Opening Night 2026
America at 250
Thursday, March 12, 2026
5:00 p.m. | McAlister Auditorium
Doors open at 4:00 p.m.
The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University opens its fifth annual celebration with a powerful keynote evening in partnership with The Atlantic, marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
This special opening-night conversation brings together some of the nation’s most influential thinkers and storytellers to examine the American experiment—its ideals, contradictions, and unfinished revolutions—and the role of history, journalism, and storytelling in shaping our democracy.
Featured Participants
Jeffrey Goldberg, Editor in Chief, The Atlantic (Moderator)
Walter Isaacson, bestselling biographer
Ken Burns, acclaimed filmmaker and storyteller
Clint Smith, The Atlantic staff writer and bestselling author
Annette Gordon-Reed, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and author
Drawing on work such as Burns’s PBS documentary series The American Revolution and The Atlantic’s ongoing “Unfinished Revolution” reporting project, the conversation will reflect on where the nation has been—and where it may yet go—as America approaches this historic milestone.
Event Details & Access
Location: McAlister Auditorium, Tulane University
Seating: First come, first served
Registration: Festival registration is encouraged, but no separate registration is required for opening night
Overflow: A livestreamed overflow venue will be available if capacity is reached
