The 2026 Summer Speaker Series at Historic Christ Church & Museum in Weems begins on June 11 and continues with programs on July 8 and Aug. 20, featuring three historians and authors. Each program begins at 5 p.m. in the Bayne Center at Historic Christ Church and includes a wine and cheese reception with the speaker following the program. The series begins with author Tony Williams and “‘ALL Men are Created Equal’: The Declaration of Independence and Black Freedom Suits & Freedom Petitions.” In the June 11 talk, Williams, a senior fellow at the Bill of Rights Institute, examines how enslaved people were among the first to claim the Declaration of Independence’s principles of liberty, equality, and self-government—using “freedom petitions” and “freedom suits” to pursue natural rights with unexpected outcomes. After, he will sign copies of his new book, “Divided Over the Declaration: How an Enduring Debate Sustains the Vision of America.” On July 8, “A Perfect Frenzy” author Andr...