Roger Sherman: Shoemaker, Almanack Writer, Judge, Founder

Join us at the Roger Sherman Inn for a special evening exploring the remarkable life and legacy of local Founding Father Roger Sherman.

From his beginnings as a shoemaker to becoming one of the most consequential figures in America’s founding, Sherman signed the Articles of Confederation, Declaration of Independence, and U.S. Constitution, and later helped shape the Bill of Rights in Congress.

The evening will feature Nicholas Cole, Senior Research Fellow at Pembroke College, Oxford and Director of The Quill Project, alongside Lorianne Updike Schulzke, New Canaan local and constitutional scholar.

Nicholas Cole specializes in American constitutional history and leads The Quill Project’s work using digital methods to study constitutional conventions and peace negotiations.

Lorianne Updike Schulzke has published in leading legal journals and served as a visiting associate professor at Yale Law School, where she is now a senior research fellow. Her work has included teaching Supreme Court justices, federal judges, law professors, and constitution-drafters from around the world.

Together, they will offer a fascinating look at Roger Sherman’s journey, his role in the founding of the United States, and the constitutional legacy he left behind.

Thursday, November 12, 2026
7:00–9:00 PM
Lecture & Reception
Roger Sherman Inn