Brian Alexander to Give ‘America at 250’ Lecture at W&L Alexander will discuss Thomas Jefferson’s rules of parliamentary practice and the meaning of power in American democracy on March 11.

By Emily Innes Stanley
February 25, 2026

Brian Alexander, associate professor of politics, will deliver a lecture on “Thomas Jefferson, Power and America at 250” at Washington and Lee University at 5 p.m. on March 11 in Northen Auditorium in Leyburn Library.

The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the University Library and the Rockbridge Historical Society.

As the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence approaches, we think of Thomas Jefferson’s role in the founding of the United States, not only in articulating the ideals of America but in shaping the institutions of power that would uphold those ideals. In his talk, Alexander will use his latest book, “Jefferson’s Manual of Parliamentary Practice” (2025), and the process of discovery that inspired it, to explore Thomas Jefferson, the United States at 250 and the meaning of power in American democracy.

Alexander’s book is the definitive edition of Jefferson’s “A Manual of Parliamentary Practice,” originally published in 1801 and serving as the basis for the rules of Congress ever since. Handwritten notes by Jefferson in personal copies of the 1801 manual, including a rare copy in Special Collections and Archives at the W&L library, became the basis of Jefferson’s final version of the manual, with the second edition published in 1812.

In addition to the talk, attendees will have a chance to view Jefferson’s original manual and related works in Special Collections and Archives, which helped guide Alexander’s research. Materials will be available to view in the Tom Wolfe Reading Room in Special Collections from 4:30 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 6:30 p.m. on March 11.

Alexander holds a bachelor’s degree in cultural studies from Miami (Ohio) University, a master’s degree in international relations from the University of Cincinnati and a Ph.D. in political science with concentrations in American government and international relations from George Mason University. He also annually directs W&L’s Washington Term, an experiential learning program offered to students in Washington, D.C., during Spring Term.