The Living Declaration: A Biography of America’s Founding Text

FAIN: ZZ-310057-25

Library of America (New York, NY 10022-1006)
Max Rudin (Project Director: July 2025 to present)

The editorial development and publication by Library of America of a book for general readers featuring 60 excerpts of influential figures from the 18th-20th centuries as well as short interpretive essays that illustrate the enduring significance of the Declaration of Independence.

No text is as essential as the Declaration of Independence to understanding our history as a people and the unique contribution our political culture has made to the world. Yet the vivid historical writings that show how it came to be, and why it has remained a cultural and political touchstone, have never been available in an accessible format designed for a wide readership. Library of America requests a grant to support editorial development and publication of a book for general readers to meet this need. Informed by rigorous scholarship and designed to be one of the definitive publications of the 250th anniversary commemoration, The Living Declaration: A Biography of America’s Founding Text will trace how our national charter has defined and shaped the democratic aspirations of Americans and others for over two centuries. As the nation marks 250 years of independence, The Living Declaration will encourage us to look anew at a vital American text whose history is still unfolding.