In 1876, during the United States centennial celebration, the Declaration of Independence was the main attraction, displayed in Philadelphia at the Centennial Exhibition. This event marked America’s first official World’s Fair, drawing nine million visitors—impressive given the nation’s population of 46 million at the time.
As the 250th anniversary approaches, the Declaration remains in the National Archives, housed in bulletproof glass. Unlike the lively kick-off events, including the Ultimate Fighting Championship at the White House and the coming Freedom 250 Grand Prix at the National Mall, the document itself has not been the focal point. Former archivist Colleen J. Shogan noted, “official activities haven’t put much emphasis on it.” Her dismissal during Trump’s administration, unofficially tied to document retention issues at Mar-a-Lago, left the document’s prominence unrecognized.
On the anniversary of Jefferson’s final edits to the Declaration, visitor traffic to view the historic document was minimal. Its phrase “When in the course of human events…” and notable signatures are now less celebrated.