All are invited to attend this faculty-organized conference exploring how America’s story is taught as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
The Teacher Conference on the Study of America 250 will take place Monday, February 16, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Tarleton State University Fort Worth campus. Designed for pre-service teachers, in-service educators, faculty, students, and community members, the conference highlights the nation as it approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026.
The conference includes lectures by Tarleton State University history faculty, offering scholarly perspectives on key moments, themes, and interpretations in American history. These lectures will anchor the conference in humanities scholarship while modeling how historical content can be translated into meaningful classroom instruction.
A central part of the conference is the multi-generation veteran panel featuring veterans whose military service spans from the Korean War through the Global War on Terror. The panel is designed to help participants grapple with the enduring reality that democratic freedoms are sustained through service and sacrifice across generations. Through personal narratives and guided discussion, veterans will reflect on the costs of military service, the responsibilities of citizenship, and the ways individual experiences of war and service illuminate broader themes in American history and democratic life.
“This conference is about helping current and future educators think deeply about how America’s story is told and taught,” said Dr. Eliel Hinojosa, Jr., conference organizer and Assistant Professor of Curriculum & Instruction at Tarleton State University. “By bringing together historians, educators, and veterans across generations, we are creating space for honest dialogue about the past and its relevance to civic life today.”
Bookending the conference are teacher-focused breakout sessions for elementary and secondary educators. Sessions will emphasize inquiry-based learning, primary source analysis, and place-based approaches aligned with social studies standards that are adaptable across classroom settings.
The Teacher Conference on the Study of America 250 is sponsored by the Tarleton State University College of Education, the Center for Educational Excellence and Law-Related Education, a division of the State Bar of Texas.
The conference is open to educators, students, faculty, and members of the public interested in history, civic education, and the humanities. Non-teachers are welcome to attend sessions from 9:55 a.m. to 1:50 p.m., including lunch.
The event is free. Light refreshments will be provided beginning at 7:30 a.m. Lunch will also be provided.
Register to attend here: https://forms.gle/QArthXJh5WgLZEUAA
For additional information, please contact Dr. Eliel Hinojosa, Jr. at ehinojosa1@tarleton.edu.