A 1778 black and white engraving of Independence Hall in Philadelphia with a clock tower, large tree, and cloudy sky. *AI generated alt text

Speaker Saturday: Pennsylvania’s Constitution

Event Information

Date & Time
Saturday, Apr. 11, 2026
1:00 PM
Location Fort Pitt Museum 601 Commonwealth Place
Pittsburgh PA, 15222
Ticketing Included with General Admission
Category
Register

Discover the story behind Pennsylvania’s bold democracy at the Fort Pitt Museum.

Historian Peter Gilmore will explore how, 250 years ago, following the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress urged each state to create its own constitution.

In Pennsylvania, political outsiders seized this moment in July 1776 to craft what became one of the most radically democratic constitutions in the world. Gilmore will share the story behind its creation—and the fierce debates and conflicts that followed.

The program is included with admission and will take place in the Fort Pitt Auditorium on the museum’s first floor.

About the Speaker

Peter E. Gilmore is a ruling elder at Sixth Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh and serves on the Commission for Preparation of Ministry of the Pittsburgh Presbytery. He has taught at several Pittsburgh universities and previously served as staff writer and editor for UE News, the official publication of the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America. He teaches history at Carlow University, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Pittsburgh.