Washington, D.C.
The First Amendment, Past and Present
During the Long Winter Weekend, a group of students will travel to Washington, DC to explore how the Constitutional freedoms protecting speech, the press, religion, and protest are embodied in the history of the nation and contemporary life in the District of Columbia. From the halls of power to the sites of some of the county’s most consequential protests, students will engage with policymakers, journalists, and thought leaders as they consider the proper extent and expressions of freedom in U.S. society. Students will return from the trip with a better sense of the centrality of civil liberties to American identity and how they themselves can protect and exercise the rights most important to them.
Program Notes
- During this trip, students will stay in hotels. Meals will be shared at hotels, restaurants, or picnic-style.
- This travel program takes place during the entirety of Long Winter Weekend. Students will depart campus together on Thursday, Feb. 6 and return to campus together on Feb. 10.
- As part of Deerfield’s commitment to face-to-face interactions, during certain times of the trip students will be “unplugged” without access to cell phones.
- Students and faculty leaders will update families and friends at home through our Notes From The Field blog.
Program Dates
February 6 – February 10, 2025
Program Eligibility
This program is open to all students, with a preference for those interested in exploring the nation’s capital and its stories. Financial Aid is available to all qualifying students.
Faculty Trip Leaders
- Brian Hamilton
- Matthew Westman
- John Dollhopf
Estimated Cost: $2,200
This price is subject to change depending on enrollment numbers. The final price will be set before initial deposits and enrollment paperwork are due.
2025 Preliminary Itinerary
*This itinerary is subject to change
This five-day trip to Washington, DC, starts with a train ride from Greenfield, MA, on February 6. The next day, the group will visit the White House, Supreme Court, and Politico Headquarters, where they will have dinner and bowl at Pinstripes. February 8 includes brunch with Deerfield alumni, visits to the National Archives and the Museum of American History, and a tour of the National Mall. The trip ends with dinner at Founding Farmers and a performance at the Kennedy Center.
On February 9, the group will meet with journalists and free speech advocates, visit the Washington National Cathedral and the Islamic Center, and have dinner in Chinatown. The trip concludes with a Capitol Tour, meetings with representatives from both the Democratic and Republican parties, such as Rep. Jim McGovern, and a meeting with a member of the US Marine Corps, who will speak about how three million Americans (active duty service members and executive branch civilian employees) have their First Amendment rights restricted by military law and the Hatch Act. The group returns to Deerfield via train on February 10.