Photo: Getty Images

On July 8, 2026, communities across the nation will unite in a simultaneous reading of the Declaration of Independence, commemorating its first public reading 250 years ago on July 8, 1776. Organized by the Hawai’i America250 Commission, “Sharing the Spirit of America” invites Americans to come together — despite spanning 9,500 miles and nine time zones — to read the Declaration at the same time, beginning at 3pm PT.

The America 250 Oregon Commission will participate in the event with a public reading in the Oregon Historical Society’s research library. Among those participating in the reading are:

Ken Boddie, KOIN News
Olivia Clark, Portland City Councilor
Julia Brim Edwards, Multnomah County Commissioner
Meagan Flynn, Chief Justice, Oregon Supreme Court
Ted Kulongoski, Oregon Governor, 2003–2011
Judy Matarazzo, Presiding Judge, Multnomah County Circuit Court
David Molko, KGW News
Adrienne Nelson, United States District Judge for the District of Oregon
Tobias Read, Oregon Secretary of State
Ellen Rosenblum, Oregon Attorney General, 2012–2024
Mike Simon, United States District Court Judge for the District of Oregon
Joe Vithayathil, KPTV News

Four days before this first reading of the Declaration, the Second Continental Congress was concluding its debate on the statement that would present the colonies’ case for independence to the world. A committee of five men were appointed to write the statement: John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert Livingston of New York, and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. The committee selected Jefferson to write the first draft, which was edited by Franklin and Adams, and then by Congress. The Declaration was signed by 56 men who knew their signatures could cost them their lives — yet willingly signed this monumental document.

This simple yet powerful act honors our shared history and reaffirms the principles of freedom and unity that continue to guide the nation 250 years later. View a list of readings happening state and nationwide on the Hawai’i America250 Commission website.

As part of Sharing the Spirit of America, visitors will have the opportunity to view First Edition Oregon, a special exhibition in the Oregon Historical Society’s research library showcasing highlights from the recently donated Petros G. Pelos Collection of Books and Maps. This remarkable collection featuring first editions and original bindings tells the story of American continental expansion with an emphasis on the Pacific Northwest — from eighteenth-century voyages in search of the hypothesized Northwest Passage to the final political integration of Oregon into the United States during the mid-nineteenth century. Together, these rare materials offer a unique opportunity to explore how history was recorded, published, and preserved, while illuminating the people, events, and ideas that shaped both the nation and Oregon’s place within it.

Source: Oregon Historical Society

Smitty