Freedom: A History of US

Since 1776, when the United States declared independence from Great Britain, the idea of freedom and our understanding of its implications have changed dramatically. Drawing on materials from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, this exhibition traces the evolving concept of freedom from the founding era to the election of Barack Obama. Among the highlights are a rare 1776 printing of the Declaration of Independence, a printed draft and the official copy of the US Constitution, Lincoln’s handwritten notes for speeches, and letters by leading figures such as Frederick Douglas, Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King Jr., and more.