On Thursday, July 17th at noon, the Library will host historian John Bidwell for a “Made at the Library” event to celebrate the recent publication of his book, The Declaration in Script and Print: A Visual History of America’s Founding Document. Dr. Bidwell will discuss the history of the Declaration of Independence and the process of conducting research using the Library’s collections.
Bidwell’s The Declaration in Script and Print tells the story of the composition and first printings of the Declaration of Independence in 1776-1777 and traces the history of 19th century artistic reproductions of our nation’s founding document. Dr. Bidwell weaves his technical and interpretive examinations of historic printings of the Declaration within a lively narrative of the people and events involved in bringing illustrated versions of the text to the American public. Dr. Bidwell’s book also provides a comprehensive checklist of the Declaration’s earliest printings. In sum, The Declaration in Print and Script explores a transformative moment in print history by discussing the techniques of typesetting, engraving, and lithography that artists and printers used to reproduce and illustrate the various editions of the Declaration in this era.
The Library couldn’t be more excited to host Dr. Bidwell as he speaks about the research and writing process that brought this book into being.
The event on July 17 will include four components:
- John Bidwell will present a brief introduction to his book and the process by which he identified, researched, and interpreted the Library’s collections in his work.
- Then, Stephanie Stillo, the Chief of the Rare Book and Special Collections Division, will engage with Dr. Bidwell in a conversational interview segment.
- With the remaining time in the hour, the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions.
- Before and after the event on stage, a curated display of select printings of the Declaration of Independence from the Manuscript and Rare Book Divisions will highlight the Library’s extraordinary Americana collections.
This event will be free and open to the public, and you can register to attend via this link. If you are unable to join us in person on July 17, the event will be filmed and posted to RBSCD’s filmed events page.
John Bidwell is a curator emeritus at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City and served as the Astor Curator of Printed Books & Bindings there. Dr. Bidwell received his bachelor’s degree in history at Columbia University, earned his M.A. at Columbia’s School of Library Service, and received his doctorate in English from Oxford. He has written extensively on the history of papermaking and the graphic arts.
The Rare Book and Special Collections Division and the Manuscript Division will co-host this event as part of the “Made at the Library” series, which highlights works that emerge from research conducted at the Library of Congress. This series features authors, artists, and other creators in conversation with experts from the Library’s staff. Dr. Bidwell will offer his perspective on the experience of working with the Library’s collections as he researched the rich and varied printing history of the Declaration of Independence.
When the Declaration of Independence was formally adopted by the Continental Congress on July 2nd, 1776, John Adams presciently envisioned future celebrations of this event:
The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.—I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations.
Adams surely meant to include registering for lectures about the Declaration in his list of celebratory acts!
Please join us on July 17th if you can!
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