Three historic copies of the Declaration of Independence will be on display in September at Duke's Nasher Museum of Art and the Durham County Main Library, Duke University announced Wednesday.
The prints are on loan from the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection. The group includes the official 1823 Stone facsimile, engraved by William J. Stone and considered the standard reproduction of the founding document; an 1818 handwritten reproduction by calligrapher Benjamin Owen Tyler; and a more ornate 1819 illustrated version published by John Binns. Together they trace how the Declaration was circulated and visually rendered in the early decades of the republic.
The exhibition anchors a broader initiative called We the People, a partnership between Duke and Durham organizations that will run through spring 2027. It includes exhibitions, performances, coursework, and public programs. Duke Provost Alec D. Gallimore named Sanford School interim dean Manoj Mohanan and vice provost for the arts Deborah Rutter as the initiative's conveners.
Mayor Leonardo Williams framed the project as a local reckoning as much as a national commemoration. "As we approach the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this partnership with Duke University gives us a meaningful opportunity to reflect on where we've been and where we're headed," he said. "Through shared experiences in art, conversation, and community, we can come together to better understand our history and continue building a future that includes us all."
David Rubenstein, a Duke alumnus and trustee emeritus whose collection is providing the prints, said placing the documents in public spaces was intentional. "By placing the Declaration of Independence and its early reproductions in public spaces, We the People creates opportunities for people to engage directly with a document that continues to shape civic life."
The September exhibitions at the Nasher and the Durham County Main Library will be the first public touchpoints for Durham residents before programming extends into 2027.