OLLI Bonus: The Constitutional Right of Privacy at 100: A Century of Debating the Shadows of Fundamental Liberty (DRAKE HALL)

The right to privacy is guaranteed to every American by the U.S. Constitution, yet the word privacy does not appear anywhere in the document. What began as a dispute over what languages a child could learn in Midwestern schools grew into a sweeping debate over the rights of individuals to conduct their personal affairs, shaping many aspects of private life. Rights to privacy encompass marriage and reproductive decision-making, the confidentiality of conversations, and the expectation of security beyond the home. This two-hour lecture traces the development of privacy rights from their roots in constitutional interpretation, through debates over implied rights in the Bill of Rights and Reconstruction amendments, to contemporary cultural conflicts that reflect tensions between individual liberty and collective authority. The course also examines the rise and reversal of Roe v. Wade, the current status of abortion rights, and the landmark Obergefell decision on marriage equality. 

*Greg Russi practiced trial law for 34 years in Denver and Glenwood Springs, Colorado, and worked as a policymaker on Colorado's West Slope. He has taught The U.S. Constitution for Non‑lawyers both in Colorado and Washington. He developed the curriculum to help students understand our nation's foundational document and to increase constitutional literacy. 

Notes

• A current OLLI membership is required to register for all courses and lectures.
• If you do not have a Fall 2026 membership, one will be added to your cart at checkout.
• OLLI membership fees and course tuition are critical to the Institute's sustainability and are non-refundable.

Recommendations

The United States Constitution, 1787 (particularly the Bill of Rights and 14th Amendment).

The Invisible Constitution, Laurence H. Tribe, 2008 (particularly pp. 132-141).