American Heritage Partners

Author’s Talk—When the Declaration of Independence Was News
2026-04-21 18:30 - 19:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Historian Emily Sneff discussed her new book that reveals the stories of how the Declaration of Independence was communicated in the United States and around the Atlantic World. In 1776, people could hear the Declaration of Independence proclaimed in public squares and read it in the pages of their local newspapers. Histories of the Declaration typically recount the work that took place inside the Continental Congress, focusing on the men tasked with drafting the text. Although Congress declared independence, the work of spreading the news involved various individuals, ranging from printers and post riders to ship captains, clerks and translators. Drawing from the book, this talk provides fresh perspectives on the Declaration of Independence by focusing on the earliest public readings and print reactions to independence in English and European languages.
Registration is requested. To attend the author’s talk in-person, or to watch virtually, please use the appropriate links below.
Register to Attend the Author’s Talk at Anderson House
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About the Speaker
Emily Sneff is an early American historian and a leading expert on the Declaration of Independence who earned her Ph.D. from the College of William and Mary in 2024. Currently she is a consulting curator for exhibitions planned for the 250th anniversaries of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. She has been a consultant for the American Philosophical Society, Historic Trappe and the Museum of the American Revolution. She is also the curator of digital content for Declaration Stories and the managing editor for Americana Insights.

Bacon’s Rebellion: The First American Revolution
2026-05-09
On May 9, 2026, AHP’s President Jay Dickey gave a talk in Denver, Colorado on one of the major events in the early years of the Virginia Colony. Jay’s talk was entitled “Bacon’s Rebellion: The First American Revolution.” Jay delivered his remarks to the First Colorado Company of the Jamestowne Society. 2026 marks the 350th anniversary of Bacon’s Rebellion, which took place in 1676. Bacon was a political leader of the nascent Virginia Colony, and who became the chief antagonist against the Colony’s Governor, William Berkeley. The Governor’s failed leadership provoked Bacon and his allies to mount an armed rebellion, which ultimately led to the burning of the Jamestown Fort. Bacon himself was an articulate spokesperson who advocated for a more democratic government, and more rigorous defense of the Colony of repeated Indian attacks. Bacon died suddenly in the midst of the warfare, and the rebellion was crushed.
