Indiana Constitutional Symposium

Please join us for a special symposium and celebration honoring the 175th Anniversary of the Indiana Constitution of 1851.

📅 Thursday, November 5, 2026

📍 Indiana State Archives -- New Downtown Location – 350 W. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202

ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM

In November 2026, Indiana marks the 175th anniversary of its Constitution of 1851, a document that fundamentally reshaped the state's legal, civic, and political foundations and whose influence endures today. To honor this milestone, we will be inviting proposals for different forms of participation in the Indiana Constitutional Symposium and Celebration.

The symposium will be held on November 5, 2026, at the new Indiana State Archives building, a fitting home for the original documents that shaped Indiana's history. The event will bring together legal professionals, judges, historians, educators, students, and community partners for a daylong program of lightning talks, roundtable discussion, workshops, student essays, and a keynote speech delivered by Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush.

PARTNERS

Partners include the Indiana State Archives, Indiana University McKinney School of Law, the Indiana Law Review, the Indianapolis Bar Association's Rule of Law Committee, the Indiana Historical Bureau, the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, and the Quill Project (Pembroke College, Oxford & Utah Valley University).

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPATION

1. LIGHTNING TALKS (approx.15 minutes)

We welcome short, focused presentations on any aspect of the Indiana Constitution of 1851, its history, or its legacy. Possible approaches include, but are not limited to, close readings of a favorite clause or article, exploration of a constitutional convention debate, analysis of landmark Indiana Supreme Court decisions, or reflections on the 1851 Constitution's relationship to the Northwest Ordinance, the Indiana Constitution of 1816, or the U.S. Constitution. We especially encourage proposals that bring new perspectives or are based on new archival research.

Send Lightning Talk submissions to Jill Weiss Simins at JiWeiss@iara.IN.gov by August 5. See Submission Guidelines below.

2. ROUNDTABLE PANELS

We invite proposals for panel discussions on themes related to Indiana constitutional history, law, and civic life. Panel proposals should include a brief description of the theme, names and affiliations of proposed participants. Please let us know if you have a designated moderator or need one. We welcome applications for a full panel or for individuals seeking to join panels. More topic ideas below.

Submit Roundtable Panel proposals to Jill Weiss Simins at JiWeiss@iara.IN.gov by August 5. See Submission Guidelines below.

3. PUBLICATION in the Indiana Law Review

The Indiana Law Review is accepting article submissions commemorating the 175th Anniversary of Indiana’s 1851 Constitution. If you are interested in submitting an article, please send your submission to Sam Anderson (sra2@iu.edu) and Ben Welp (benwelp@iu.edu) by January 1, 2027.

1. All submissions to the Indiana Law Review should contain:
   1. One copy of the manuscript, double-spaced, with one-inch margins in .docx format.
   2. Citations conforming to the current edition (22^nd ed.) of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation.
   3. Abstract of the manuscript.
   4. Curriculum vitae for the author(s).
   5. Contact information for the fall, spring, and summer, including a telephone number, email address, and fax number.

4. STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST

The Rule of Law Committee of the Indianapolis Bar Association invites high school students across Indiana to reflect on the constitution that continues to shape our life today in a short (500-700 word) essay. First, second, and third place essays will receive a monetary award and recognition at the Indiana 1851 Constitutional Symposium on November 5, 2026. The contest will open on August 10 with a deadline of September 28. Students may find additional information, including the writing prompt and how to submit at: https://www.indybar.org/?pg=RuleofLawCommittee

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SUGGESTED THEMES for Lightning Talk, Roundtable Panels, and ILR articles.

Proposals need not be limited to these themes, but organizers welcome submissions addressing:

• The origins and drafting of the 1851 Constitution
• Comparison with the Indiana Constitution of 1816
• The influence of the Northwest Ordinance on Indiana's constitutional tradition
• Civil rights, liberties, and the limits of constitutional protection in 19th-century Indiana
• The judiciary and the development of Indiana constitutional law
• Key Supreme Court Decisions
• Local and county government under the 1851 Constitution
• Education, taxation, and public finance
• The 1851 Constitution and Indiana's place in American constitutional history
• State constitutions and federalism: lessons from Indiana
• Personal liberty, legal status, and Constitutional protection in Indiana
• Teaching Indiana constitutional history in K–12 and higher education
• The Amendment process and Reform Movements
• Public History and commemoration of Constitutional memory
• Arts, literature, and cultural responses to Constitutional law
• Voting and suffrage in Indiana History

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SUBMISSION GUIDELINES for Lightning Talks and Roundtable Panels

Please submit the following to JiWeiss@iara.IN.gov by August 5, 2026:

* Your name, title, and institutional affiliation

* Proposal title

* Abstract (250–400 words)

* A brief bio (100 words)

* For panel proposals: names, affiliations, and a brief bio for each participant

Acceptance notifications will be sent by September 5.

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QUESTIONS?

Please contact Jill Weiss Simins at JiWeiss@iara.IN.gov

We look forward to a rich and wide-ranging conversation about Indiana's constitutional heritage — and hope to see you on November 5