, our speakers will examine the different scholarly approaches to understanding the origins, purpose, and development of the Second Amendment.
In addition to remarks from Nick and Jody, we will also take a few minutes to highlight several of the resources available through Armed With Knowledge, including access to a comprehensive historical firearms law database.
Whether you teach American history, government, or constitutional law, this webinar offers an opportunity to engage directly with leading scholars in a thoughtful, non-partisan discussion and to come away with insight you can carry into your classroom.
Register HERE.
“Armed with Knowledge: A Nonpartisan Second Amendment Initiative” aims to fill a gap in contemporary civics curricula, furnishing educators with resources and tools to better understand the historical context and have modern discussions about the Second Amendment.
Learn more about the Armed with Knowledge HERE.
About the presenters:
Jody Lyneé Madeira is the Richard S. Melvin Professor of Law and Co-Director of the Center for Law, Society & Culture at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law. She is co-author of The Second Amendment: Gun Rights and Regulation and is widely recognized for her scholarship on constitutional law, reproductive justice, and public policy.
Nicholas J. Johnson is a Law Professor at Fordham University Law School teaching in the areas of gun control, gun rights, contracts, and environmental law. He is a 1984 graduate of Harvard Law School. In addition to Negroes and the Gun, he is author of Firearms Law and the Second Amendment: Regulation, Rights and Policy with David Kopel, George Mocsary, E. Gregory Wallace, and Donald Kilmer.
