Home - Hatfield Lecture Series

Speaker: Jon Meacham
Lecture date: September 22nd, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Title: American Struggle: Democracy, Dissent, and the Pursuit of a More Perfect Union: An Anthology

Pulitzer Prize–winning presidential historian Jon Meacham is a skilled orator with a depth of knowledge about politics, religion, and current affairs. A highly sought-after commentator, he has the unique ability to bring history to life and offer historical context to current events and issues affecting our daily lives.

In American Struggle, Meacham unites centuries of essential American voices to understand our national debates and divisions from 1619 to the present, with his signature commentary on the consequential speeches, letters, and essays that led us to this moment.

About the Mark O. Hatfield Lecture Series

Since 1998, the Mark O. Hatfield Lecture Series has brought distinguished historians, acclaimed authors, and influential thinkers to Oregon to explore the people, events, and ideas that continue to shape our nation. Inspired by Senator Hatfield’s belief in informed civic engagement, the series challenges audiences to consider new perspectives and discover how understanding the past helps us navigate the future. In an increasingly complex era, the Hatfield Lecture Series demonstrates the power of history to enrich public discourse and inspire meaningful conversations across communities.

Event details

Lectures begin at 7pm and are held at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in downtown Portland as well as livestreamed.

Events will feature live captioning and ASL interpretation. Visit the Portland’5 website to view ASL accessible seating options.

Ticket holders will be emailed a recording of the lecture (with closed-captioning) 48 hours after the event that will be available for 14 days.

Tickets to the four-part 2027 Hatfield Lecture Series go on sale in July 2026. To access the presale and ticket discounts, become an OHS member today!