July 4th, 2026 | America’s 250th | Time to reflect and celebrate!
Imagine July 4th next year: America’s 250th. Imagine scores of people between now and then moving from the cynical to the sacred, from argument to conversation. Imagine the most beautiful tapestry of potlucks and coffee klatches the nation has ever seen. Imagine people from all walks of life reading America’s most inspiring words and exploring them together. Imagine coming out of this national milestone more unified and grounded in shared civic values.
Monticello’s Declaration Book Club
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, which created the United States. To celebrate the Declaration’s upcoming 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, Monticello is launching Declaration Book Club, featuring short readings, lively videos, and probing questions to spark discussion of our past, present, and future as one people, created equal. What did Jefferson and his cosigners declare in 1776–and how do you pursue life, liberty, and happiness today?