John Marshall Center at the VMHC | Virginia Museum of History & Culture

John Marshall Center for Constitutional History & Civics at the VMHC

The John Marshall Center (JMC), founded in 1987, educates learners of all ages about constitutional history and civics and explores the life and legacy of Chief Justice John Marshall (1755-1835). The JMC joined the Virginia Museum of History & Culture as a signature study center on July 4, 2023, and serves as a hub for civics education throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond.

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Civics Connects™

The Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) is proud to present a major, statewide civics education program for middle grade students—a legacy project of the VMHC’s 250th Initiative.

Civics Connects™, a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive, classroom-ready resource for Virginia students, is born from years of related work by the VMHC and its John Marshall Center for Constitutional History & Civics (JMC). The program offers a robust array of best-in-class educational tools designed with significant input from Virginia educators at every level and includes lesson plans, interactive slides, classroom activities, and the opportunity for onsite educators, subject matter experts, and special museum experiences.

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Rule of Law Project Joins JMC to Enrich Civics Connects

The Center for Teaching the Rule of Law, formerly housed at Roanoke College, and its innovative flagship program, the Rule of Law Project (ROL), and their robust educational resources are now under JMC's care and stewardship. The Rule of Law Education Initiative at JMC, in honor of G. Michael Pace, Jr., supports the migration of the ROL’s mission and materials to Civics Connects and the ongoing teaching of the rule of law to students throughout the Commonwealth.

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Encompassing lesson plans, activities, and videos featuring middle schoolers on-location around the state, Civics Connects is a major new civics education initiative and a go-to resource for Virginia SOL- and National-standards-aligned civics resources for the middle grades.

Civics engagement is crucial to our nation’s health. The John Marshall Center at the VMHC is amplifying civics education as part of a multi-year commemoration of America’s 250th. With a new chapter ahead for civics education in Virginia, we wanted to know just how knowledgeable are Virginians about civics? Can the average adult answer the same questions our students are asked in school? Watch now to find out!

VMHC Celebrates New Citizens on Constitution Day

The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is proud to host naturalization ceremonies each year on Presidents Day, Independence Day, and Constitution Day. We salute our new fellow citizens, the oath they took to the Constitution, and the individual stories that brought them to our country.

Student & Teacher Programs

Bring engaging content to your classroom that incorporates award-winning plans about constitutional history and government, connects history with current events, and explores historical themes through exhibitions.

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Explore civics history with our experienced educators through on-site field trips or virtual programs in your classroom. Contact us to learn more and book a program.

Lesson Plans

We are in the process of integrating all of our Justice in the Classroom lessons into the new Civics Connects resource. Check back often, as lessons will be added throughout the 2024-2025 school year!

Attorney & Judge Visits

Are you an educator interested in connecting your students with a judge or attorney to deepen their understanding of civics and law? Or, are you a judge or attorney interested in participating in a K-12 classroom program? Contact us to learn more or schedule a program.