Byron Williams in Conversation with Honorable Amy Nechtem

Join us for a timely conversation between columnist Byron Williams and former Chief Justice Honorable Amy Nechtem as they discuss Byron’s newest book, Liberty and Equality in America.

The event will include a 30-minute moderated interview between Byron Williams and Honorable Amy Nechtem, followed by an audience Q+A and a signing.

Tickets:

Tickets: $12.50 (admission only), $20 (admission w/ book)

NOTE: Tickets are non-refundable but can be transferred, if you are unable to attend.

About Liberty and Equality in America:

Liberty and Equality in America: Examining the Radical and Paradoxical Legacy of the Declaration of Independence. For 250 years, the United States has been guided by the immortal promises of liberty and equality. Yet from slavery and westward expansion to civil rights, post-truth politics, and the tensions of the twenty-first century, the nation has wrestled with the uncomfortable reality that its highest ideals and its lived experience have often stood in stark contradiction.

Liberty and Equality in America explores the enduring struggle between the principles enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the paradoxes that have shaped the American experiment. Drawing upon history, philosophy, theology, contemporary culture, slavery, racial capitalism, and civil liberties, to examine the ongoing quest to legitimately become, “We the People." Williams examines how the Declaration transformed democratic thought by asserting that political power belongs to the people, while exploring the ongoing challenge of fully realizing its promises of liberty and equality. As Boston reflects on its pivotal role in the American Revolution, Williams provides a compelling voice on the Declaration’s enduring legacy and the questions it continues to raise more than two centuries later.

About Byron Williams:

Byron Williams is a columnist, author, past NPR-affiliate host, and adjunct professor at Wake Forest University. He is the author of five previous books including Strip Mall Patriotism: Moral Reflections of the Iraq War; 1963: The Year of Hope and Hostility, which received the 2014 International Book Award for U.S. History, Solitaire: Magda Goebbels: A Banality of Ambition and Evil; and Our American Experiment, a collection of fictionalized short stories examining contemporary American life. His previous work on the Declaration of Independence reached No. 1 on Amazon's Historical Essays bestseller list. His writings examine the enduring questions of democracy, citizenship, and the American experience.

About Honorable Amy Nechtem:

Honorable Amy L. Nechtem is the former Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court Department and a nationally recognized leader in child welfare, juvenile justice, and systems reform. During her distinguished judicial career, she championed innovative approaches to improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families throughout Massachusetts and across the nation.Justice Nechtem is the founder and host of By Her Honor, a podcast and public initiative dedicated to advancing conversations about justice, equity, and the well-being of children and families. A graduate of Simmons University and Suffolk University Law School, Justice Nechtem was named Trustee Emeritus of Suffolk University in 2026.

About Hummingbird Boooks:

An independent, local bookstore, Hummingbird Books is a community destination known for its extensive collection of adult and children’s books. The store features a thoughtfully curated mix of local favorites and widely loved titles, making it a magical place for readers of all ages to discover their next great book.

At Hummingbird Books, reading is more than a pastime—it’s a way to connect with new ideas, perspectives, and worlds beyond our own. In addition to its book selection, the store offers a variety of gifts, games, candy, and stationery. Hummingbird Books also hosts a range of in-store programs, including story times, author events, and book signings.