As the United States prepares to commemorate the 250th anniversary of its independence on July 4th, the John F. Kennedy Institute invites you to join us on July 2nd, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. for a discussion with distinguished scholars David Armitage (Harvard University), Johann Neem (Western Washington University), and Hannah Spahn (Freie Universität Berlin), moderated by Jessica Gienow-Hecht (Freie Universität Berlin) exploring the relationship between the historical events of early America, collective memories, and the contemporary narratives through which the past is remembered and commemorated.

While July 4th is enshrined in collective memory as the birth of the United States, it was on July 2nd, 1776, that the Continental Congress first voted to dissolve allegiance to the British Crown and declare the American colonies independent based on a more radical draft of what would ultimately be adopted as the Declaration of Independence on July 4th. Taking the distinction between these two dates and these two drafts as a point of departure, the event will reflect on the contested meanings and legacies of the American Declaration of Independence.