In 1776, the Declaration of Independence, the founding document of the United States, was written, read and claimed by the people of the first 13 colonies.
This year, on July 8, the day of its first public reading 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Declaration of Independence will be read aloud in Houlton. The Declaration will be shared at noon on the steps of the Houlton Historical Society and Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce building by readers of many ages and backgrounds, and all are welcome to attend.
Houlton joins communities from across the country and around the world in reading the Declaration on July 8.
“Reading the Declaration of Independence aloud and hearing it read in a variety of Houlton area voices will be a highlight of the season for me,” said Mary Beth DiMarco, one of the organizers of the event.
From its opening — “When in the course of human events it becomes necessary…” and “We hold these truths to be self-evident…,” — through the naming of abuses of power by Britain’s King George III, to “We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor,” the Declaration of Independence marked a formal revolution that had been simmering for more than a year. Its adoption by the Continental Congress on July 4, and its subsequent reading and publication throughout the colonies, was a defining event in American history.
The 1,337 words of the Declaration continue to resound in meaning and strength, across generations and across the country.
“In some ways, we’re still working to live up to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence,” DiMarco said. “It’s important to hear it read together with our community and nation.”
The reading in Houlton is offered by Restore, a local grassroots organization for community and justice.
Pocket copies of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution will be available at the event.
