The annual TEX-ABOTA James Otis Lecture Series will be held on Constitution Day, Tuesday, September 17, 2019, at the Texas State Capitol at 1100 Congress Ave. in Austin.
Prof. H.W. “Bill” Brands will graciously be our speaker again this year. He has a way of presenting the Constitution and its meaning and values, in a way that leaves the students nearly spellbound. Students often line afterward to ask questions. Prof. Brands is an American educator, author and historian. He has authored 30 books on U.S. history. He holds the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned his Ph.D. in history in 1985.
Some 150 high school students from around the state of Texas will gather at the Texas State Capitol at 9:00am Tuesday morning to hear Prof. Brands speak, then go for a tour of the Capitol after the program. They sit in the chairs of the House of Representatives for the program. After the tour, lunch will be served at the First United Methodist Church. The students will then be presented with their James Otis Scholar certificates.
If you know of a school that would like to have their students participate, please contact either Karen Burgess, program Chairperson, or Cay Dickson, Executive Director of TEX-ABOTA.