July 4, 2026, will mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. To kick off its observances of America 250 – the United States Semiquincentennial – Newton Public Library will host a public reading and discussion of the Declaration of Independence on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 6:30 p.m.
Members of the community are invited to attend and participate in this “Declaration Conversation,” made possible by Humanities Kansas. The event will be facilitated by Anne Hawkins, a Kansas historian who has published numerous articles and given hundreds of historical talks and presentations across the state.
Following an introduction by Hawkins, Newton High School speech and debate students will read excerpts from the Declaration of Independence. Hawkins will then lead a community discussion about the Declaration, its meaning, and its impact.
The Declaration Conversation is free and open to the public; no registration is needed. It is part of Humanities Kansas’s “Declaration at 250” activities, which also include a statewide tour of a traveling exhibition, “Declaration 1776: The Big Bang of Modern Democracy." The exhibition will be on view at North Newton’s Kauffman Museum, Nov. 14 through Dec. 31, 2026.
For more info on “Declaration at 250,” go to www.humanitieskansas.org. For more on America 250 programs and events across the state, visit www.travelks.com/kansas-250.
You may also like the following events from Newton Public Library:
Also check out other
Exhibitions in Newton.
