In celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, New York University and The Berkley Collection presented The Declaration of Independence: Long Trail to Liberty at NYU’s Grey Art Museum.

This landmark exhibition explored the heart of the Declaration—the 27 “grievances,” or reasons for revolution. Through more than 100 rare manuscripts, pamphlets, books, maps, and more, visitors traced how Thomas Jefferson and the Second Continental Congress transformed years of colonial struggle into a powerful case for freedom.

At the center of the exhibition was an original 1776 printing of the Declaration of Independence, pulled from John Dunlap’s Philadelphia press between July 4 and 5—one of only 26 surviving copies today. Displayed alongside historical evidence of the events that inspired its writing, the document invited viewers to think about how creeping acts of tyranny made revolution inevitable.

Other highlights included:

• A manuscript draft of the 1765 Stamp Act

• A 1582 manuscript agreement under Queen Elizabeth I that later informed Jefferson’s arguments for self-governance

• Phillis Wheatley’s Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, signed by the poet herself

• King George III’s instructions to General William and Admiral Richard Howe for restoring peace in the colonies

• The first printing of the Articles of Confederation, the nation’s first governing document

The exhibition concluded with an examination of the Declaration’s evolving legacy during the “Era of Good Feelings” (1815–1825), when reproductions of the Declaration became cherished national symbols of unity and identity.

“The rare books, manuscripts, and other documents in this exhibition reflect a collection built over fifty years,” said William R. Berkley, President of The Berkley Collection. “They reveal how the study of historical materials deepens our understanding of the United States as both a nation and an idea.”

Thank you for visiting our inaugural exhibition.