We the People: The Stories Beneath the Constitution
Reading and Panel Discussion
Presented as part of Fall of Freedom, a nationwide call to creative resistance, 21c Museum Hotel Louisville and (Un)Known Project invite you to join us for readings and conversation centered around We the People: The Stories Beneath the Constitution.
Through poetry, essays and personal reflections, the anthology brings together writers from across communities and experiences to reimagine the Preamble through a central question: Who has been left out, and what would it look like to write ourselves back in?
Select contributing authors will share readings from their work before joining a panel discussion moderated by co-editor Josh Miller. Together, they will explore themes of justice, freedom, identity, belonging and memory, and consider how confronting the stories that have been excluded from our history can expand our understanding of the present and what comes next.
The program will be followed by a reception, with copies of the anthology available for purchase.
This event is free and open to the public.
About the Book
We the People: The Stories Beneath the Constitution is (Un)Known Project’s inaugural anthology of poetry and prose. Featuring the voices of writers from across communities and experiences, the collection reimagines the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution through lived experience, asking a powerful question: Who has been left out, and what would it look like to write ourselves back in?
Through deeply personal essays, poems, and reflections, contributors explore justice, freedom, identity, belonging, memory, and the future we are still working to build together.
Their work reminds us that democracy is not a finished story, but an ongoing practice that requires reflection, accountability, imagination, and the courage to envision something better. Inspired by Maya Angelou’s words, “I come as one, but I stand as ten thousand,” the anthology honors the many voices, histories, and communities that shape our collective story.
We the People was published by (Un)Known Project and edited by Hannah Drake and Josh Miller.
About (Un)Known Project
(Un)Known Project unearths and honors the names and stories of enslaved Black people in America and the global African diaspora. We support learning, healing, and reconciliation through the creation of artistic spaces and experiences.
Learn more about (Un)Known Project
About Fall of Freedom
Fall of Freedom is an urgent call to the arts community to unite in defiance of authoritarian forces sweeping the nation. This Fall, we are activating a nationwide wave of creative resistance and invite artists, creators, and communities to take part — and to celebrate the experiences, cultures, and identities that shape the fabric of our nation.