A Civil Discourse - The American Village's 25th Anniversary Celebration

The American Village in Montevallo first opened its campus on November 30th, 1999. Making this year the 25th Anniversary of Tom Walker's patriotic brain child, the colonial era village replica on a hundred and eighty plus acres of rolling hills that has become known as The American Village Citizenship Trust.

To commemorate the occasion, The American Village is celebrating with "A Civil Discourse" on Thursday, October 17th, 2024 beginning at five PM. A formal attire event featuring national podcasters Dr. Clay Jenkinson as Thomas Jefferson and Dr. Hal Bidlack as Alexander Hamilton, who will square off on issues that were prominent during the founding of The United States of America and actually are still pertinent to political discourse today. As Thomas Jefferson wanted most of the government's power to reside with the states. And Jefferson wanted the new nation to be run by farmers and "The Common Man". While Alexander Hamilton favored a strong federal government run by well-educated property owners.

A nationally-acclaimed humanities scholar and award-winning first-person interpreter of Thomas Jefferson, Dr. Clay Jenkinson is also the author of "Repairing Jefferson's America: A Guide to Civility and Enlightened Citizenship" published in 2020. Which focuses on Thomas Jefferson's vision of a republic of "well-educated, well-informed, engaged, and vigilant citizens." With his dream of a semi-utopian American republic being rooted in Jefferson's notion of "the primacy of science and reason, and harmony in all of our public and private relations." A Rhodes and Danforth Scholar from Oxford University, Dr. Jenkinson is the creator of "The Thomas Jefferson Hour", a weekly radio program on NPR.

A former professor of political science at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Dr. Hal Bidlack explores Alexander Hamilton's rags to riches story and his very influential friendship with President George Washington, as well as his self-destructive prickliness about his honor in his radio show, "Hamilton Lives.". With the story

of Hamilton's duel and his son's duel being a topic of some of the skits presented at The Americanillage during their annual Fourth of July Celebration.

Conceived by Tom Walker, who earned his Bachelor of Arts with Honors in History and Political Science from The University of Montevallo and his Master of Arts in Political science at Mississippi State University, The American Village Citizenship Trust has served over three-quarters of a million students from throughout the Southeastern part of the United States since its opening twenty-five years ago and currently draws thousands of public visitors each year. A former City Manager of Northport, Alabama,

Tom Walker is married to the former Betty Ann Driver of Montgomery, Alabama and together they have three adult children with one grandson. Now the President Emeritus of The American Village, Tom Walker is one of sixteen citizens appointed to the United States Semi quincentennial Commission which

is tasked with leading the country's 250th birthday celebration and commemoration of American Independence in 2026.

The evening's schedule for "A Civil Discourse" will begin with a cocktail hour at five. Followed by a catered dinner at six. With the program featuring the national podcasters set to begin at six-forty-five.

One hour of Continuing Legal Education credit will be given to attorneys who attend the discussion with individual tickets costing $150USD. Tickets for the event can be obtained here:

An Evening At American Village - A 25Th Anniversary Celebration: Buy Tickets Online (ticketscandy.com)

Luisa Reyes is an attorney in Tuscaloosa with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Judson, a master's degree in library science, and a law degree from Samford's Cumberland School of Law. She is also a piano instructor and vocalist.