Ep2 The David O. Stewart Show, Season 1 The Democracy We Must Keep: This month, we interview Stephen Wilson, executive director of the St. John’s Church Foundation in Richmond and learn about the power of Patrick Henry
July 2026 — This month on the David O. Stewart Show, we open to Chapter 1 in “The Democracy We Must Keep” and learn about the power of Patrick Henry and his March 1775 speech, “Give me liberty, or give me death.”
In today’s conversation, David will focus on Chapter 1 of his book, where he and Stephen Wilson, executive director of the St. John’s Church Foundation in Richmond, will explore the power of Patrick Henry that places the conflict with Britain in stark terms.
Henry thundered, “Is life so dear; or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains, and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God!” He concluded, “I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”
Stephen Wilson, executive director, St. Johns Historical Church
About this month’s guest: Stephen Wilson is Executive Director for the St. John’s Church Foundation, a 501©(3) nonprofit organization established in 1938 whose mission is to spark a global appreciation for understanding the role that Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death!” speech had in setting America on its path to liberty for all, and to ignite the public’s interest in preserving the historic site where it happened.
He has been with St. John’s Church Foundation since 2019. He served for two years as the organization’s first Director of Development and was named Executive Director in 2021. His nonprofit board experience includes Peter Paul RVA, the Richard Bland College Foundation, the Petersburg Area Art League, and Crater Community Hospice. Stephen has earned degrees from the University of Mary Washington and Richard Bland College of William and Mary, and he holds a certificate in Sustainable Urban Agriculture from Virginia State University. In his spare time he enjoys hiking and maintaining an urban fig orchard. He lives in Westover Hills in the City of Richmond.
David asks:
- Tell us about Patrick Henry. What made him into the man who gave this powerful speech?
- Talk about the key paragraph in the speech.
- What impact did the speech have on the audience that day? Did the witnesses realize how important the speech was for the future of the country?
- Tell us more about the history of St. John’s Church.
- Some important people in American history are buried in the cemetery there. Share some of the details.
Don’t miss it!
About St. John’s Church Foundation: The Foundation was created in 1938 to bear the ‘expense incident to keeping a shrine open to the public, seven days a week throughout the year’ when it became too great a burden for the congregation to bear. Of chief concern, was the question of a proper reception for the many visitors and tourists, who arrived singly and in bus-loads, weekdays and Sundays. For years a faithful sexton served as a guide, his informative recital added thrills to one’s mere presence in this hallowed edifice. But when the infirmities of age intervened, it became necessary to finance a custodian, as well as earnestly solicit for the express purpose of maintaining the church that played perhaps the most prominent role in American history.
We’ve come a long way from those early pleas, but our needs have not changed. We still work tirelessly to keep Old St. John’s standing and ready to welcome future generations. We still greet school children and tourists traveling the Revolutionary Trail, and we still welcome you to visit Old St. John’s.
- St. John’s Church Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
- St. John’s Church Foundation receives no federal, state, local, or church funding for our mission.
- St. John’s Church Foundation is not involved in, and does not provide funding for, the church’s religious activities.
- St. John’s Church is not a part of the National Park Service (NPS).
Learn more: historicstjohnschurch.org
Author and historian David O. Stewart
Meet David O. Stewart: A trial and appellate lawyer for many years, David writes history and historical novels. He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Washington Independent Review of Books, was a reporter for the Staten Island Advance, and for 10 years wrote the monthly Supreme Court column for the American Bar Association Journal. He has also done on-air commentary for CNN, C-SPAN, Bloomberg News, and MSNBC.
About his newest book, The Democracy We Must Keep:
What did America’s founders say about democracy—and can we remain true to their vision for America? Two hundred fifty years ago, passionate men attempted to create something the world had never seen before: a nation built not on kings or armies, but on ideas where the people ruled. In The Democracy We Must Keep, historian David O. Stewart takes readers inside the nine key documents that shaped the formation of the United States—from Patrick Henry’s thunderous cry for liberty to the carefully crafted design of a government chosen by the people, with limits on all officials holding power under the Constitution.
Through the words of seven visionary founders—Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, Gouverneur Morris, and others—Stewart shows how a fragile experiment in self-government took shape. These men were not saints. They argued passionately. They worried that the new nation might fall apart. Yet together, they forged the principles that must still define American democracy: That power must be limited. That leaders must answer to the people. That individual rights must be protected by law.
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, The Democracy We Must Keep urges readers to rediscover core ideas that built the nation—and to consider what it will take to protect them. Accessible, engaging, and timely, this book is for anyone who wants to understand how American democracy started, and why it still matters. Learn more: davidostewart.com • Click here to buy David’s books
