On July 8, 1776, Colonel John Nixon delivered the first public reading of the Declaration in the State House Yard—now Independence Square—in Philadelphia. For many colonists, it was the first time they heard the revolutionary promises of equality, unalienable rights, and self-governance that would become the foundation of a new nation. In an era when many people could not easily access newspapers or read for themselves, public readings served as a vital means of communicating these transformative ideas.
Today, 250 years later, a nationwide program initiated and sponsored by the Hawai‘i America250 Commission and supported in Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area is encouraging communities throughout Annapolis and Anne Arundel County to gather friends, neighbors, colleagues, and family members to commemorate this historic moment through a collective public reading.
In the Chesapeake Crossroads
Locations in the Chesapeake Crossroads on this map are organized readings of Declaration of Independence at 6:00 p.m. on July 8, 2026. Check it out to find a location near you! https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/9771cec566f74800955072e7921151f3
Don’t see a reading near you and want to organize one? Check out our page with resources and links for doing so! https://chesapeakecrossroads.org/250th/spirit-of-america/
