Jennings Wagoner, University of Virginia historian, tells Wes Cowan of PBS's History Detectives, about Thomas Jefferson's dedication to the idea of public education.

Art historian Douglass Shand-Tucci details the life of Boston architect Ralph Adams Cram (1863-1942), designer of major works such as West Point, Princeton University, and Rice University. Shand-Tucci emphasizes Dram's diverse interests and endeavors, reaching far beyond architecture.

Biographer and history professor James O'Toole describes the lives of the Healy brothers, children of a multiracial slave couple, in mid-19th-century East Coast society. Three of the brothers successfully passed as white and gained prominent social positions: one as a a bishop; one as Georgetown University's president; and one as a priest, rector, and seminary director.

NAACP Chairman of the Board Julian Bond talks about the views of Martin Luther King, Jr., and his emphasis on improving conditions for the working class as a whole. Bond criticizes current abuses and denials of civil rights and quality-of-life issues, and considers the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court cases on affirmative action.

Former Secretary of State and MIT alum George Shultz speaks on his acceptance of the Robert A. Muh Award. He reflects on his time at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his views on the current state of world affairs and U.S. foreign policy.

Professor Pauline Maier discusses her experiences teaching U.S. history at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), from the American Revolution to the current events in Iraq.

A panel of scholars and professionals discusses college and university architecture throughout U.S. history, focusing particularly on the architectural history of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Professor and author James Ackerman overviews the general history and development of academic architecture in the U.S.; curator Kimberly Alexander specifically overviews MIT's architectural history; and MIT president Charles Vest describes the process of completing the modern Stata Center.

To view part two of this lecture, scroll down to "Related Videos."

Professors William J. Mitchell follows the architectural development of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) throughout its history. He focuses particularly on developments in the last decade, but also discusses development prior to the present day.