1776 Across the Americas: A Hemispheric History from the Collections of the John Carter Brown Library

John Carter Brown Library: In 2026, the United States will mark the 250th anniversary of its founding. As a preeminent library of the early Americas with world-leading collections, research, and convening capacities, the John Carter Brown Library (JCB) is uniquely positioned to promote both scholarship and public engagement around the meaning of this milestone. In keeping with its mission to create, preserve, and share knowledge around the early Americas for the public good, the JCB is excited to launch 2026 and Beyond. This multi-year initiative will engage the Library’s exceptional resources to create and share new insights that will serve scholars, students, global citizens, and policymakers today and for generations to come.

2026 and Beyond will focus on three major themes that reflect the deep strength of the Library’s collections/research and reveal the fullest and most consequential histories of the early Americas:

Foundations of Revolution: The Democratic Revolutions of the Early Americas: When the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of its independence in 2026, the JCB will harness its strength as a repository and a research center for the history of the early Americas to elucidate the connections between the American Revolution and the breadth of democratic movements of the period.

Foundations of Democracy: Freedom of Religion and Conscience: The JCB is located in Rhode Island, the first colony to allow individuals to practice the religion of their choice. As such, the theme of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience is an essential consideration for our work around 2026.

Foundations of Historical Knowledge: How Libraries Make History: The JCB’s collections and research have long highlighted the centrality of the environment to the histories of the early Americas. From early botanical texts to maps and travel narratives that document changing landscapes, the Library’s resources provide essential insights into how humans have interacted with their environments over time.

Admission is free and open to the public