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THE BIRTH OF THE FORUM
INSIDE RICHMOND’S TRADITION OF PUBLIC DISCOURSE
BEFORE THE RICHMOND FORUM FILLED
THE
ALTRIA THEATER
WITH
CONVERSATION,
Richmond was already a city where people came together to exchange ideas.
The Lyceum Movement
In the early 19th century, the city joined a national experiment in public learning known as the Lyceum movement: a wave of civic lecture series that swept across the country beginning in the 1820s. Named for the school in ancient Athens where Aristotle taught, the Lyceum movement encouraged citizens to gather outside the classroom to explore science, philosophy, and politics together.
Richmond’s own Lyceum, active by 1831, met in halls near Capitol Square and on the roof of the Jefferson Hotel, inviting “ladies and gentlemen of intelligence” to attend. Local newspapers advertised talks on subjects ranging from moral philosophy to the newest scientific discoveries. For a city still defining itself, these gatherings reflected a simple but powerful idea that knowledge should be shared publicly, and that dialogue could strengthen democracy.
By the mid-19th century, the Lyceum had helped forge a civic identity that valued eloquence, debate, and community engagement. That same impulse would later reappear in the form of public forums, modern heirs to the Lyceum’s belief that conversation could be both enlightening and unifying.
The Richmond Public Forum
In 1934, during the depths of the Great Depression, a new group of civic leaders brought the Lyceum concept back to life. The Richmond Public Forum began holding lectures at John Marshall High School, offering admission for just 25 cents per program. Its purpose was clear: to give Richmonders access to “the vital questions of the day.”
Audiences filled the auditorium to hear speakers discuss democracy, economics, education, and the rise of fascism abroad. The atmosphere was serious but optimistic, as the city came together to better understand a turbulent world. For more than two decades, the Public Forum thrived.
But by the 1950s, habits were changing. Television had entered nearly every home, offering nightly news and entertainment at no extra cost. The crowds thinned, and in 1955 the Richmond Public Forum quietly concluded its 21st and final season.
The Public Forum, Revived
The idea refused to disappear. In 1964, a group from the First Unitarian Church revived the Public Forum at the Mosque Theater (now the Altria Theater), determined to keep public discourse alive in Richmond. Over the next 16 years, the stage welcomed an extraordinary range of speakers, with Henry Kissinger, Shirley Chisholm, Ronald Reagan, and Moshe Dayan among them.
But by 1980, financial and organizational challenges again brought the series to a close. For the second time, Richmond’s long tradition of civic conversation fell silent.
persisted, offering both enthusiasm and structure. If he would lead, they said, they would form his first board of directors.
Together they began raising funds and recruiting support. The Retail Merchants Association provided the crucial first grant of $25,000, which later expanded to $125,000 annually, and Governor Gerald Baliles agreed to serve as honorary chair. With that foundation, the organization formally incorporated in 1986 as The Metropolitan Richmond Forum, soon renamed simply The Richmond Forum.
In a gesture of continuity, the remaining council members of the earlier Public Forum voted to transfer their assets, including cash reserves, lecterns, and even backdrops, to Krueger’s new enterprise. Richmond once again had a stage for ideas.
Opening Night
On January 24, 1987, after months of planning, the lights rose at the Mosque for The Forum’s inaugural program: “The News and the Newsmakers” with Ted Koppel.
Backstage was chaotic. Scripts were misplaced and microphones were misbehaving, but the program itself was electric. Koppel spoke about the “cult of cliché” in modern communication and warned that America’s “capacity for dialogue is becoming a faded memory.” For a city reviving its own tradition of public discourse, the message landed with special resonance.
The next morning’s headlines called the evening a triumph. Richmonders had rediscovered their appetite for conversation.
Koppel was followed by a panel with Hodding Carter, Paul Duke, and Larry Speakes discussing freedom of the press; Diane Sawyer dissecting the Iran-Contra affair with Brent Scowcroft (in a now-legendary incident involving a rogue microphone); and Charles Kuralt celebrating storytelling itself.
By season’s end, The Forum had drawn national coverage. Newspapers as far away as The New York Times and The Washington Post took note of Richmond’s new “intellectual destination.” More importantly, Richmonders took pride in it. “It feels like they’re sitting in your living room,” one attendee said. “There’s an exuberance and excitement you can’t get by turning on the TV.”
Governor Baliles, who had introduced The Forum to the public, saw it as more than a lecture series. “The Richmond Forum elevates the level of discussion throughout the community,” he said. “Even for those who don’t go, it has a ripple effect.”
A Lasting Legacy
By the 1990s, The Richmond Forum had become one of the nation’s premier speaker series, attracting global figures from Margaret Thatcher and Carl Sagan to Oprah Winfrey and Mikhail Gorbachev. Krueger’s motto, “Your Richmond Forum,” summed up his belief that the organization belonged to the community. After his passing in 1992, that spirit endured as new leaders carried his vision forward.
Today, as The Richmond Forum celebrates its 40th season, it stands as the modern descendant of nearly two centuries of civic dialogue, from the Richmond Lyceum’s earnest lectures to the full houses of the Altria Theater.
Each era has had its own tools—chalkboards, microphones, cameras, livestreams—but the goal has remained the same: to create a space where knowledge is shared, opinions are tested, and understanding grows.
In every age, Richmond’s answer to the question of how a community learns has been the same: we gather, we listen, and we learn together.
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
The Lyceum movement viewed public lectures as essential to a healthy democracy. Beyond The Forum, what modern equivalents serve that role today?
How do moments of collective listening (like a packed Altria Theater) influence understanding differently from consuming media privately?
Let’s talk
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THE “NIGHTLINE” EFFECT
HOW A LATE-NIGHT EXPERIMENT CHANGED THE NEWS
IT BEGAN, AS SO MANY TURNING POINTS IN JOURNALISM DO, WITH A CRISIS.
In November 1979, 52 Americans were taken hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. The nation watched anxiously, night after night, as the standoff stretched on. The major networks covered it briefly in their evening broadcasts, then handed the night over to sitcom reruns and talk shows. ABC decided to try something different.
They launched a late-night experiment: a nightly report on the unfolding Iran hostage crisis called “The Iran Crisis: America Held Hostage.” It aired after the local news, long past the hour when serious journalism was expected. But audiences tuned in, looking for more than headlines.
At the center was Ted Koppel, then a State Department correspondent. He wasn’t yet a household name, but his measured tone and clarity of explanation stood out. He treated the story and its viewers with respect, assuming they could handle complexity and nuance.
By March 1980, the program had found its rhythm and its new name: “Nightline.” When the hostages were freed after 444 days, the story that created the show was over, but the show itself remained.
Before “Nightline,” late-night television belonged to comedy and casual conversation. America went to bed with Johnny Carson, not with hard news. Koppel and his producers changed that.
Each night, “Nightline” focused on a single major story and examined it in depth without flashy sets or dramatic music. Guests joined live via satellite from around the world, creating a sense of immediacy that was new to television journalism. For many viewers, “Nightline” became a nightly ritual: a way to make sense of the day’s events before it ended.
The show’s format was simple but distinct: one subject, two segments, and room for discussion. Koppel’s precise, deliberate, and inquisitive style defined the program’s tone. “Nightline” didn’t aim to entertain; it aimed to explain.
Over the years, “Nightline” became home to moments that reflected the evolving relationship between the media, the public, and those in power.
In 1982, Koppel interviewed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, giving American audiences an uncommon glimpse into a voice central to Middle Eastern politics. In 1984, the show
marked the 40th anniversary of D-Day by imagining how modern television might have covered the invasion, an example of innovative storytelling in news.
“Nightline” hosted one of the first extended national “town hall” discussions about HIV/ AIDS in 1987, featuring public health leaders like Dr. Anthony Fauci, a fellow Forum alum. That same year, Dodgers executive Al Campanis sparked a national debate when he made controversial remarks about the lack of Black leadership in baseball during an interview on “Nightline.”
During the Iraq War in 2004, Koppel ended one broadcast by reading the names of U.S. service members killed in action. Some stations declined to air the episode, viewing it as political, while others praised it as a reminder of journalism’s role in confronting uncomfortable truths.
By the mid-1980s, “Nightline” was reaching nearly 8 million viewers a night, a remarkable achievement for a program airing after 11:30 PM. It received multiple Peabody and Emmy Awards and earned a place on TV Guide’s list of the 50 greatest television shows. Its success demonstrated there was still an audience for serious, long-form news in a competitive media environment increasingly shaped by brevity and speed.
When Ted Koppel stepped down in 2005 after 25 years and more than 6,000 broadcasts, “Nightline” continued with new hosts and a broader format. But its founding premise that viewers would stay up late for context, clarity, and conversation remains one of its lasting contributions to American journalism.
In the four-plus decades since the first broadcast of “Nightline,” the media world has changed dramatically. News no longer arrives at a fixed hour and audiences no longer share a single source of information. Yet the need Koppel and his producers recognized in 1979— the need to slow down, to understand, and to listen—continues to guide how we think about the role of news in civic life.
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
By giving airtime to the HIV/AIDS crisis or to figures like Yasser Arafat, “Nightline” expanded who Americans saw and heard on television. How should journalists balance platforming controversial figures and topics against the risk of amplifying misinformation or harm?
Satellite interviews allowed “Nightline” to connect voices from around the world in real time, a breakthrough that seems ordinary now. How does satellite technology’s impact then compare to social media’s impact today?
In the 1980s, millions of Americans watched the same broadcasts at the same hour. Today, news is personalized and consumed at will. What have we gained and lost?
HOW WE GET OUR NEWS
AMERICAN MEDIA HABITS, THEN & NOW
THEN The 1980s
1. BROADCAST RULED
Most Americans got their news from network television (ABC, CBS, NBC) and local stations, with 69% of Americans saying television was their principal news source. In 1980, the average nightly audience for the network TV evening news was approximately 52.1 million viewers.
2. CABLE TV CHANGED THE GAME
By the late 1980s, cable television had expanded significantly. American households with cable grew from 16 million in 1980 to 47.5 million by 1989, bringing 24-hour news networks like CNN into American homes.
3. PRINT PEAKED
Daily newspapers delivered depth and civic identity to more than 63 million Americans.
4. ANCHORS EARNED TRUST
In 1981, 36% of Americans said TV reporters had high ethical standards. Around the same time, confidence in the media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly was at an all-time high, with 72% trusting mass media a “great deal.”
5.
SHARED NEWS, SHARED REALITY
Because a small number of networks dominated, many Americans got the same news at the same time, helping create a more unified “public agenda” than is typical today.
NOW The 2020s
1. DIGITAL DOMINANCE
86% of U.S. adults get news on a smartphone, computer, or tablet. Podcasts are emerging as a growing reputable news source, with 10% getting their news from them often.
2. TV STILL MATTERS … KIND OF.
64% get news from television at least occasionally, though only 32% say “often.” Today, the average nightly audience for network evening news is 17.8 million viewers.
3. THE SOCIAL SCROLL
More than half (54%) say they sometimes get news from social media, with 30% regularly seeing it on Facebook, 16% on Instagram, 14% on TikTok.
About 1 in 5 Americans report they now get news from social-media influencers. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, that rises to 37%.
4. DECLINING TRUST
Only 13% now rate journalists’ honesty as “high,” and the majority (36%) do not trust the mass media “at all” to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly.
5. THE PAYWALL PROBLEM
Just 17% of adults say they paid for any news in the past year. When hitting a paywall, 32% say they typically give up on accessing the information.
In the 1980s, Americans read the same nightly headlines. Today, we each build our own front page, yet the hunger for context and trustworthy voices remains as strong as ever.
Sources: Pew Research Center, 2025; Gallup, 2024; Nielsen Media Research, 2025
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Kaufman & Canoles is committed to strengthening our community. As part of that commitment, we are proud to support The Richmond Forum and the diverse guests they invite to inspire and inform our community. We CAN. And we will.®
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The 2025 - 2026 season is off to an incredible start for the Richmond Forum Speech & Debate Initiative (RFSDI)! What began as a bold idea to bring competitive speech and debate to every public middle and high school in our region is quickly becoming a reality.
Growing Teams, Growing Voices
Forty-four schools are currently fielding speech and debate teams, up from 34 last year, with many programs doubling enrollment. Classrooms once filled with hesitant speakers are now brimming with the confident voices of students eager to engage, persuade, and perform.
Our network of dedicated coaches has grown by nine, many of them teachers who are new to competitive speech and debate but deeply committed to helping their students find their voice. Together, they’re uplifting a generation of articulate, civically engaged young people who are learning how to listen as thoughtfully as they speak.
Spreading Awareness
On October 22, our Richmond Forum audience gathered for a special program with Andrew Ross Sorkin, held as a fundraiser for RFSDI. We invited two remarkable speech and debate alumni to the stage to open the evening. Henry Price, a recent national qualifier, performed an inspiring rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” to demonstrate the competitive speaking category of Poetry. Maya Shuman , a former Richmond Forum Scholar, introduced Sorkin to the audience.
MISSED THE PROGRAM?
Hear why we invested in speech and debate, and what it means to our community.
Expanding Opportunities
This year also brings a new pathway to national recognition. For the first time, RFSDI students can qualify for nationals through the National Catholic Forensic League, in addition to the National Speech & Debate Association, doubling their chances to shine on the national stage.
With our tournaments larger than ever, we are also piloting multiple buildings for competition, creating separate spaces for speech and debate events so more students can participate comfortably and efficiently.
Tournament Season
On October 18, we hosted the first of five full-day Saturday tournaments. 357 students, 125 judges, and dozens of coaches filled the halls with energy, ideas, and applause. It was a powerful reminder that speech and debate isn’t just a competition, it’s a community.
The next weekend, we hosted our first-ever middle school tournament! With competitive teams now established in 25% of our public middle schools, we are building critical skills at a younger age and preparing more students to excel on the national stage.
PRO TIP: Middle schoolers can simply sign up to compete at Nationals this June, no qualifying event needed!
Judges Training
Behind every successful tournament is a team of volunteer judges. This year, we’ve launched both in-person and virtual judge trainings, and more than 100 volunteers have already joined us! We still need more community members to help our students grow, no experience required.
Please contact lucretia@richmondforum.org if you would like to be part of this rewarding volunteer experience.
The Countdown Is On
In just six months, the National Speech & Debate Tournament will arrive in Richmond, bringing 10,000 students, coaches, and judges from across the country.
You’ll be hearing more from us soon about available volunteer opportunities for individuals and groups. Keep an eye on your email! When the nation’s best student speakers take the stage in Richmond, we want you to be part of it.
Students from Moody Middle School take first place!
Students from Collegiate School at RFSDI’s season opener.
Creating vibrant communities
RICHMOND FORUM SCHOLARS
NOW IN ITS 13TH YEAR, the Richmond Forum Scholars Program is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for five of the region’s most accomplished high school juniors to volunteer behind the scenes at America’s largest speaker series. Since 2013, these students have played essential roles at each Richmond Forum event, gaining rare access to national and international speakers.
Throughout the season, Scholars will work closely with Forum staff to check in guests at sponsor receptions, escort speakers throughout the evening, serve as backstage runners, and introduce speakers in the Student Room. Congratulations to this year’s remarkable group!
Class of 2025 - 2026
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This isn’t just a university. It’s a movement.
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Supporting visionaries
We proudly support The Richmond Forum and this evening’s conversation between Ted Koppel and Amna Nawaz, as they explore the stories that shaped journalism and the press’s role in an increasingly complex world.
Thanks to the generous support of Dr. & Mrs. Baxter W. Perkinson, Jr.,
students and faculty from Trinity Episcopal School have the opportunity to attend The Richmond Forum in a special program designed to connect the classroom, the community and current events. Trinity and The Forum are grateful to the Perkinsons for their continued support.
1987
RICHMOND FORUM SPEAKERS
January Ted Koppel (see “The Birth of The Forum”)
February Hodding Carter and Larry Speakes with Paul Duke
March General Brent Scowcroft with Diane Sawyer
April Charles Kuralt
1988
January Oprah Winfrey
February Jeane Kirkpatrick and Vladimir Pozner with Marvin Kalb
March George Will
April Art Buchwald
1989
January Sam Donaldson
February Henry Kissinger with John Chancellor
March William Buckley and Charles Rangel
April Dr. Carl Sagan
1990
January Paul Duke, Howard Fineman and Charles McDowell
February Frank Carlucci, George McGovern, William Proxmire and William Rusher with Bettina Gregory
March Mike Wallace
April Alistair Cooke
1990–1991
October Chancellor Helmut Schmidt
January Admiral William Crowe, General Alexander Haig and Robert McFarlane with Edwin Newman
February H. Ross Perot
March Art Buchwald and Andy Rooney
April Captain James Lovell and Dr. Frank Drake with James Burke
1991–1992
October Barbara Walters
January PM Margaret Thatcher
February General H. Norman Schwarzkopf with Larry King
March Dr. Marc Micozzi and Dr. Victor McKusick with Patricia Cornwell
April Mark Russell
1992–1993
October Terry Anderson
January Hiroki Kato and T. Boone Pickens
February Dr. Joyce Brothers
March Dr. Bill Cosby
April President Mikhail Gorbachev with Cokie Roberts
1993–1994
November Senator Warren Rudman, Lamar Alexander and Dr. Marvin Cetron with Chris Wallace
January Frank Capiello and Michael Holland with Louis Rukeyser
February President George H. W. Bush
March Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
April Bob Newhart
1994–1995
November General Colin Powell
January Walter Cronkite
February Dave Barry
March Tom Clancy
April Jack Kemp and George Mitchell
1995–1996
November PM Brian Mulroney and Ambassador Carla Hills
January Neil Armstrong, Eugene Cernan and Dick Rutan with David Hartman
February Calvin Trillin
March Charles Kuralt
April David Gergen, Pierre Salinger, Sheila Tate and Bob Woodward with Ed Bradley
1996–1997
November Carl Reiner with Dick Cavett
January Paul Volcker with Ray Brady
February Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough
March Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with Sir David Frost
April Marcia Clark, Philip K. Howard, Dr. Rodney Smolla and Kym Worthy with Prof. Arthur Miller
1997–1998
November Bill Moyers
January Wynton Marsalis
February PM Shimon Peres
March Mary Tyler Moore
April Peter Lynch
1998–1999
November PM John Major
January Robert Bennett and Dr. William Bennett with Tim Russert
February Harry S. Dent, Jr. and Lou Dobbs
March Lily Tomlin
April Dr. Robert Ballard and Jean-Michel Cousteau
1999–2000
November Julie Andrews
January Todd Brewster and Peter Jennings
February John Krubski and Michael Connors with Ray Brady
March Archbishop Desmond Tutu
April James Carville and Newt Gingrich with Tim Russert
2000–2001
November Senator John Glenn
January Tom Brokaw (see next page)
February PM Benjamin Netanyahu
March Frank McCourt
April Dr. William Kelso
2001–2002
November Hal Holbrook
January Rabbi Marc Gellman and Msgr. Thomas Hartman
February Dick Clark
March Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough
April Madeleine Albright and James Baker with Gwen Ifill
2002–2003
November Ken Burns
January Rudolph Giuliani
February PM Benazir Bhutto and Queen Noor with Gwen Ifill
March Louis Freeh
April Senator Fred Thompson
2003–2004
November Cal Ripken, Jr.
January Robert Shiller and Jeremy Siegel
February Candice Bergen
March President Mary Robinson
April Thomas L. Friedman
PAST PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
“Broadcast News: Ethics and Editorial Policy (2001)”
On January 13, 2001, Tom Brokaw regaled the Forum audience with tales behind the contested 2000 presidential election, as well as insights into the explosion of news availability.
“We may have known too much about Bill Clinton’s sex life, but not enough about John F. Kennedy’s,” Brokaw commented about the access to information provided by the 24-hour news cycle.
As for whether incorrect election calls by the networks eroded society’s trust in the media, Brokaw said, “When I say goodnight each night, I invariably say to myself, ‘I trust we got it all right tonight. If we didn’t, we’ll correct it tomorrow … The last thing I want to do is compromise or diminish that trust. If I do, I will have violated one of the sacred privileges in America—the First Amendment.”
2004–2005
November General Tommy Franks
January Michael Beschloss and Walter Isaacson
February Tim Russert
March Dr. Fareed Zakaria
April Frank Gehry
2005–2006
November Robert Redford with Pat Mitchell
January Sherry Lansing
February General Colin Powell (Ret.)
March Tom Wolfe
April Rick Wagoner
2006–2007
November Burt Rutan
January Malcolm Gladwell and Alvin Toffler
February B.B. King
March Jim Lehrer
April Dr. Jared Diamond
2007–2008
November President Vicente Fox
January Carly Fiorina
February Michael Douglas
March Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
April David Brooks
2008–2009
November PM Tony Blair
January Reza Aslan and Jon Meacham
February Smokey Robinson with Daphne Maxwell Reid
March Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long
April Marion Nestle and Michael Pollan
2009–2010
November Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson
January Greg Mortenson
March Steve Forbes
April Condoleezza Rice
May David Plouffe
2010–2011
November President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
January Laura Bush
February Anderson Cooper
March Dr. George Church
April David Blaine
2011–2012
November Dr. Robert Ballard
January Robert Gates
February Quincy Jones with Tim Reid
March Charles Krauthammer and Robert Reich with John Donvan
April Sir Ken Robinson and Rafe Esquith
2012–2013
November Platon
January Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner and Doris Kearns Goodwin with Tim Reid
February President Bill Clinton
March Captain Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords
April Dr. Jane Goodall
2013–2014
November Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and Maajid Nawaz with John Donvan
January Dan Buettner
February President George W. Bush
March PM Gordon Brown
April Steve Martin and Martin Short
2014–2015
November Diana Nyad
January Garry Trudeau
March Ben Bernanke with Paul Solman
April Dr. Daniel Levitin and Rosanne Cash
May General Keith Alexander and Robert Mueller with John Donvan
2015–2016
November Michael Sandel
January Alan Alda
February James Balog
March PM Julia Gillard
April Russell Wilson and Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
2016–2017
November Nate Parker
January Doris Kearns Goodwin and Jon Meacham with Steve Inskeep
February Krista Tippett
March PM Ehud Barak and Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei with Robin Wright
April Ron Howard with Linda Holmes
2017–2018
November President Barack Obama
January Glenn Close
February Peter Diamandis
March Ambassador Samantha Power
April Joe Scarborough and Newt Gingrich with Mara Liasson
2018–2019
November Captain Scott Kelly
January Tina Fey with Linda Holmes
February Dr. Sanjay Gupta
March Ian Bremmer
April Dr. Temple Grandin with John Donvan
2019–2020
November Bob Costas
January Dave Isay, Catherine Burns and Brandon Stanton with John Donvan
February Peggy Noonan
2020–2021
November José Andrés
January Theresa May
February Esther Perel
March Bryan Stevenson
April Vijay Gupta
2022
January Bob Iger with Kara Swisher
February Gloria Steinem with Zainab Salbi
March Erik Weihenmayer
April Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates
May Rhiannon Giddens
June Michelle Obama
2022–2023
November Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster (USA, Ret.)
January Maria Ressa
February Ella Al-Shamahi
March John Lithgow
April Dr. Cornel West and Thomas Chatterton Williams
2023–2024
November Isabel Wilkerson
January Joel Sartore
February Liz Cheney
March Dr. Anthony Fauci
April
Jan Crawford and Kimberley Strassel
2024–2025
November Baratunde Thurston
January Dr. Amber Straughn
February Mike “Coack K” Krzyzewzski
March
April
Richard Reeves
Martha Stewart with Soledad O’Brien
2025–2026
October Andrew Ross Sorkin
November Ted Koppel with Amna Nawaz
January PM Sanna Marin
February Joe Manchin, Andrew Yang, and Justin Amash
March Tracee Ellis Ross
April John Green
Explore our past speaker archive and share your Forum memories at richmondforum.org/speaker.
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MARTHA STEWART with Soledad O’Brien
AT THE RICHMOND FORUM APRIL 26, 2025
MARTHA STEWART MAY BE BEST KNOWN FOR PERFECTING THE ART OF EVERYDAY LIVING, but at The Richmond Forum, she offered something even more intriguing: a candid, often hilarious portrait of a life built on fearlessness, resilience, and boundless curiosity.
In a conversation with award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien, Stewart reflected on her unconventional journey to building a billion-dollar brand, while offering lessons on entrepreneurship, reinvention, and curiosity.
Although Stewart’s empire now spans television, publishing, merchandising, and beyond, she made clear that it all began with a love of the home and a sharp eye for opportunity. “I like to find the void and fill it,” she said.
That instinct remains alive today. Stewart teased new ventures involving the artificial intelligence in the home as well as a renewed focus on pets. “There are no good pet programs on TV right now,” she said, alluding to a possible new project.
Growing up as one of six children with few frills and many chores, Stewart developed the work ethic and resilience that would later distinguish her.
“You have to learn something new every day,” she told the audience, recounting memories of skinning muskrats with her brother for extra money and tying trout flies with practiced skill. Even today, she said, she maintains the habit—most recently exploring Richmond’s gardens during her visit, discovering unfamiliar plants and architectural styles.
When asked about facing roadblocks in male-dominated industries, Stewart didn’t hesitate. “I never felt there was a glass
ceiling,” she said. “If I sensed a restriction, I argued about it.” She recalled standing up for herself early on, such as walking out of a modeling audition when she was asked to change into a bikini for no good reason. It was a moment of quiet but decisive rebellion.
Though her life has been marked by highly public legal and personal setbacks, Stewart emphasized resilience over bitterness. “I don’t have thick skin,” she admitted. “But I have a good sense of myself.” She kept diaries throughout her toughest times, learning to process pain without letting it define her and
to channel challenges into renewed energy. “Success is the best revenge,” she quipped, drawing applause from the audience.
Some of the evening’s most delightful moments came when Stewart spoke about unexpected turns in her life, including her famous friendship with rapper Snoop Dogg. Their collaboration, she said, opened new audiences for both of them and became a genuine friendship.
“We don’t speak the same language at all,” she joked. “But we interact in a very nice way.” Stewart launched into a story about harvesting cannabis seeds from Snoop’s plants on her farm and mistakenly thinking her chicken coop was on fire after getting an unintentional contact high. “I don’t touch the stuff anymore,” she said, laughing along with the audience.
Her openness to new experiences seems to be a key part of her enduring relevance. Whether posing for the cover of Sports Illustrated at age 81 or launching a new NBC cooking competition show with fellow Forum speaker José Andrés, Stewart embraces challenges not because they’re easy, but because they’re new. “I did it because I hadn’t done it before,” she said.
Stewart advised women contemplating reinvention to think in terms of evolution rather than transformation. “Take baby steps,” she said. “See what you like and what you don’t.”
As the conversation drew to a close, Stewart reflected: “It’s been a very interesting life so far.” Judging by her restless curiosity, irrepressible humor, and endless list of new ideas, the most fascinating chapters of Martha Stewart’s life are still being written.
1) Martha Stewart and Soledad O’Brien on stage. 2) Stewart answers questions from the audience. 3) Stewart and O’Brien visit the Student Room to talk with local high school students. 4) Andrea Lynn White of Genworth/CareScout, the evening’s Lead Patron, introduces the speakers. 5) Guests of circle S studio, the Host Patron for the evening. 6) Sweet Potatoes provides musical entertainment.
What do Virginia’s best brands have in common?
They’ve turned to Brand Federation for marketing research, branding and strategic planning. We’re proud to have advised the Richmond Forum, and many of its sponsors, to help turn their brands into fuel for growth.
The National Speech & Debate Tournament is coming to Richmond this June!
Ten thousand competitors, judges, coaches, and families will descend upon the region from June 14 - 19, 2026. Students will compete at Chesterfield and Henrico County middle and high schools and the Richmond Convention Center. Finalists will have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform right here on our stage at the Altria Theater.
THANK YOU TO OUR LOCAL SPONSORS
Help us prepare more local students to earn their spot on the Nationals stage and to roll out the red carpet for the best and brightest students in the country. To sponsor the tournament or sign up to volunteer, contact sandra@richmondforum.org.
UP NEXT AT THE FORUM
FEBRUARY 21, 2026
JOE MANCHIN, ANDREW YANG, & JUSTIN AMASH
The Two-Party Problem
JANUARY 17, 2026
SANNA MARIN
EUROPE’S NEXT GENERATION
At 34, Sanna Marin became the world’s youngest serving prime minister, leading Finland through a historic era of transformation. Boldly shifting her country’s foreign policy with a landmark NATO bid, Marin has emerged as a symbol of modern, valuesdriven leadership on the global stage. Now, as Europe faces rising geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, and growing internal divides, Marin offers a thoughtful and urgent perspective on what comes next. With the clarity of a seasoned leader and the optimism of a nextgeneration changemaker, she will share stories from her time in office and present her vision for a stronger, more unified Europe. (Format: Speech with Q&A)
TRACEE
MARCH 21, 2026
ELLIS ROSS
On Identity, Impact, & Joy
APRIL 18, 2026
JOHN GREEN
Perpetually Curious
Uncommon
lEgacy
“If we don’t spend our lives… searching for facts, then really, I think our way of life is finished in this country.”
Just like Ted Koppel, VCU reshapes entire industries through enduring values and forward-thinking impact. From award-winning storytellers at the Brandcenter to life-changers at Massey Cancer Center, we teach students to ask better questions and tell the stories that define today — and tomorrow. In other words, we don’t just break news. We break molds.
