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The Lavin Agency Speakers Bureau

A speakers bureau that represents the best original thinkers,
writers, and doers for speaking engagements.

America250

On July 4, 2026, we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It’s a momentous occasion: one that inspires us to reflect on the past, strengthen our love of our country, and renew our ongoing commitment to the ideals of democracy. Lavin’s top speakers for America250 offer powerful talks on the meaning of this occasion and the road ahead.

16 America250
Speakers
Heather McGhee | Author of New York Times Bestseller The Sum of Us

Heather McGhee

Author of New York Times Bestseller The Sum of Us

For America 250, look to the small, crucial choices that shaped the America of today—and the ones that will shape the America of tomorrow.

Clint Smith

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author of How the Word Is Passed and Above Ground | The Atlantic Staff Writer

There is no single story of America. To understand the history of this country, we must understand the many stories that make it what it is.

Annette Gordon-Reed

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author of The Hemingses of Monticello and On Juneteenth | Harvard Law Professor | MacArthur Genius

The American Revolution and the founding generation continue to influence our present—and our future.

Nikole Hannah-Jones

Speaker on Democracy, Civil Rights, and American History | Pulitzer Prize-Winning Creator of The 1619 Project | Executive Producer of the Emmy Award-Winning 1619 Project Hulu Docuseries | MacArthur Genius

Our history can illuminate the future we're fighting for.

Jelani Cobb

New Yorker Staff Writer | Columbia Journalism School Dean | Author of Three or More Is a Riot | Speaker on History, Politics, and Culture in America

In the fight for justice, we must face the past to forge a better future.

George Packer | Bestselling Author of The Unwinding and Last Best Hope | The Atlantic Staff Writer

George Packer

Bestselling author of The Unwinding and Last Best Hope | The Atlantic staff writer

In our fractured landscape, returning to the founding ideals of this country—equality, independence, and self-government—can bring us back together.

Mary Ziegler

Leading authority on the legal history of American reproductive rights | Author of Beyond Abortion and Roe: The History of a National Obsession | Guggenheim Fellow

Women are central to America's constitutional story. Their battle for rights has far-reaching implications for our history—and our future.

Jeff Chang

Social Historian, Cultural Critic & Community Organizer | Author, Water Mirror Echo: Bruce Lee and the Making of Asian America

Real solidarity and justice begins when we bring community into everything we do.

Rachel L. Swarns

Author of The 272: The Families who Were Enslaved and Sold to Build the American Catholic Church | Tenured Professor at New York University | Former New York Times Johannesburg Bureau Chief

Understanding the true 250-year history of America won't tear us apart. It'll bring us together.

Derek Thompson

#1 New York Times Bestselling Co-Author of Abundance | Host of thePlain English Podcast | Founder of the Substack Derek Thompson

We live in a world of scarcity. But there's a better way forward—into a future of abundant housing, energy, innovation, and progress on all fronts.

Minnijean Brown-Trickey

Civil Rights Legend who Helped Desegregate Public Schools | Member of the Little Rock Nine

When we challenge what we know to be morally wrong, we grow as a society.

Sarah Lewis

Founder of Vision & Justice | Harvard Associate Professor | Bestselling Author of The Rise and The Unseen Truth

What is the role of art and culture for racial justice?

Andrew Marantz | New Yorker Writer | Author of Antisocial

Andrew Marantz

New Yorker Writer | Author of Antisocial

Social media is what we make it—here’s how we can use it to create a kinder, more imaginative world.

Caleb Gayle

Author, We Refuse to Forget and BLACK MOSES | Contributing Writer, The New York Times Magazine | Associate Professor, Northeastern University

Engaging with our history opens up new ways of understanding race, identity, and how we relate to one another.