Declaration of Independence Reading

Hear the words that changed history.

Join the Elgin History Museum, Fox Valley SAR, Elias Kent Kane DAR, and Signal Hill DAR, for a Nationwide Reading of the Declaration of Independence as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. Local leaders, educators, historians, and volunteers will read the Declaration aloud, just as it was shared with the public in 1776.

Even though the United States is spread across thousands of miles and ten different time zones, all of us in America may read the Declaration of Independence ‘together’, at the ‘same’ time. Unlike the extent of the Colonies in 1776, today, America spans about 9,500-miles from one extreme to the other (the Caribbean across North America to the western edge of the Pacific).

With a start time based on 6 pm (EDT), July 8, 2026 (commemorating the first public reading), people in communities across America will begin reading the Declaration of Independence. THE READING WILL START AT THE ELGIN HISTORY MUSEUM AT 5PM, but feel free to come to the Museum starting at 4:30pm. Bring a lawn chair, gather with friends and neighbors, and be part of this unique event celebrating America’s 250th birthday. Admission is free and all are welcome.

This is a nationwide program initiated and sponsored by the Hawai‘i America250 Commission.