Scopes Trial Centennial Kickoff Dinner

Friday, March 21

Bryan College

Join us for an evening of commemoration at the Scopes Trial Centennial Kick-Off Dinner, honoring the legacy of the Butler Act with distinguished speaker Ed Larson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion.

The evening will begin with a dinner featuring a prominent Tennessean, who will be announced closer to the event. Following the dinner, Ed Larson will unveil newly acquired and previously unseen photographs of the Scopes Trial, donated by a private party. These significant images will be presented to Bryan College and the Rhea County Historical Genealogical Society. Attendees will have the opportunity to view enlarged displays of the newly revealed photos, offering a unique glimpse into the historical significance of the Scopes Trial.

Tickets for this event are available HERE, but seating is limited, so be sure to secure your spot for this important occasion!

Breakfast and Lecture Discussion

Saturday, March 22, 2025

Breakfast, (this event for educators only) 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m., Bryan College

Lecture-Discussion, 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Rhea County Courthouse

Reservations are FREE, but are required

Join us for a stimulating morning of conversation and insights with Dr. Edward J. Larson,

Pulitzer Prize-wining author of Summer for the Gods. Dr. Larson will meet with teachers for breakfast at Bryan College, then move to the Rhea County Courthouse where he will deliver the keynote address, “Why we Celebrate the Scopes Trial,” offering a profound exploration of this pivotal moment in American history. Following his lecture he will take questions from the audience, including selected students.

The lecture will be presented in the Scopes Trial Courtroom of the Rhea County Courthouse.

Ticket reservations will be available soon, so stay tuned for your opportunity to participate in this engaging discussion! Don’t miss out on this chance to deepen your understanding of the Scopes Trial and its lasting implications and to introduce students to an eminent historian.