250 Years: The Promises and Legacy of the Declaration of Independence

In 2026, we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. With this document, members of the revolutionary generation set in motion the struggle against political tyranny and in defense of unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Declaration of Independence also contained the promise that all men are created equal and endowed with certain rights. The story of how these lofty goals were pursued and made tangible unfolded in the 250 years that followed 1776 in regions and communities like ours. The Central Region Humanities Center, with funding from a NEH Public Impact Grant, is organizing an academic conference and collaborating on a series of exhibitions that will help to tell this story. View the Schedule and Presenters The conference, "250 Years: The Promises and Legacy of the Declaration of Independence," is scheduled for Sept. 10 to 13. It will open on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. With a Concert on the Green event and a Choral Reading of the Declaration of Independence. On Friday, Sept. 11, and Saturday, Sept. 12, conference presenters will discuss the historical context of the Declaration of Independence, the impact of its foundational ideals on the trajectory of the United States, and our continued pursuit of its principles and values. Conference panels are scheduled between 9 a.m. And 5 p.m. On Friday, and 9 a.m. And 6 p.m. On Saturday. The conference keynote speaker on Friday, September 11, at 5pm, is Dr.