Founding Partisans: Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson, Adams and the Brawling Birth of American Politics

H.W. (Henry William) Brands was born in Oregon, went to college in California, sold cutlery across the American West, and earned graduate degrees in mathematics and history in Oregon and Texas. He taught at Vanderbilt University and Texas A&M University before joining the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin, where he holds the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History.

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Brands’s latest book, Founding Partisans, narrates how the country’s first years unfolded in a contentious spiral of ugly elections and blatant violations of the Constitution. Still, peaceful transfers of power continued, and the nascent country made its way towards global dominance, against all odds. Founding Partisans is a powerful reminder that fierce partisanship is a problem as old as the nation.

He lectures frequently on historical and current events and can be seen and heard on national and international television and radio. He publishes history-themed poetry on Twitter and “A User’s Guide to History” on Substack.

About the Mark O. Hatfield Lecture Series

For twenty-five years, the Oregon Historical Society has presented the Mark O. Hatfield Lecture Series, bringing together the nation’s top historians and award-winning authors for thought-provoking evenings of history. The series began at the suggestion of Senator Hatfield and continues as a tribute to his legacy of public service and as an opportunity to share stories of the people and events that have shaped history. Past speakers include notable historians and authors Heather Cox Richardson, David McCullough, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Jon Meacham, Cokie Roberts, and Isabel Wilkerson.

2024 Mark O. Hatfield Lecture Series Speakers

• Kelly Lytle Hernández | Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 7pm
  Bad Mexicans: Race, Empire, and Revolution in the Borderlands
• Liz Cheney | Tuesday, March 5, 2024 at 7pm
  Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning
• Ned Blackhawk | Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 7pm
  The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History
• H.W. Brands | Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at 7pm
  Founding Partisans: Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson, Adams and the Brawling Birth of American Politics

Tickets & Pricing

Series tickets to the four-part 2024 Mark O. Hatfield Lecture Series go on sale to OHS members on October 19 at 10am and to the public November 2 at 10am.

Tickets to individual lectures go on sale to OHS members January 19 at 10am and to the public January 26 at 10am.

MEMBERS: OHS members will receive an email October 18 with a promo code to access the series presale and members-only pricing. If you do not receive this email, please contact [email protected] or call 503.306.5220. Not a member? Join today to access the presale and discounted pricing.

A Note on General Admission Seating: The General Admission area at all Hatfield Lecture Series events has moved to open seating. To secure specific seats in advance, please purchase Reserved or Patron level tickets.

Virtual-only tickets are sold exclusively through the Oregon Historical Society. Virtual-only ticket holders will be able to livestream the event as well as have access to a recording.

All ticketholders will be emailed a recording of the lecture (closed captioning included) 48 hours after the event. The recording will be available for 14 days.

Tickets to individual lectures go on sale to OHS members January 19 at 10am and to the public January 26 at 10am.

All sales are final. If you wish to donate your tickets and receive a receipt for tax purposes, please email [email protected] with details on which ticket(s) you wish to donate.

Accessible Ticket Options

Educator and Student Tickets: Discounted single lecture tickets will be available in January. More information coming soon!

Arts for All Tickets: Discounted series tickets are available for Oregon Trail Card holders through the Arts for All program for $20. Bring your Oregon Trail Card to the Portland’5 Box Office to purchase tickets.

Purchase a Signed Book

Copies of each speaker’s latest book (which include a signed bookplate) will be available for purchase before and after each lecture in the lobby of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. You can also visit the OHS Museum Store seven days a week, Monday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm, or Sunday, 12pm to 5pm, or place your order by emailing [email protected] or calling 503.306.5230. All purchases in the OHS Museum Store support the Oregon Historical Society’s mission.